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 –
Baetis or Blue Winged Olive is hand tied from the very best fly tying materials to match the pale colors and hues of a real
Baetis or Blue Winged Olive 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
- Baetis or blue winged olive imitation in the mature nymph life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Fish on a dead drift in all types of water; riffles and faster water are the most productive types
- Best results early in the morning or later in the evening
- Minimize surface commotion by using synthetic yarn or a large dry fly as a strike indicator
- Strikes are subtle, so timely hook sets are important
- 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 – Baetis or Blue Winged Olive
This
mayfly emerger can be fished as either an 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 early in
the morning or later in the evening – this is the time when Baetis and blue winged olives are most active. When fishing the Baetis
or blue winged olive hatch, these bugs will float, drift, and swim into
from the river bottom to the water’s surface, so try this pattern out
just prior to or during the hatch of adult duns as feeding trout will
often zero in on these insects in their emergent stage. When trout are
keyed in on emergent Baetis
and blue winged olives, look for the gentle, sipping rises of feeding
fish and cast your emerger pattern to these areas of subtle activity.
How to Fish the Spotlight Emerger – Baetis or Blue Winged Olive
Fish
this fly on a dead drift through all the major water types and always
be careful to make sure your offering is riding high in the surface
film, the zone where real emergers struggle to hatch. When fishing this
fly pattern in shallow water of good to excellent clarity, be very
careful not to disturb the holding trout. Be sure to select a longer
leader with lighter diameter tippet material; creating too much
commotion on the water’s surface with heavy or otherwise inappropriate
terminal tackle can spook wary trout. Takes on Baetis and blue winged olives tend to be extremely subtle, so do not hesitate to set the hook at the slightest tug on your leader.
Baetis
Baetis
are olive colored mayflies that occur in trout water throughout North
America. The wide distribution of this common swimming nymph makes it
an important year-round staple in a trout’s diet. During the larval
stage, Baetis thrive in the well-oxygenated water of medium to fast riffles and longer runs. Baetis
follows the life stages of a typical mayfly life cycle and hatches
year-round with more intense emergences occurring warmer months. Baetis is quite similar in appearance to the Blue Winged Olive (Drunella),
a genus of mayfly common to the trout waters of northeastern North
America. This similarity often causes confusion, but in angling
practice, these bugs are fantastic substitutes for one another and
their imitations are often considered interchangeable for fishing
purposes.
Baetis Emerger Life Stage
During
its nymph life stage, these strong swimmers are commonly found in many
different types of water. The most prolific populations tend to occur
in well-oxygenated water; look for them in riffles and longer runs.
Because their swimming ability is well-developed, these nymphs will
commonly expose themselves by making adventurous trips away from safety
just before emergence and subsequent hatching, making an emergent Baetis an important meal for hungry trout. Baetis
nymphs are available to trout throughout the year and are most active
in the mornings and evenings. These slender-bodied nymphs are brown to
olive in color and just prior to and upon emergence, their wing pads
will darken significantly and take on a wet sheen, signifying an
impending hatch.
Blue Winged Olive
The blue winged olive (Drunella)
is a genus of mayfly commonly active in northeastern North America’s
trout waters from early spring (May) through the late summer months
(August and early September). At a time when caddis hatches are
prolific and the mayflies of spring and summer are gone, the blue
winged olive offers fly anglers a fantastic late-season chance at
fishing a classic mayfly hatch. These insects typically hatch in warmer
waters during mid day. The blue winged olive is a crawling nymph that
ranges from dark brown to olive in color and is often likened with Baeits, a popular staple of the western trout’s diet.
Blue Winged Olive Emerger Life Stage
During its nymph life stage, the blue winged olive (Drunella),
a stout crawling nymph, can be found in medium to fast riffles and
pockets in the northeastern trout water of North America. These nymphs
are most vulnerable just prior to emergence as they are caught in the
moving water as they float to the surface to hatch. Blue Winged Olive
emergers are often quite vulnerable to feeding trout, and are dark
brown to olive in color. Blue winged olive emergers are most active
during the afternoon hours, and the best hatches generally occur in
warmer waters from early spring (May) to the late summer months (August
and September).
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.”