How long does a dry fly need to float?

[Byron haugh]

Thanks DG. Appreciate your always insightful and helpful comments.




I am intrigued by Gary LaFontaine's "Halo Emerger" patterns. I am also thinking of the need for a dry pattern to give a decent float. I'm wondering if this take-off on Gary's pattern might work for a BWO? It is on a size 18 standard dry fly hook.

I would think that DG probably really did understand where I was going with the posting of this question (at least one can hope). I am torn between a great floating insect imitation and a more realistic pattern. I am not thinking of dredging around in some big deep hole, but rather fishing aquatic insect imitations to rising fish in a stream situation.