Possum Emerger

By Steve Cullen, Australia, submitted by Mike Cline.

Description

The Possum Emerger fly was created by Steve Cullen, a fly fishing and fly-tying expert known for his YouTube channel Steve Cullen Fly Fishing & Fly-Tying. Cullen popularized the pattern after visiting Tasmania, where he was told it was a “go-to” dry fly for trout fishing in challenging conditions. He later demonstrated its tying process on video, explaining that it’s a simple but fiddly pattern made from just a hook, thread, and possum hair/dubbing, with added wax to help with grip due to the hair’s slipperiness. The fly’s design is based on the idea of imitating an emerging insect, with possum fur providing a natural, floating silhouette that works well in windy or cold conditions. Cullen’s version is straightforward to tie, though it requires careful handling of the slippery materials I fished these things at Penstock Lagoon in Tasmania in 2018. Very effective.

Materials

• Body: Possum fur dubbed
• Tail: Possum fur
• Thread: Veevus 10/0 Brown or Tan
• Wing: Possum Fur Looped

Hooks

• Firehole 419 #16-12

Target species: Trout

Fly types: Emerger