May-E-Merger

The May-E-Merger is a fusion of the British F Fly and the Klinkhammer with my own twist added in. The twisted Antron shuck and twisted marabou abdomen allow the fly to hang under the surface while the CDC wing keeps it afloat. The May-E-Merger is one of three patterns in my E-Merger series of flies.

Light Olive

I first found the need for an E-Merger while fishing an F Fly for spring trout on a Wyoming lake. The F Fly was very successful on calm days but when the wind picked up creating a chop on the surface strikes became few and far between. I inadvertently “drowned” an F Fly and immediately got a take. When this happened twice more I immediately started wondering why. The answer in my mind was the fly was no longer visible in the chop when entirely on the surface.

Dark Olive

A few days later the calm conditions changed to windy and I tried the E-Merger. I was not immediately impressed due to a lack of success. I took two trout that day but thought the fly needed some work. Subsequent trips with E-Mergers in the wind proved it wasn’t the early flies but instead the way I was fishing it.

After tinkering with the pattern during chironomidae, caddis and mayfly hatches I’ve found subtle variations that make a huge difference in effectiveness between the different insects.

FISHING

The E-Merger is decidedly a stillwater and spring creek fly. I have used it many times on fast moving, broken water but with marginal success. The main reason is due to the lack of floatation coupled with the abdomen hanging far below the surface. A true Klinkhammer will stay afloat and fish better in fast moving broken water due to the parachute hackle.

The E-Mergers shine brightest where the water is calm to lightly choppy and slow moving. That being said I have also had some stellar days using them in windy conditions on stillwaters when nothing else worked to take surface feeding trout.

Tan

On stillwaters position yourself downwind of surface feeding trout or where you may suspect trout are feeding below the surface during a mayfly, caddis or chironomidae emergence. Cast upwind at a slight angle and allow the fly to drift with the surface current. The slightest movement puts action in the legs, shuck and wing of the fly giving the appearance of a struggle to break free of the shuck. A dead-drift can be very effective but just as often a subtle twitch can entice a savage strike. When dead-drifting keep an eye on the fly because takes are almost always confident and very subtle.

In moving water use an E-Merger during an emergence on slicks or slightly broken water. Use the same dead-drift with occasional subtle twitches.

Yellow Olive

To ensure that the fly takes the correct posture prepare the fly before casting. Pinch the CDC tightly between your fingers and submerge it. With you other hand gently rub the abdomen of the fly to saturate it completely. This will help the abdomen to penetrate the meniscus on contact with the water’s surface.

Available in Dark Olive, Medium Olive, Light Olive, Olive Brown, Pale Olive, Ginger
Size 16 - 24
Available in Pale Olive, Ginger, Tan
Size 10-14



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