Merwin: What Happened to Dry Fly “Art”?

John Merwin asks if classic dry fly patterns are dead — or have emergers become so popular (and effective)  that no one sees the need to practice the delicate art of producing winged perfection.

“Such patterns still work, of course, but they’re a lot more work–and require more skill–than lumping a stub of wing material on a dubbed body and calling it an emerger. Don’t get me wrong. I fish emergers a lot, and they can work wonders. But where’s the art?”