Learn how to tie the Spotlight Emerger with Steve Cullen

Today, we’re taking a look at a fantastic little dry fly – the Spotlight Emerger. This pattern was introduced to Steve by fellow professional fly tyer Jonathan Ross, while fishing on the River Usk in Wales. Though simple in design, Steve adds a touch of flair by incorporating a pearl tinsel hotspot.

While the Spotlight Emerger is typically considered an early-season fly – especially effective around March when the first hatches start but with a variety of the body colours and tags & it’s a versatile pattern that performs well throughout the year, on both rivers and stillwaters. CDC shuttlecock’s are a superbly buoyant material but as Steve points out “The bigger the fly, the more CDC you want. The smaller the fly, the less.”