A few minor changes to Gary LaFontaine’s version. I’m guessing he used the packing foam for the wing because that’s all that was available at the time. I used that stuff here, but next time I’ll go with craft foam (no folding required); 1mm should be good for #16’s and smaller. Also subbed orange polypro for the deer hair indicator (got the idea for that from Larry Jurgens). Tied here as a pmd; change colors/size to suit your needs.
hook - Dai Riki 320 #16
thread - Danville 6/0 pale yellow
tag - Krsytal Flash rootbeer
shuck - Congo Hair - brown/olive
rib - x-small wire copper
abdomen - pheasant tail
wing buds - packing foam
thorax - rabbit pale yellow
indicator - Parapost hot orange
Part 1
mash barb, start thread at 2/3 mark; tie in KF and wrap to bend
wrap KF down the bend and back; tie off/trim
tie in shuck; trim (gap width past bend)
tie in rib and pt; wrap pt to 2/3 mark, tie off/trim
counterwrap rib, helicopter end, cover with thread
I’ve tied and fished the midge emerger in black in this pattern in small sizes. Tying in the very tips of the orange deer hair in size 20 and smaller is a real pain, as is folding and tying in the packing foam, which is almost invisible in those sizes. That kind of foam is translucent, though. It is a deadly fly.
Excellent tie, Scott.
The reason Gary used the packing foam was for its transluscency, as Joe Billingsley indicated. He felt that that quality was the trigger for the fly. If so, I think the craft foam would be easier to tie in, but would negate that quality. Just sayin’.
Thanks for the info on the wings; I trust the observations of a man who, literally, was willing to swim with the fishes. I’ll tie some with craft foam and some with packing (I’ve got at least 3 square yards of the stuff) and see what the they think.
Thanks for another great SBS! I just tied my first LaFontaine Halo Emerger this summer and have been trying to work out the specifics to get them to float correctly. Your SBS is really helpful and the bodkin trick is excellent.
Packing foam comes in several thicknesses. I have stashed away some .5 mm, 1 mm and 3 mm. The 3 mm looks like two sheets glued together and is not as translucent as the others. I’ve mostly used the really thin .5mm stuff for wings or gills on midge emergers that don’t float.
I tried the .5mm and 1 mm for my prototype Halo Midge Emergers. The .5 needs to be folded to float the fly which is painful on 20’s and smaller, but floats very naturally. I’m trying to work out the unfolded proportions, so they float and look as good as the folded. Still working on that.
Recalling reading Gary’s book, the insect formed a ring (hole) in the water when hatching (crawling out of it’s shuck) and the circular tied foam mimicked that look.
