Assassin Emerger Tying Guide
Sandy Dickson is the designer of this stunning emerger, Sandy has a belief in a 5 minute tie, if it takes more than 5 minutes to tie then it becomes too expensive to lose!
When he first introduced us to this fly we loved its simplicity, it really looked like an Emerger, it was not until its first use in late 2013 at Roxholme Fly fishery that Andy became convinced just how deadly this fly is. Arriving with Sandy at Roxholme he had let me have some of his Assassins in advance, Trout were already swiring around the lake taking buzzers below the surface, 2 Black and Green Assassins were tied on point and a single dropper. I took some line off the reel and threw it into the water about 10 to 14 feet ahead of me and started to take line off the reel.
That is when I realised I had a run immediately I lifted the rod and struggled. Both Assassins had been hit, after a struggle of what felt like 10 minutes both fish came to the net with Andy MacDonald (the owner) netting the fish. Cheekily Andy threw the smallest fish, a mere 6lb into the water and said Bait! The other fish weighed in at 16lb 10oz.
Sandy was livid, his own design flies immediately hitting a double bag of fish on the first cast, I think it was meant to happen to him not me!
Sandys Assassin Emerger Fly Pattern Tying Materials
Hook: | Grub hooks sizes 12 to 16 | |
Thread: | We use Uni 8/0 Black, Uni 8/0 White or Black 6/0 Fly Tying Thread or White 6/0 Fly Tying Thread | |
Rib: | None | |
Bead: | None | |
Legs: | None | |
Thorax: | Semperfli Straggle String Micro Chenilles
| |
Thorax Cover: | None | |
Wing: | ||
Wing Post: | None | |
Wing Case: | Black 2mm Fly Tyers Closed Cell Foam or White 2mm Fly Tyers Closed Cell Foam | |
Collar: | None | |
Hackle: | None |
Sandys Assassin Fly Pattern Tie or Buy Pattern Step By Step Tying Difficulty 2/5
Start by winding on the thread in tight turns to the back of the hook and then in open turns return to for ribs over the rear half of the fly, tie in a 3mm wide strip of 2mm thickness foam. Tie the foam down to the eye and return the thread to the rear of the foam | |
Tie in the Stragle String, wrap the Straggle String forward and back to the starting point. | |
Tease the Straggle String with a dubbing teaser | |
Take the foam backward over the Straggle String and Whip Finish. | |
Trim the foam to length of the hook and tease out strands of Straggle String with the dubbing teaser | |
Your fly is now finished and deadly! |