CDC loop wing emerger | My fly of the year
The CDC Loop Wing Emerger is a pattern that I have tied for many years now, and paired
with the TMC 206 BL makes for a very faithful hooker (shown above #18).
Every year, I post an entry on my most productive fly of the trout season. I typically also credit the hook itself because, without an outstanding hook, you cannot have a stellar fly. Some hooks do well with particular patterns, but others make all the difference in the world. The venerable TMC 206 BL never lets me down. It's a hook that echoes a traditional “octopus” style hook but using very light wire. It lends itself perfectly as a platform for a caddis emerger. It is, however, a hook that is so versatile you can tie soft hackles, adult caddis, and even adult mayflies on with very measurable success. The TMC 206 BL is a hook that wins confidence, and this is one of the most important aspects of hook selection for the angler. This fine wire hook makes it easy to float emergers with a sparse dressing. Simply put it is an elegant hook with superior hooking ability.
~ CDC Loop Wing Emerger ~
Hook: TMC 206 BL #12-#18 (shown above #18)
Thread: UTC Ultra 70 gray
Body: Peacock quill, natural, green, or brown
Thorax: Natural Beaver Belly mixed with UV
Trailing fibers: Barred Wood Duck
Wing Case: CDC natural dun (x2 feathers)
I use this pattern always for sight fishing, never for prospecting. It's a pattern for selective browns in gin-clear water, using a furled leader and coupled with very light tippets. This season, it was my killing fly all season long. Generally speaking, in my part of the woods, adult caddis and mayflies were hard to come by in 2025. We did have a prolific fall hatch of little black Saddle-Case Caddis, and these emerger patterns drew very consistent strikes all season. This pattern proved itself time and time again on rivers in PA, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia on very selective trout. Towards the end of the season, the black midges were prolific and tied CDC loop wing midge emergers in sizes 20 and 22 using the same geometry and materials, but used dark crimson black quills and deep charcoal wing cases and thoraxes. This pattern is front and center for this winter's tying sessions.
Thanks for letting me share ~ Clint Bova
