Emerger
WD-40
Tiny all-purpose emerger
TroutFilm
Mark Engler's tiny tailwater emerger — wood-duck fibres, dubbing, and a sparse profile that suggests both a midge and a baetis just breaking the film. Small, drab, and devastating on pressured tailwater trout that have refused everything else.
Fish this when
Year-round on tailwaters and spring creeks, especially through winter midge and baetis emergences. Fish it as the trailing fly on a nymph rig or just under the film to fish working the surface.
Why it works
In the film a WD-40 reads as either a midge or a small mayfly emerger, so it covers the two most common tailwater hatches at once. The sparse, drab profile passes the inspection of heavily-pressured fish.
Naturals it imitates
baetis / midge emerger
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface
Film
Subsurface
Deep
Setup sensitivity: medium
Quick facts
Tying difficulty
Beginner-friendly
Included in packs
Emerger starter