Split hairwing Caddis Emerger a summer fare
Above photo: A split-hair wing caddis on a #18 Hanak 390 BL
A midsummer's snack is often anytime of the day for the life and times of the man in the brown suit. The summer caddis hatches come and go as arbitrarily as the weather here in the Northeast. In sizes #16-#20, the little brown caddisflies become a summer staple, and whether it's a cripple or an emerger, they always seem to entice a rise. Davy Wotton's Caddis Emerger from yesteryear is one pattern that comes to mind as a successful all-around caddis search pattern for the dog days of summer. Over the years, I have created variants of this pattern using a varnished quill, a pearl upper abdomen, and a cream Antron shuck. I also have replaced the fragile pheasant tail wing case with a translucent brown Scud Back (as seen in the above photo). These changes have made this pattern deadlier and more durable in the spring creeks I fish most frequently. Spring creeks like the Letort Spring Run, Oil Creek, Yellow Breeches, and Depuy Spring Creek, to name a few, are pretty technical at times, and this pattern in smaller sizes excels over picky browns. Using Varner's extra-fine deer hair produces a tighter, more convincing split wing in smaller sizes, down to a #19 TMC 212Y or a #18 Hanak 390 BL, which are my preferred hooks of choice for this pattern.
Above photo: A TMC 212Y #19 is a lighter-weight option for this hair wing emerger pattern.
Above photo: The beginnings of this fly are quite simple: a cream antron trailing shuck and a ginger quill topped with a pearlescent tinsel tag on the top portion of the abdomen.
Above photo: Here you can see the small tag of pearlescent tinsel peeking through the rear of the Beaver Belly thorax. This little fragment of flash seems to really entice even the most weary midday browns without what I call “tinsel trauma” that typically sends them running.
Above photo: The Scud Back wing case is very durable and does not get hung up on the fish's teeth as do the traditional pheasant tail fibers with the original pattern.
Split Hair-Wing Caddis Emerger
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0 Ginger
Hook: Hanak 390 BL #16-#18 or TMC 212Y #15-#19
Abdomen: Ginger peacock quill
Tinsel Rib Abdomen: Pearl
Thorax Wing-Case: Translucent Scud Back
Shuck: Cream Antron fibers
Wing: Varner's extra fine deer hair natural
Thorax Dubbing: Beaver Belly ginger
Legs: Barred Lemon Wood duck
Antennae: Barred Lemon Wood duck
Tying this pattern is not difficult, but in sizes #16-#20 it can be fiddly
and as usual you need to be mindful of proportions at smaller sizes too. Using a very fine GSP thread is critical. Count your wraps for consistency. Varner's sells extremely fine deer hair for tying small dry fly patterns such as this, which comes in a multitude of colors.
This pattern is a wonderful technical search pattern in smaller sizes, and during the mid-summer season it's a great fly to cast in the slower shadowy seams with overhangs for larger trout. Often this pattern gets vicious takes, probably because it represents a caddis launching from the flight deck, and the fish anticipates a quick takeoff. Give this one some practice, and it will pay big dividends on your favorite spring creek!
Thanks for letting me share.
~Clint Bova
