The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

Emerger

CDC Parachute Emerger

Insect Species Icon Quill Gordon, Blue Wing Olive, Hendrickson and 7 others
Difficulty Icon Medium - 7-10 Min
Water Category Icon Coldwater

Tying Video

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Tying Recipe
  • Hook: Down Eye, Fine Wire, 2X Wide, 2X Short
  • Thread: UTC 70 Denier, White
  • Tail: Coq De Leon
  • Body: Goose Biots, Olive
  • Wing: CDC, Natural Dun
  • Thorax: Superfine, Dubbing, Grey
  • Hackle: Dry Fly Hackle, Dun

The CDC Parachute Emerger is a Killer pattern for picky trout, and can be tied to imitate almost any of the various mayfly species. There are also some worth substitutions for this pattern, so don’t fret if you don’t have every single one of these materials on hand.

Tail: You may use Hackle Fibers of the correct size, and a closely matching color for the tail of this fly.

Thorax: Any similar colored dubbing that will wrap tightly, and not get water logged, much mike superfine, will do the job for you.

You can tie this fly to imitate almost any of the mayfly species with just a quick color change. Getting a list of all the hatches and species of bugs in your area, and then tying up multiple sizes of each species specific fly will get your mayfly emerger collection up to date very quickly. These bugs are great for picky, stubborn fish and eager fish alike.

This pattern being tied on a curved hook really sets it apart from the rest. The butt end sits below the surface, while the rest of the bug is suspended in the film. Even the pickiest, and most stubborn of fish will have to give this fly a chance if they’re sipping mayflies. The struggling look of the CDC Parachute Emerger really entices an eat.

Fishing this fly alone will ensure that it is in the film, and underneath the surface in all the right places. Setting the bug down with delicacy, and putting a tight mend on it of necessary will help you get the most looks possible when fishing this pattern. You can also fish it in a double dry fly set up if you are having issues keeping an eye on the bug, or detecting strikes.

Blue Wing Olive

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: Northwest
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: East
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: Southeast
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: Midwest
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24

Brown Drake

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Northwest
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: East
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Midwest
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14

Green Drake

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest, Midwest
Green Drake
Sizes: #8 - #14
Region: East
Green Drake
Sizes: #8 - #14

Hendrickson

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East, Midwest
Hendrickson
Sizes: #10 - #16

Hexegenia

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest, East, Southeast, Midwest
Hexegenia
Sizes: #6 - #12

Light Cahill

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East
Light Cahill
Sizes: #12 - #20
Region: Midwest
Light Cahill
Sizes: #12 - #20
Region: Northwest
Light Cahill
Sizes: #12 - #20

Mahogany Dun

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest
Mahogany Dun
Sizes: #14 - #20
Region: East, Midwest
Mahogany Dun
Sizes: #14 - #20

March Brown

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, East
March Brown
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Northwest
March Brown
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Midwest
March Brown
Sizes: #10 - #14

PMD

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest, East, Southeast, Midwest
PMD
Sizes: #14 - #20

Quill Gordon

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East, Southeast
Quill Gordon
Sizes: #12 - #16

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