Barr's Emerger

Barr’s Emerger was created by John Barr, a Colorado-based fly designer and longtime Umpqua signature tyer. He developed the pattern to imitate Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) and Pale Morning Dun (PMD) emergers—those vulnerable insects transitioning from nymph to adult just beneath or in the surface film. The fly was specifically designed for Colorado’s technical tailwaters like the Frying pan and South Platte, where trout demand realistic and slim-profile patterns. Barr’s use of a sparse trailing shuck, subtle segmentation, and a soft thorax creates a perfect suspended imitation. It is now widely used across the U.S. for mayfly hatches of all types.

Use fluorocarbon tippet and micro-split shot above the fly (never on the tag) to subtly control depth without compromising the natural drift—ideal for flat water or soft seams.