Denny’s AP Emerger Variant
Denny’s AP Emgerger Variant is a well-known Denny Rickard’s stillwater fly pattern used on lakes and reservoirs all over. The AP (stands for All Purpose) emerger is basically a larger sized soft hackle that had a wood duck, mallard, or partridge tail, a dubbed body with a wire rib through it, a peacock thorax, and a partridge soft hackle. Larger sized soft hackles really should be in any stillwater angler’s box and they can be fished as anything from a mayfly nymph to a leech. The variation that I use now has a bit buggier dubbing than the original, and adds just a hint of flash in the body, thorax, and head. I also really like fishing these in natural hare’s ear color, but with hints of other colors.
Materials
- Hook – 12 or 16
- Thread – Black
- Tail – Amber Z-lon
- Rib -Copper wire
- Body – Hare’s Ear
- Wing case – Thin skin, peacock feather fibers or plastic bags cuttings
- Thorax – Peacock herl
- Hackle – Hungarian Partridge
Instructions
- Tie in tail material.
- Tie in rib.
- Create dubbing loop for body.
- Body should be about to 50 percent mark.
- Bring rib material forward with 4 – 5 wraps and tie off.
- Tie in wing case.
- Tie in 3 strands of peacock. Form dubbing loop with thread. Wrap peacock to form thorax.
- Pull wing case forward and tie off.
- Tie in partridge feather by tip and wrap 2 turns at eye. Tie down on barbs to create hackle over wing case.
Note: The fly can be tied in multiple colors, including olive, black, gray, and cinnamon.