Flyfishing the Sierras

• Hook: TMC 106TC #16-24
• Thread: Olive 8/0
• Abdomen: Brown/Olive Dubbing with Antron mixed
• Tail: Brown Hackle Fibers
• Thorax: PMD Superfine
• Wingcase: Dun Hackle Fibers

Notes: John Barr created this pattern in 1975 while fishing upon the Nelson's Spring Creek in Montana. Noticing that he was getting little interest in a PMD hatch with his dry patterns, he used a nymph and finally caught a trout. Upon pumping the stomach, John noticed that partially hatched nymphs with the shuck still attached were present on the back of the trout's tongue. John developed his emerger pattern based upon the appearance of these partially developed nymphs and created his "Barr's Emerger". Colorations were adapted for both PMD and BWO mayflies. John uses both a nymph version tied upon a TMC 106TC larvae type hook and a dry version using a TMC 101. The dry version tends to have a longer tail section. Other versions of John's pattern include the use of a flashback material or a bead.

This emerger pattern tends to be a favorite among many of the Sierran streams during BWO and PMD hatches.

Variations:

• Hook:TMC 106TC #18-22
• Thread: Grey 8/0
• Abdomen: BWO Superfne
• Thorax: Grey Muskrat
• Tail: Brown Spade Hackle Fibers
• Legs: Lemon Woodduck
• Wingcase: Lemon Woodduck

• Hook:TMC 101BL #12-18
• Thread: Olive 8/0
• Abdomen: Brown/Olive Superfne
• Thorax: PMD Superfine
• Tail: Brown Spade Hackle Fibers
• Legs: Light Dun Spade Hackle Fibers
• Wingcase: Light Dun Spade Hackle Fibers

• Hook:TMC 101BL #12-18
• Thread: Grey 8/0
• Abdomen:BWO Superfne
• Thorax: Grey Muskrat
• Tail: Brown Hackle Fibers
• Legs: Lemon Woodduck Fibers
• Wingcase: Legs: Lemon Woodduck Fibers