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@anna_on_the_fly is on the water constantly. She is constantly trying new things -- new flies, new techniques, and new gear. We are grateful that she's an Ambassador for DiscountFlies. And, we're grateful that she shares her knowledge and adventures with us here in the "Fly of the Week" (or month during the "off" season) Column.

November 12^th 2022

FLY OF THE WEEK!! This week’s fly is without a doubt my top 3 favorite flies, I have been excited to highlight this fly since I started “Fly of the Week”!! It often goes by two names, “Chocolate Thunder” or “Chocolate Foam Back Emerger” & is known for fooling even the pickiest trout! I can attest to this & let me tell you, it has brought some of my biggest fish to the net as well as lead to some of my most productive days on the water.

This fly has a slim, realistic profile, & is tied using either dubbing or a thread body with a foam post for the wings & a tail that creates the look of a trailing shuck on an emerging fly. Although some patterns aren’t ribbed with copper wire most are wire wrapping to show segmentation. That being said I’ve found the most success on the traditional “chocolate” color with copper wire wrapping.

The Chocolate Thunder doesn’t seem like much but it’s extremely durable, realistic, and best of all - the foam wings cause it to sit just below the surface, keeping it from sinking to the bottom & mimicking a pupa emerging to the surface to transform into an adult.

I throw this fly on nearly any time I fish new, unfamiliar water and often find myself tying it on out of habit because - it’s just THAT GOOD!! The consistency I get with the Chocolate Thunder makes it hard not to use all the time and if I don’t already have it on my rig and the fishing is slow it’s my #1 go-to when changing flies. All the fish above were caught on the Chocolate Thunder!

I could probably write a whole blog on this fly but I’ll focus on the season ahead of us, as we head into winter and are limited to mostly tailwaters - trust me - you will want to have a bunch of these in your fly box to ensure you have some memorial days on the water this winter!! Since winter is “tiny midge season” using a size 20, 22 or 24 will be the most effective sizes for this fly. Tie it on as your last fly and make sure to let it swing at the end of your drift to pick up some extra bites!!