AP Emerger Variation

Cheech - February 25, 2016

When I was still fairly new to the sport, the annual outdoors expo was the highlight of my year because I could go wander around looking at flies, gear, etc... I was going through a phase where I fished lakes 90% of the time, so I was always looking for the latest greatest stillwater pattern. I tied flies a lot, and at the time, they boxes were loaded with leeches, buggers, and other abominations that I called flies. It was at this show where I saw Denny Rickards giving a presentation on his patterns and techniques for stillwater angling, and like he starts off so many times, he started by telling of a fly that was illegal in most states because it caught so many fish. We all knew it was BS, and so did Denny. I guess that was his way of getting people's attention by telling them that he had an effective fly. Don't quote me on it, but I think the "illegal" fly changed between the seal bugger and the AP emerger depending on which show it was. I never really bought in to the pitch wholeheartedly, but I'll guaran-damn-tee you that I tied some of those flies for my box! I was young and impressionable!

Just like any fly pattern that I tie, I immediately began tweaking these flies to suit my needs. 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.

~Cheech

Material List
  • Hook: Daiichi 1710 - 2X Long Nymph Hook - 8
  • Weight: Lead Wire Spool - .020
  • Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Thread - 140 Denier - Purple
  • Tail/Collar: Hareline #1 Hungarian Partridge Skin Natural
  • Body: Nature's Spirit Snowshoe Rabbit Foot Dubbing - Hare's Ear
  • Rib: Veevus Holographic Tinsel - Purple - Medium
  • Thorax: Ice Dub - UV Brown
Materials & Alternate Materials Listed Below
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub

Ice Dub

$3.50
Veevus Holographic Tinsel
Veevus Holographic Tinsel

Veevus Holographic Tinsel

$4.49
Lead Wire Spool
Lead Wire Spool

Lead Wire Spool

$4.99
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread
Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread

Danville 140 Denier Waxed Flymaster Plus Thread

$3.49
Nature's Spirit Snowshoe Rabbit Foot Dubbing
Nature's Spirit Snowshoe Rabbit Foot Dubbing
Nature's Spirit Snowshoe Rabbit Foot Dubbing

Nature's Spirit Snowshoe Rabbit Foot Dubbing

$3.25
Daiichi 1710 - 2X Long Nymph Hook
Daiichi 1710 - 2X Long Nymph Hook

Daiichi 1710 - 2X Long Nymph Hook

$7.50
Hareline #1 Hungarian Partridge Skin Natural
Hareline #1 Hungarian Partridge Skin Natural

Hareline #1 Hungarian Partridge Skin Natural

$55.99
Dyed Hungarian Partridge - Full Pelt - Grade #1
Dyed Hungarian Partridge - Full Pelt - Grade #1
Dyed Hungarian Partridge - Full Pelt - Grade #1
Dyed Hungarian Partridge - Full Pelt - Grade #1
Dyed Hungarian Partridge - Full Pelt - Grade #1

Dyed Hungarian Partridge - Full Pelt - Grade #1

$55.99