Tying Instructions: Denny's A.P. Emerger

1. Attach the thread behind the eye and wrap to the bend of the hook above the hook barb.
Step One
2. Clip a section of Natural Mallard Fibers from a feather keeping the tips even. Attach the fibers to the top of the hook shank for a tail. The length of the tail should be about one hook shank. Secure the tag end with thread wraps keeping the material on the top of the hook shank.
Step Two
3. Attach a piece of copper ribbing on the top of the hook shank near the middle of the shank.
Step Three
4. Secure the ribbing to the top of the shank with thread wraps to the base of the tail.
Step Four
5. Apply dubbing to the thread, twisting the material around the thread. Use the dubbing sparingly as you want to create a slender, tapered body. Upon twisting the dubbing around the thread slide the material up the thread to the bottom of the hook shank. Step Five
6. Trap the first few fibers of the dubbing with a thread wrap or two over the hook shank. This will anchor the material to the thread and allow for a tighter compression of dubbing around the thread with some more twisting. Dub a tapered body to just past the midpoint of the shank.
Step Six
7. Wrap the ribbing forward with evenly spaced wraps to just in front of the body and secure with thread wraps.
Step Seven
8. Clip 15-20 Natural Mallard Flank fibers from the same feather that you used for the tail and anchor the butts just in front of the body. Step Eight
9. Attach 3 peacock herls by the tip just in front of the body.
Step Nine
101. Wrap the herl around the thread to make a chenille.
Step Ten
11.Wrap the herl chenille in front of the body to create a thick thorax. Tie off about one eyelength behind the eye.
Step Eleven
12. Bring the wingcase over the thorax and secure just behind the eye. .
Step Twelve
13. Trim the tag end of the wingcase and secure with thread wraps. Prepare a partridge feather for a soft hackle. Remove the fluff from the bottom of the feather and move the lower fibers downward to create a opening where the hackle will be secured to the hook shank.
Step Thirteen
14. Attach the partridge hackle by the tip just behind the eye. The shiny side should face the eye. Sweep the fibers back to minimize and fibers from getting caught when winding the hackle. Step Fourteen
15. Wrap the hackle twice around the shank and tie off. I like to secure the hackle stem at the base of the shank behind the eye and let the thread wraps secure the tag end up against the side of the shank facing you.
Step Fifteen
16. Create a small head using thread wraps. Use your fingers and thumb to sweep the partridge fibers back so that they do not get caught within any of the thread wraps.
Step Sixteen
17. Use a Whip Finish to secure the thread.
Step Seventeen
18. A small amount of head cement to the head will complete the fly. Step Eighteen

©2023 Steve Schalla
This page is not to be copied without my explicit permission.