Denny’s AP Emerger Variant

Denny’s AP Emerger Variant

Denny’s AP Emgerger Variant is a well-known Denny Rickard’s stillwater fly pattern used on lakes and reservoirs all over. The AP (stands for All Purpose) emerger is basically a larger sized soft hackle that had a wood duck, mallard, or partridge tail, a dubbed body with a wire rib through it, a peacock thorax, and a partridge soft hackle. Larger sized soft hackles really should be in any stillwater angler’s box and they can be fished as anything from a mayfly nymph to a leech. The variation that I use now has a bit buggier dubbing than the original, and adds just a hint of flash in the body, thorax, and head. I also really like fishing these in natural hare’s ear color, but with hints of other colors.

Materials

  • Hook – 12 or 16
  • Thread – Black
  • Tail – Amber Z-lon
  • Rib -Copper wire
  • Body – Hare’s Ear
  • Wing case – Thin skin, peacock feather fibers or plastic bags cuttings
  • Thorax – Peacock herl
  • Hackle – Hungarian Partridge

Instructions

  1. Tie in tail material.
  2. Tie in rib.
  3. Create dubbing loop for body.
  4. Body should be about to 50 percent mark.
  5. Bring rib material forward with 4 – 5 wraps and tie off.
  6. Tie in wing case.
  7. Tie in 3 strands of peacock. Form dubbing loop with thread. Wrap peacock to form thorax.
  8. Pull wing case forward and tie off.
  9. Tie in partridge feather by tip and wrap 2 turns at eye. Tie down on barbs to create hackle over wing case.

Note: The fly can be tied in multiple colors, including olive, black, gray, and cinnamon.