Some of the best flies in the world were never intended to be realistic
imitations of a specific bug. These impressionistic fly patterns are
slyly suggestive, giving just a hint of a wing case here or a flash of
a trailing shuck there. This is just the type of fly that
Colorado-based angler and fly tyer, Rim Chung, set out to create when
he tied his first RS-2 Emerger.
The RS-2 is code for "Rim's Semblance #2," and was tied to represent
the general shape and movement of emergent mayflies. Chung wanted a fly
that was easy to tie, but not overly simplistic or without a
distinctive design.
Umpqua's RS-2 Emerger (Low Wing) Trico is an awesome imitation of a
Trico mayfly in its emerger life stage. This bug's low set wings
imitate a trailing shuck quite well and its profile is very realistic.
If you're looking for a modern impressionistic Trico emerger pattern
for your next trip to the Big Horn or beyond, the RS-2 Emerger (Low
Wing) is a tremendous choice.
Specifications:
- This fly pattern was developed by passionate Colorado-based angler and fly tyer, Rim Chung as a general representation of a mayfly emerger
- The fly is an impressionistic pattern designed to broadly imitate and can be suggestive of a range of mayfly species
- Trico imitation in the emerger life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Fish this fly on a dead drift in slow water; backwater, eddys, and lazy spring creeks are the most productive water types for this fly
- Determine whether trout are eating sub-surface nymphs or gently sipping emergers and cripples in the surface film and match your nymphing depth to the observed feeding depth
- Best results occur throughout the morning when presenting smaller female imitations
- SIZE 20
When and Where to fish the RS-2 Emerger (Low Wing) Trico
This small 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 the still waters
of lakes or the slow backwaters and eddys of rivers and spring creeks. Trico
are reclusive and are typically only active just prior to their quick
hatch to adult duns. Prior to and during emergence, an angler will
often find many of these emergers struggling to shed their nymphal
shucks as they try to make their way from their muddy and weedy cover
to hatch into winged adults. When fishing the Trico hatch, look for darkening wing pads, a sure sign of an impending emergence.
How to fish the RS-2 Emerger (Low Wing) Trico
Fish this fly in slow water; backwaters, eddys, and spring creeks are
prime real estate for these small emergers. Generally, the slower the
water and the weedier the bottom, the more packed with Trico
nymphs and emergers the environment will be, rendering lazy spring
creeks excellent Trico water. Note that these emergent insects do not
spend much time traveling from their homes among the weeds to the
water’s surface when hatching. Trico
become quite vulnerable while actually shedding their nymphal shuck in
the surface film, they spend a lot of time here, so make sure you can
determine whether the feeding rises are for nymphs or crippled
emergers.
When fishing a classic Trico
hatch, try to observe at what level in the water column the trout are
actually feeding. If it’s sub-surface, make an upstream cast, throw and
upstream mend, and dead drift a small emerger or cripple right down the
feeding lane. This fly, however, tends to be most productive at depths
several inches below the surface film, so be sure to cover a good
portion of the water column when fishing this fly. Males generally
hatch before the sun comes up, so most fly anglers miss out on these
bugs, but females are active throughout the morning hours. Due to
egg-laying patterns, Tricos
hatches often overlap, ultimately extending the emergence period for
several hours during the morning – these hatches can be prolific and a
good angler will always be prepared with a box of Trico nymphs, emergers, cripples, duns, and spinners.
Trico
Tricorythodes, or more simply “Trico,”
is a small mayfly that occurs in the famous trout waters of the North
American West as well as in the small spring creeks and rivers of the
northeastern United States. These olive and dark brown mayflies follow
the life stages of a typical mayfly life cycle and are sturdy looking
crawler nymphs with three tails and quite conspicuous triangular gills.
During the larval stage, Trico
spend the balance of their time in the weedy shelter of slow moving
water provided by backwaters, eddys, and spring creeks. The larger
males of the species hatch before sunrise and are often lost upon fly
anglers fishing a Trico hatch. Fly fishers subsequently must focus on the smaller females, which are active throughout the morning hours. Tricos
can be found in western waters from early summer (July) to late fall
(October). In eastern waters, the season is a bit shorter, typically
ending in September.
Trico Emerger Life Stage
During its nymph life stage, these crawlers are most commonly found in
the slow water environments of backwaters, eddys, and the gentle
currents of vegetation-rich spring creeks. Trico
nymphs thrive among the weedy vegetation of these slow and languid
aquatic environments, and these nymphs are most vulnerable to trout
when they leave their weedy shelter to hatch into winged adult duns,
rendering their emergence prime time for feeding trout. Their swimming
ability is relatively strong and these hatching nymphs expose
themselves by making adventurous trips away from safety just before
emergence and subsequent hatching. They are most exposed, however, upon
their lengthy emergence itself; many of these nymphs are crippled
during emergence, hung in the shuck and remain in the surface film for
long periods, rendering them perfect targets for 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.”