The most effective emerger ....

[Boris]

What is the most effective emerger over the broadest applications?

I'd like to see some pictures if you can post them.

For me it's a CDC emerger.

I'll post a photo as soon as I can find one somewhere in my photo flies.

[Mataura mayfly]

DHE, not to knock the CDC emerger, but I find the DHE a bit more robust.

But you kind of miss the flip with the intentions here mentioning either! Most will tell you a good soft hackle cast upstream to hang in the film followed by a quick upstream mend to maximise the drag free drift is the best emerger pattern yet to be invented.

[Roadkill]

For me Chironomids outnumber all other choices unless there is a specific hatch happening with selective feeding. Like MM I also prefer a deer hair emerger. As for one specific fly I have several variartions of Serendipities to match everything from midges, mayflies and caddis.

[Mataura mayfly]

Here's a real out of the square one for you Boris.

[Roadkill]

Great fly MM!

[Boris]

Is that one of your own Jeff?

That would show a very realistic profile.

[Mataura mayfly]

Is that one of your own Jeff?

That would show a very realistic profile.

One of my own? Well I tied it, but the idea or pattern is not mine.
I imagine they would not float too well or hold in the film giving the perception of a new dun bursting forth to the freedom of the open air away from the restriction of nymphial skin and confines of the water.
I usually just tie them for the "what the heck!?" value.

[Soft-hackle]

Any well chosen flymph works for me. It depends upon how you fish it at the appropriate time. I do not wish to take anything away from the construction or the effectiveness of anyone's fly or flies, however I feel that often too much emphasis is placed on trying to imitate an emerger exactly within the construction of the fly. Many times the results are, IMO, over-thought and over-worked. To me the simplicity of a flymph and it versatility is the number one asset in imitating emerging flies. How it is used is often the key!

Mark

[Old Hat]

I'm in total agreement with Mark on this one. I wholeheartedly believe (and I'm sure is partly the product of my fishing style) that the classic flymph design is the best representation of an emerging insect. That's why I'm here on this site and devote so much of my tying and fishing to flymphs.

Disclaimer: I also hold to the notion that fishing technique outweighs fly design but that fly design is an integral part of catch success.

[Boris]

I think you're probably both right, although, I don't begrudge, anyone for sake of pleasure, experimenting with 'realistic' flies even if they may not be strictly necassary or even inferior as fishing flies.