General

This merger pattern is from Bob Wyatt’s interesting read “What trout want”. It is a multi purpose emerger pattern that works equally well on caddis and mayfly hatches.

It’s simple design can be deceiving. The materials used ensures a buggy apperance that trout just love. For may fly hatches I have yet to fish a more effective merger pattern.

Be sure not to tie the deer hair to close to the eye of the hook. Put it a good 2-3 mm from the eye.

Tying instructions

Hook: TMC 2488, #12-#16
Tread: Uni 8/0 Black
Wing: Costal Deer Hair
Body: Hares ear or Squirrel to match the colour of the hatch
Ribbing: The tying tread
Thorax: Hares ear or Squirrel, Grey or Brown

Materials are listed in order of tying

Fishing tips

A dead drifter. Use floating only to the wing. Do not spill floating on the body, since it must hang under the film.