How to Fly Fish: Fishing With Emerger Flies

When we talk about trout flies, we usually group them into one of three categories: dry flies, nymphs, or streamers. But there’s a fourth, often overlooked category that can be very productive if fished correctly. Here’s all you need to know about fly fishing emergers.

What is an Emerger?

Emergers and nymphs are often lumped together because they’re both fished subsurface, and they both imitate aquatic insects in pre-adult life stages. Some nymphs and emergers may look similar, but they’re not the same. An emerger imitates an aquatic insect in the process of transforming from an underwater nymph or pupa to an adult.

Why Emergers Work

Emerging insects are like candy to trout, in large part because it’s the life stage at which the insect is at its most vulnerable. The transition involves breaking free from the nymphal skin and ascending through the surface film – both of which seriously limit mobility. As such, trout can snack on these transitioning insects with ease.

When to Fish an Emerger

Before an insect hatch fully begins, you’ll often see trout feeding on emergers just under the water’s surface. If you see boils or swirls under the water’s surface but don’t see trout eating on top, it’s time to throw an emerger. Or, if you see trout rising but can’t get them to touch your dry fly, go ahead and tie on an emerger – it’s likely they’re still feeding on the transitioning insects.

How to Fish an Emerger

If I’m fishing an emerger fly, it’s the trail fly on a dry dropper rig. Let’s say you’re fishing a mayfly hatch that’s just getting started – You’ve got a Parachute Adams tied on, and trout are rising but not eating your fly. If you drop an RS2 off your dry fly, it could be a game-changer. The Adams will act as an indicator, and trout that are keyed in on emergers will take your RS2.

Where to Fish an Emerger

The only place you don’t want to fish an emerger is in fast-moving water. You want your emerger fly to float just below the water’s surface, and drifting it through choppy water will cause it to sink deeper in the water column than it should be. Slow-moving pools or current breaks are great places to fish these flies, and you’ll often want to be casting to fish that are actively rising.

Don’t Get Caught Understocked

When you go to the river to fish a hatch, it may seem logical to just bring a box of dry flies. That said, there will be days that you get to the water and realize you’ve hit the hatch just a little bit early. On such days, you’ll thank yourself for remembering to stop by the fly shop and pick up a few emerger patterns.