For a fly pattern to work, it’s got to honor the past while embracing
the future. The Spotlight Emerger is a modern fly pattern that does
both – and more.
This fly is similar to the emergers of the
past; it sports a long, trailing shuck of sparkly Antron fibers and a
highly visible posted wing of stiff fly tying hair. However, its bent
profile and finely tapered thorax make this fly appear quite vulnerable
in the drift. Its clever design also offers it a lightness and shape
that allow it to ride very high in the surface film – like an authentic
emergent insect!
Umpqua’s Spotlight Emerger – Pale Morning Dun
is hand tied from the very best fly tying materials to match the
subdued colors and hues of a real Pale Morning Dun mayfly, and it’s as
ready as you are to catch big trout!
Specifications:
- The Spotlight Emerger series is defined by the pattern’s bent hook shank, stiff wing post, and trailing shuck of Antron fibers
- Pale Morning Dun imitation in the emerger life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Fish on a dead drift in medium to fast water; perfect for riffles, runs, and tailouts
- Fishing this fly on the swing during a prolific PMD hatch can also yield excellent results
- Giving the fly a few twitches during the drift can simulate the struggle of an emergent insect and attract opportunistic trout
- This fly’s wing post is highly visible, so fish it confidently in fast water!
- SIZE 18
When and Where to Fish the Spotlight Emerger – Pale Morning Dun
This
mayfly emerger can be fished as either and impressionistic fly pattern
when searching for trout or as a realistic imitation when matching the
hatch. When searching, fish this fly in medium to fast water. When
matching the hatch, look for signs of hatching pale morning duns in
deeper riffles, runs, and pools. Tie this neat little bug at the end of
your leader when pale morning duns are about to break the surface film
and hatch into winged adults. It’s also an effective searching pattern
when you’re unsure of what may be feeding on below the surface.
How to Fish the Spotlight Emerger – Pale Morning Dun
This
pale morning dun emerger imitation is wickedly effective when fished on
a dead drift. You can also try this subsurface fly out on the swing
just prior to or smack in the middle of a pale morning dun hatch. It’s
most effective in the medium to fast, well-oxygenated water of riffles,
runs, and tailouts. Giving this fly a few slight twitches during the
drift can also simulate the nymph’s struggle to shed its nymphal shuck
and emerge to a winged adult – trout will key in on these slight
movements, realizing their prey is in trouble and a relatively easy
target.
The Pale Morning Dun
The Pale Morning Dun (Ephemerella inermis or infrequens),
commonly referred to as a “PMD,” is a mayfly that enjoys wide
distribution throughout North America’s trout waters, although it is
particularly prolific in the rivers of the American West and Northeast.
In its nymph life stage, the pale morning dun is easily identified by
its large front legs, torpedo shaped body, and three tails of roughly
matching length. As a winged adult, or “dun,” the PMD is identified by
its clear, upright wings, three long tails, and pale yellow
colorations. The pale morning dun follows the life stages of a typical
mayfly life cycle and generally hatches from early spring (May) to late
summer (August).
PMD Emerger Life Stage
During its
nymph life stage, these crawlers are commonly found inching along rocky
and debris-littered river bottoms. These nymphs thrive in moderate to
fast water. Look for them in medium to fast moving riffles, tailouts,
and runs. PMD nymphs aren’t usually vulnerable until just before they
hatch into adult duns due to their reclusive habits and the shelter of
their rocky environment, making their emerger life stage critically
important to both fly angler and feeding trout. When preparing to hatch
PMD nymphs typically spend some time swimming slowly within the water
column, where they are exposed as food to hungry trout.
Leland on Umpqua
In 1972 a man named Dennis
Black and his fly tying skills found themselves in high demand. Mr.
Black, then a professional production fly tyer, was famous in the
industry for his unsurpassed skill and speed with whipping up
tremendously beautiful and precisely constructed flies. It wasn’t long
until this young fly tying superstar realized that he ought to take his
consistent approach to quality to the next level. Shortly after this
realization, a small army of fly tyers had banded together to support
Mr. Black’s vision. With the likes of Dave Whitlock, Jack Dennis, and
Andy Puyans, Mr. Black was officially in business.
Dennis
Black’s new company Umpqua Feather Merchants quickly extended its reach
and fly production capabilities with expansion into India, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand, where the world’s first and full blown “fly tying
factories” were built. Since those early days, only the highest
standard of excellence has marked Umpqua and this commitment to quality
and efficiency continues to spur the company forward. Dennis Black’s
innovative vision for “fly production” has truly revolutionized how the
fly industry operates and has ultimately made the majority of
production flies better. From the first “royalty system” for rewarding
the most creative professional fly tyers to streamlining production
systems and offering a range of other products, Umpqua Feather
Merchants just seems to “do it all.”
Today, Umpqua Feather
Merchants is without a doubt the world’s best and most prolific
supplier of hand tied fly fishing flies as well as fly tying hooks and
materials, and they recently got better! Umpqua’s brand new, state of
the art headquarters in Louisville, Colorado marks another paradigm
shift in the way fly tying business is done. From its vast warehouse to
its specially designed inventory management and tracking system, Umpqua
is poised to continue its energetic trajectory and lead the way for the
next generation of flies and fly tyers.
Umpqua on Umpqua
"As
you may or may not know, we're the largest producer of quality
hand-tied flies in the world. We also make available through your local
fly shop a wide array of the finest fly-tying hackle and Tiemco hooks.
At
Umpqua we offer everything the angler needs to a have a first class
fishing experience. (Everything that is, but the water and the fish.)"
Umpqua on Dennis Black and the “Obvious Quest”
“The
idea first took shape in the hands of our founder, Dennis Black, back
in 1972. As a fast and facile professional fly tyer, Dennis was known
for his skill and speed at producing hundreds of dozens of flies each
year for the larger mail order houses. But he was also quick to realize
how fast the demand for excellent flies would outstrip the abilities of
cottage industry types like him.
The Obvious Quest: To create
excellent flies in sufficient supply – without sinking his standards.
In response, Dennis developed (with characteristic care) a methodical
plan: First, he enlisted the tying expertise of the likes of Dave
Whitlock, Jack Dennis, Andy Puyans and others, to help him set the
standard of excellence for Umpqua flies.
Next, Dennis
established the first of what would eventually be five separate
fly-tying “factories,” first in India, then in Sri Lanka, and finally
in Thailand. The primary focus at each of these factories was on
producing the very best fishing flies possible, constructed of the very
best materials available. From the beginning, the quantity of flies
produced was secondary to the quality and excellence of each fly
pattern. These high standards were assured by the personal involvement
of the fly designers themselves, and by the ever-increasing skill,
imagination and creativity of the Umpqua production fly tiers. Today,
you will find no flies more skillfully tied than those available from
Umpqua Feather Merchants.
Finally, Dennis created a system of
royalty payments, to reward professional tyers like Whitlock, Lefty
Kreh, Randall Kaufman, Larry Dahlberg, and Bob Popovics for uniquely
good patterns.
The Result: Today, Umpqua produces umpteen
thousand dozen flies, from micro-scopic midge imitations to the huge
patterns favored by marlin and sailfish. And the "Umpquality" – you’ll
see for yourself.”
