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 – Sulfer is hand
tied from the very best fly tying materials to match the pale colors
and hues of a real Sulfer 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
- Sulfer 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 and pocket water
- Play with line tension during the drift to simulate a nymph struggling to emerge
- Traditional wet fly swing techniques will also yield good results in fast water situations
- This fly’s wing post is highly visible, so fish it confidently in fast water!
- SIZE 16
When and Where to Fish the Spotlight Emerger – Sulfer
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 sulfer mayflies in
deeper riffles, runs, and pools. Tie this neat little bug at the end of
your leader when sulfer emergers 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 – Sulfer
Fish
this fly on a dead drift through faster riffles and pocket water, as
these nymphs thrive in well oxygenated environments. Because of the
Sulfer’s long and difficult emergence, presentation is important. Play
with variations in line tension as you drift this emerger. The subtle
movements and twitches created by varying your slack line during the
drift can imitate the emergent insect’s struggle quite well. You can
also find success by employing a traditional wet fly swing technique
when fishing this fly pattern through really fast water.
Sulfer
The Sulfer (Ephemerella dorothea)
is a mayfly that enjoys a healthy and wide distribution in trout water
across North America. The Sulfer can be an important hatch in the
rivers and streams of the northeastern United States. The Sulfer
follows the life stages of a typical mayfly life cycle and generally
hatches in a narrow window from the end of May through the middle
weekend in July. Nymphs tend to be brownish colored with banded legs
and adult duns are a rich sulfer yellow through the abdomen, wings, and
tails.
Sulfer Emerger Life Stage
During their
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 emergers in medium to fast moving riffles, pocket
water, and longer runs. Water temperatures should be cool, but not too
cold. The densest populations of Sulfer emergers are most often
observed in areas where water clarity is high. Sulfer emergers are
quite vulnerable for a considerable amount of time prior to actually
hatching into adult duns. Trout can easily nab these poor swimmers as
they struggle to shed their nymphal shuck. Sulfer emergers frequently
get trapped or “hung in their shuck,” failing to discard it completely.
As a result of this failed emergence, they are exposed as food to
hungry trout, making the emerger life stage of the Sulfer important to
understand and imitate.
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.”