We recently caught up with Donald Stewart, Veniard Pro Team member and lifelong fly tyer, to talk about one of his favourite mixed-style patterns - the Fionn Emerger.
With 44 years of tying experience, from the Water of Leith and Pentland reservoirs to the wild lochs of Assynt and the upper River Clyde, Donald brings a depth of knowledge shaped by traditional Clyde Style and Highland influences.
"I am now one of the Veniards Ambassadors and tie at many events across Britain and Ireland. Within a couple of years of tying/fishing, I started to fish the River Clyde’s upper stretches, where I learned the art of tying Clyde Styles from the other anglers I met on the bank. At around the same time I was also fishing the wild hill lochs of Assynt, whose fish did not seem to mind my sparsely dressed patterns. Indeed they loved them!
The Clyde Style has been a massive influence on my tying all my life but I do like to take influence from other tyers where and when I see a pattern that catches my eye.
The Fionn Emerger was developed specifically for fishing Fionn Loch, evolving into a dependable dry fly that has accounted for many of the larger wild fish he has caught in the area.
It was on one of these trips with the area's guide, Stewart Yates of Assynt Fly Fishing, that Stewart suggested I should take my tying to the next level. After much discussion over coffee laced with some very fine correction fluid (insert the name of your favourite malt here), it was decided I would tie under the name of Fionn Flies. Thus, the Fionn Emerger was named.
The Fionn Emerger was developed specifically for fishing Fionn Loch, evolving into a dependable dry fly that has accounted for many of the larger wild fish he has caught in the area.
It was on one of these trips with the area's guide, Stewart Yates of Assynt Fly Fishing, that Stewart suggested I should take my tying to the next level. After much discussion over coffee laced with some very fine correction fluid (insert the name of your favourite malt here), it was decided I would tie under the name of Fionn Flies. Thus, the Fionn Emerger was named.
I can’t take full credit for this pattern; I copied its outline from a photo in a Facebook group many years ago. The original was tied by an Australian tyer before I modified the colours to suit Fionn Loch and many other wild lochs. He told me it was a nice fly but not the same as his, happy days, I thought. I have tied the fly in many variations, and all do well, such is its busy emerging footprint when fished static. The key to catching on this fly is to have patience, lots and lots of patience.
To catch a specimen wild fish doesn’t take a great deal of skill or casting ability, indeed the majority of my larger fish have been caught within a rod's length of the bank on a cast that’s just been enough to straighten the leader. It’s then a case of trusting the cast and having the patience to wait out the fish and the midgies.
This emerger is usually sucked under, leaving a hole in the water where your fly was sitting. It’s one of those situations where you don’t quite trust your eyes as the fly just disappears. Maybe this is just as well, as it gives the fish time to turn back down into the drop off before you can react.
As I said, I have tried these flies in various colour combinations, but the olive body and natural deer hair are always the best for me. I’ve added flash on either side of the tippet underwing but again, and maybe somewhat unusually for the Highlands, it didn’t bring any extra or noticeable success to the pattern.
Sometimes I like to have a throat dubbing of deer hair if there is a bit of wind around, but for those still calm days, the fly definitely works best with a dubbing that is well brushed out over the muddled deer hair.
Materials Used
- Hook: Veniard Osprey Barbless Lightweight Grub Hook
- Thread: Uni Thread 8/0 Waxed – Olive
- Rib: Veniard French Plated Round Wire Tinsel
- Underwing: Veniard Golden Pheasant Tail
- Wing/Head: Veniard Roe Deer Body
- Head Dubbing: Davy Wotton SLF Dubbing – Dark Olive
Need the materials? View all fly-tying materials here.
For those who are interested in seeing this fly tied in person, come along to our Spring Open Weekend at Glasgow Angling Centre - You will be able to meet Donald Stewart and his associates at the Fly Tyers Row! Pop along to the Open Weekend on March 6-8th!
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