(Wyatt's) Deer Hair Emerger
Rough Olive
DHE Large Olive
DHE stripped quill variation
Background:
This has proven a particularly hot design on the rivers of Alberta, BC, New Zealand and Scotland, and has recently become Wyatt's first line dry fly. The quill abdomen version is a good bet for an early season olive hatch. The thick fur abdomen and peacock herl versions make excellent caddis emergers, and will outfish a conventionally hackled dry caddis. The DHE incorporates an erect wing and hanging abdomen, both strong 'triggers'. Far more durable, and much easier to tie, than the Klinkhamer Special or other parachute hackled emergers.
To fish, touch only wing and thorax with floatant, to allow abdomen to penetrate surface.
Tying notes:
Wing: Tied in first, tips forward, butts wrapped down to the rear. Leave enough bare hook shank between wing base and eye for the thorax.
*Wind tying thread back, well down the bend on hook shank, leaving a long tag of thread - for use as a rib.
Abdomen: Tie in, well down on hook bend, and wrap toward wing, covering hair butts.
*Wind tag-end of tying thread forward as rib, counter-clockwise to dubbing. Tie it off ahead of wing, take thread forward to hook eye.
Thorax: Tie in at eye and wind back to wing base, building a wedge of fur, and forcing the wing into a vertical attitude. Wind thread forward again, twice through dubbing, to eye. Whip finish. Pick out guard hair on thorax.