Michigan Flies

Flies / Streamer

Feenstra's Emulator

A

Kevin Feenstra, Muskegon River

Kevin Feenstra's all-purpose sculpin: a grizzly marabou tail, an emu-feather body palmered with schlappen, mallard flank fins and a possum or wool head. Devised as a smallmouth fly, it became a favorite steelhead fly that Feenstra describes as working year-round for multiple species; swing it on a sink tip in the Muskegon and Manistee.

#2–4Natural flash-bodiedOliveCopper
What the pattern looks like
Reference photos of the Feenstra's Emulator tied by others, shared by their photographers. Not our flies; our own product photos replace these as they are shot.

Photo © Feenstra Guide Service, used with permission · Emulator

Season
Months this pattern is in play across Michigan, derived from what it imitates.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec
Imitates

Forage

  • Emerald shiner
  • Spottail shiner
  • Dace and other coarse minnows
  • Sculpin (slimy and mottled)
Fish it for
SteelheadBrown troutCoho salmon

Setups

  • Swinging flies (spey / switch)
  • Streamers
How it's tied
A
Emulator. Devised as a smallmouth fly, now a favorite steelhead fly. From the tier's published pattern sheet. Recipe by Feenstra Guide Service (2015).

Materials

Hook
Daiichi 2461 size 1/0 or another large streamer hook, 3XL or longer
Tail
Copper Flashabou and tan grizzly marabouOlive grizzly marabou also; one feather splayed to each side. The flash is optional.
Body
Emu feather wound tightly forward
Hackle
Schlappen, usually brown or oliveWound through the emu.
Pectoral fins
A clump of mallard flank fibers tied on either sideOr a full collar of mallard flank.
Head
A clump of Australian possum fur or ram's wool

Steps

  1. 1.Cover the hook with thread and bring the thread to the beginning of the bend.
  2. 2.Tie in a tail of tan or olive grizzly marabou, splaying one feather to each side. Add a little flash if you like; the fly works fine plain.
  3. 3.Tie in the schlappen feather by the tip.
  4. 4.Tie in the emu feather and wind it forward to about two-thirds of the way up the hook.
  5. 5.Wind the schlappen through the emu.
  6. 6.Tie in a collar of mallard flank, or use clumps of mallard as pectoral fins.
  7. 7.Tie a clump of thick Australian possum or ram's wool as a head.
  8. 8.Finish the fly.

From the tier

  • Originally devised years ago as a smallmouth bass fly, this became a favorite steelhead fly that Feenstra still relies on at times.

Fly Pattern Sheet: Emulator (PDF) Transcribed from the guide service's pattern sheet; steps lightly edited for clarity.

Materials to buy
Everything one Feenstra's Emulator takes, each item once: 7 items, plus 1 optional. Quantities are for a single fly. We do not sell components yet; when we do, these will link to them.

Hook and hardware

  • Large streamer hook, 3XL or longer1

    Size 1/0 · Daiichi 2461 or similar

    Hook

Feathers and fur

  • Grizzly marabou2 feathers

    Tan or olive

    Tail

  • Emu feather1 feather

    Body

  • Schlappen1 feather

    Brown or olive

    Hackle

  • Mallard flank1 feather or two clumps

    Pectoral fins

  • Australian possum fur or ram's woolA thick clump

    Head

Synthetics, flash and legs

  • FlashabouoptionalA few strands

    Copper

    Tail

Thread and finish

  • Tying thread1 spool

    HookHead

    Not named on the sheet.

Sources