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Posts tagged "hendrickson emerger"

Hendrickson Hair Wing Dun

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 20, 2018
Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Final

Hendrickson Hair Wing Dun

When some of the local rivers maintain temperatures in the mid-50s, you can expect to see Hendrickson mayflies (Ephemerella subvaria) emerging, especially in the afternoon after the sun has had a chance to warm up the water. It’s also a chance to take advantage of fish that haven’t necessarily been pressured for a while as they come out of hibernation and start feeding on the first significant mayfly to emerge in late April and into May. It might be safe to say that Hendrickson’s are the first sign of spring to an avid dry fly angler.

This version of Rene Harrops’s classic Hair Wing Dun floats well, sits in the film and represents the insect’s profile very nicely.

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Emerger

Hendrickson Hair Wing Emerger

Since Henies can struggle to get off the water in the cooler temperatures common in the early season, they tend to be vulnerable to feeding fish. This pattern – with Its Elk Hair Caddis-like wing – allows you to skitter it on the surface just above a selectively feeding fish for added realism that can be just enough to convince a fish that has already refused your previous presentation.

By changing the tail materials to Gadwall Flank and some Z-lon, you can create an effective emerger. With the water often stained in the early season, I have a few of these ties with a piece of micro opal Flashabou as a rib to bring just a little attention to the pattern as it floats downstream.

Don’t limit this pattern just to just Hendricksons. With some minor adjustments to color and size, this pattern can be tied to represent most the mayflies found emerging in May and June.Tie some up and think Spring!

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun With Rib

Hendrickson Hair Wing Dun with Rib

Recipe

Hook:                    Gamakatsu S10 #14
Thread:                 Uni 8/0 or equivalent – Tan or Camel
Tail:                       Moose Body or Coque De Leon
Dubbing:              Custom blend of 1/3rd Olive &
:                            1/3rd Cinnamon Fine ‘N Dry dubbing
:                            and 1/3rd Muskrat Fur – hand mixed.
Hackle:                 Grizzly Dyed Dun Dry Fly
Wing:                   Medium Coastal Deer Hair

 

Tying Instructions

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 1Step 1. Wrap a thread base from behind the hook eye to above the barb.

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 2Step 2. Apply a very slight amount of dubbing to the thread
and create a very small and compact ball above the hook barb.

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 3Step 3.  Using a hair evener/stacker, prepare 4 to 6 moose body hairs and tie on top of the shank
– mid way- so the natural tips extend one hook shank’s length beyond the hook.
Divide the hairs on either side of the small dubbing ball to help split/spread the hairs.

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 4Step 4. Dub a slightly tapered body to the half-way point up the hook shank.

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 5Step 5. Choose a hackle feather that is one size too large and
tie in the hackle by  the stem up against the dubbing.
To help secure the feather, trim some of the barbules close to the stem.

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 6Step 6. Dub the thorax area stopping about one hook eye’s length shy of the hook eye itself.

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 7Step 7. Wind the hackle fully through the thorax area and tie off between dubbing and hook eye.

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 8Step 8. Prepare, clean and stack a clump of deer hair that is a little thicker than a coffee stir stick/straw.
Tie in the deer hair so the tips – when laid down – extend the length of the dubbed body.
Use a couple of loose lasso-wraps of thread before securing and flaring the deer hair.
The tips of the hair should be pointed back and upwards.

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 9Step 9. Trim the deer hair off the front of the fly so that it sticks up a little.
Think of how an elk hair caddis is tied. Whip finish.|

Hendrickson Hairwing Dun Step 10Step 10. Trim the hackle on the underside of the fly, flat, so that it is doesn’t extend beyond the hook point.

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Borchers Emerger Fly Pattern

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 12, 2014
Borchers Emerger Pattern

Borcher’s Emerger

This emerger pattern is a variation of the Borcher’s Drake, which is most likely in your fly box already. If it isn’t, it should be, as should the Borcher’s Emerger.

As does the dun, the Borcher’s Emerger can imitate a large number of common mayflies found in Michigan trout rivers and even beyond.  A tier can stock their fly box with patterns from size 8 -16 to imitate: Hendrickson, Mahogany Dun, Great Speckled Olive, March Brown, Brown Drake and Isonychia mayflies. And by changing the colors of the dubbing and wing, you can also use this pattern to imitate other prolific bugs like Sulphurs.

Borchers Emerger - Natural

Natural emerger struggling out of its nymphal shuck

Part of an emerger’s allure could be explained by having more body sub-surface, making it easy for fish to see. Or, as a season progresses, trout might be suspect of duns since most anglers use them. After a few hooks ups, they become quite wary.

I combined a few elements of common fly patterns to develop the Borchers Emerger pattern. The “Tilt-Shoot” wing is a variation of a parachute and does a great job of helping keep the fly upright and floating while angling backwards,  providing an accurate profile of the wing. As most new flies can be difficult to master at first, this wing can be tricky, but perseverance will get you there. 

 

Borchers Emerger Recipe

Borchers Emerger - Brown Trout

Hook:               Daiichi 1167 Klinkhamer # 12 (8-16)
Thread:            Uni 6/0 Camel (8/0 in smaller sizes)
Shuck:              Z-Lon – Brown
Body:               Cinnamon Tip Turkey Feather
Wing:               Coastal Deer Hair – Medium
Thorax:            Fine and Dry Dubbing – Rusty Brown
Hackle:             Grizzly Dyed Dun – Dry Fly/Rooster

 

Tying Instructions
Borchers Emerger Step - 1

Step 1.  After placing hook into the vise, wrap a base
layer from behind the eye backwards to point shown in photo.

Borchers Emerger Step - 2Step 2.  Using a sparse amount of Z-Lon (about half the diameter of a typical strand). Tie in
at the bend/kink just behind the eye and wrap along the hook to just beyond the base layer.

Borchers Emerger Step - 3Borchers Emerger Step - 3.5

 

Step 3.  Pull a few strands/fibers (approximately 5 or 6) from the tail
feather and tie the tips in near where the shuck extends backwards.

Borchers Emerger Step - 4Step 4.  Advance thread forward to where the bend/kink is and wrap the turkey
feather fibers tightly forming a slightly tapered body towards your thread. Tie off.

Borchers Emerger Step -5Step 5. Select about a wooden matchstick’s diameter of
deer hair and cut, clean and stack/even the tips of the hair.

Borchers Emerger Step - 6Step 6. With the tips pointing rearward to about half-way down the body, secure
the deer hair with a few loose wraps and then a tight one.  Too long of tips will result
in the fly tipping over. Too short and it won’t provide the proper wing profile.

Borchers Emerger Step - 7Step 7. Pull the butt sections up and place a few thread wraps
against the hair to encourage them upward. Do NOT trim butts.

Borchers Emerger Step - 8Step 8.  Prepare a hackle by trimming a few barbs close to the stem.

Borchers Emerger Step - 9Step 9.  Tie the hackle at the base of the deer hair so the underside/concave of the feather is facing you.

Borchers Emerger Step - 10Step 10. Using a sparse amount of dubbing, dub a tight thorax under and around the deer hair and hackle.

Borchers Emerger Step - 11Step 11. Wind a relatively heavy/full hackle wing and tie off.

Borchers Emerger Step - 12

Borchers Emerger Step - 12.5

 

Step 12. Divide the deer hair tips and butts with your fingers and trim the butts
closely to the hackle. Apply a drop of head cement on the butts and the thread wraps.

Borchers Emerger Fly Pattern and How to Tie

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Ted Kraimer • Current Works, LLC • PO Box 333 • Traverse City, Michigan 49685 • (231) 883-8156

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