Buoyant, visible, and very fishy, the Banded Tan Elk Hair Caddis is one of those fishing flies every angler should have in a variety of sizes and colors. Some fly fishing guides and serious fly fishermen dedicate entire dry fly boxes to this one pattern. This is possibly the best caddis fly pattern for grayling and trout fishing around the world. The banding give this fly the edge, replicating the naturals better than any other product on the market.
A recent improvement to a famous pattern the Royal Rubber Leg Crystal Stimulator incorporates new synthetic materials to the basic Stimulator profile. The flashy underwing and crystal dubbing along with a buggy silhouette make this fly irresistable. This fly imitates a large variety of insects fish commonly feed on. Whether the fish eat it as a Stonefly, Hopper, or Caddis this pattern is one of the best attractor flies around. If your looking for a visible, high floating, dry fly the combination of hollow elk hair, stiff hackle and rubber legs make this one of the best available. Every angler will be better off having a variety of Crystal Stimulators in their box.
The two-tone Black/Chartreuse Dredger fly is a versatile all around streamer and is extremely effective for Salmon and Steelhead. The vivid contrasting colors will trigger strikes and make this a top producing fly in any water condition. The lead eyes keep the hook riding up and will let this fly drag along the bottom and over rocks. Steelhead Anglers find the weight and snag resistance to be a great benefit when using the newer indicator techniques.
Midge patterns are overlooked by many fly anglers. Midges are most commonly used to match Chironomid hatches but often work great when fish refuse other dry flies. Chironomids hatch year round but fish target them when mayflies, caddis, and other insects are less abundant. Fish feeding on midges will rise more often due to needing to eat more of the small insects to make a meal. The Cream Midge is a fly that will work on any water and should always have a spot in your box.
Developed around the classic trout waters of Yellowstone, Orange Serendipity Fly has become a favorite especially of pocket water fishermen on the famous Madison River. The array of colors and sizes allows this fly to be used for caddis and midges or simply as a searching pattern. Trout in all types of water, even in large stillwater environments, seem to love the segmented buggy look of the Serendipity.
The pulsating action and unique light catching qualities of this Olive Sparkle Leech fly make it an effective pattern for almost any fish. It is a top producing pattern and stillwater anglers who fish this fly behind sinking fly lines have tremendous success. Though mostly known as a stillwater pattern the Olive Sparkle Leech will show surprising results on almost any water with many presentations.
Just a few years ago, nobody knew what a Sow Bug was, or if they did, they didn't know it was a favorite food item of tailwater and spring creek trout. The Tan Biot Sow Bug was developed on the productive tailwaters of the West by Utah fly fishing guide, Jake Ricks. Sow bugs are important in tailwaters and spring creeks, the Tan Biot Sow Bug is a great Fall and winter pattern that might imitate dying sow bugs that are washed from decaying vegetation.
This parachute dry fly is both visible for the fly fisher and very realistic to gulping trout. The Parachute Callibaetis lands upright and provides a visual focal point and is also visible in rippled or wavy water when other lake flies seem to disappear.
The Jumbo Critter is tied with highly attractive color schemes. Dumbbell eyes get it down. Stinger-hook design keeps the hook toward the rear of the fly and improves hookups and hookup-to-landing ratios by eliminating the ability of the fish to leverage the hook and pop it free.
The addition of red krystal flash to the popular wooly bugger has made this fly come alive both in the depths of your favorite trout lake and in your local trout stream. It may be stripped on a sinking line in still water or swung across current in river situations. This fly has quickly become a must have in any fly fishers box.
This Parachute Gray Drake dry fly is very visible to the fly fisher and very realistic to rising trout. It closely resembles a hatching or spent Gray Drake and lands upright more often than some other traditionally hackled trout fly patterns.
Crayfish are an important food source and are found in many types of water. Though mostly used to catch Bass, Crayfish flies are effective for most freshwater species. Carp, Panfish, Bass, Trout and many others are frequently caught on crayfish patterns. The Rust Fighting Crawfish Ritt's Fly is one of the most realistic crayfish flies available. The foam claws are buoyant and make the fly stand up in the fighting position. This is what a live crawdad will do before a fish eats it. This pattern is great to use for sight fishing and most anglers fish it with a quick two or three strip retrieve then allow it to settle back to the bottom.
The Copper-Black Bi-Colored Brassie has a segmented appearance given by alternating wire colors and a slim dubbed head. Brassies are proven patterns in all waters using multiple techniques and the Copper-Black Bi-Colored Brassie is a critical pattern in that group. This is a staple midge pattern that is very effective, drawing fish with its midge characteristics and flashy appeal. A collection of various Brassies need to occupy at least a couple of rows in your fly box.
The Black Wooly Bugger is perhaps the most versatile fly in fly fishing. It can imitate or at least suggest any number of trout foods. Every angler should dedicate one or multiple fly boxes to the several colors and variations of this fly. The unweighted version is especially useful in stillwater situations where sinking lines are used and the bead head varieties can be used where a weighted fly is called for.
The Bead Head Burgundy Mini Leech yields surprising results and is a pattern anglers should not be without. This pattern will catch almost any freshwater fish and we have found that Cutthroat can't stay away from this fly. At times, leeches wear colors like this but the bright color and flash make this an equally effective attractor. Leeches are some of the most effective stillwater and streamer patterns around and sparsely dressed patterns like this will often out produce other options.
Coho Slayer is a bright, grabby fly. Fish it lower in the river or where ever there are cohos and kings are feeling happy. The Slayer is onef the lightest and easiest casting flies around. Fish them off a sink tip for best results.
Chironomid midge flies hatch primarily in lakes and ponds. Though a bit unconventional looking, this Chironomid fly, designed for fly fishing large ponds and lakes, represents a newly hatched midge struggling to escape its shuck. The chironomid dry fly is a great fly pattern when fish are seen rising or cruising near the surface of the lake.
An absolute must for anyone fishing light colored flats, like in the Bahamas. A Gotcha is basically a white Crazy Charlie with a pink nose. But that pink nose must mean something to Bonefish. Pro tied on premium Japanese chemically sharpened saltwater hooks. Lead eyes instead of bead chain.
Many fishermen plan their summer fishing itinerary around the famous Ephemerella or Pale Morning Dun hatches. Streamside occurrences of this Mayfly definitely get the trout's attention as they move from feeding on the active nymphs, to emergers, then on to duns. Fish during these hatches, especially on crowded waters can become very selective and difficult to entice. The Pale Morning Dun Tube-Fly is a pattern more impressionistic of the natural dun. When the fishing becomes demanding with this mayfly many fishermen either continue to flail away or simply head to the truck calling it a day. Flies such as the Pale Morning Dun Tube-Fly allow you to step your game up and stay on the water continuing to battle.
Olive Net Builder caddis nymph flies are abundant in many of the world's fly fishing streams. This very realistic Net Building caddis pattern works wherever olive net builder caddis flies are found.
Matuka style streamers have been around for a while but continue to produce excellent results. A realistic profile gives this Brown Matuka Rabbit Fly the silhouette and impression of a fleeing minnow and the rabbit strip adds tons of fish catching movement.
The weight of a conehead opens up options for the classic marabou pattern. Weather you need to get the fly deeper, add a lifelike swimming action or use floating fly lines, the Conehead Yellow/Orange Marabou Fly will help you catch more fish. The color combination of this patterns is very effective for Salmon, Steelhead, Pike, Musky, and Trout anglers are finding great success with this pattern using traditional streamer techniques.
The Red Egg Fly is a great roe pattern for waters that have spawning fish. This is a top producing egg color and it is very effective when fish are dropping lots of eggs. Anglers have found Steelhead, Salmon, Char and most freshwater fish will eagerly eat this pattern. Whether you are fishing in famous Steelhead run, your local river or even the gravel point on the nearby lake, the fish have learned that these glowing orbs are an tasty meal. Fish that are not spawning will hold in areas near the spawning fish and sometimes even travel with migrating fish for the opportunity to eat their misplaced eggs.
The Black Mouse Fly, or Mouse Rat as it is also known, is best suited for fly fishing at night or in low light conditions. This fly can be used for bass, pike, brown and rainbow trout, and several other fish species that don't mind rodent on their menu. Strikes on mouse fly patterns are vicious and fish willing to eat a rodents are not usually small. Give a black mouse fly a try some night and you may just be surprised.
Ever see a cloud of insect above the water on your favorite river? These are black gnats. Inevitably some of these will fall into the water and trout will gorge themselves on them. This small Parachute Black Gnat for trout is a great imitator for any dark insect.
Polywing Spinners are especially effective after the hatch when fish seem to rise consistently but refuse traditional patterns. At this time fish are often feeding on spinners or spent mayflies. Subtle changes in presentation is often what separates angling success. Changing to a fly with a different profile is the key to consistency. When the fish are selective the profile of a translucent poly, xelon or zelon wing shows a realistic impression that will make a tremendous difference.
The Gotcha fly is one of the best bonefish patterns available. The pearlescent body and critter-like shape makes this fly irresistable to feeding bonefish. The Gotcha is available is several variations and sizes and is effective in a variety of situations and locales.
The Green Bead Head Disco Midge takes flash to new levels. This midge larva pattern is highly visible and highly effective for aggresive trout in waters where midges make up a large part of their diet. It is one of the best midge patterns in slightly dirty water or tailwaters with a lot of drifting debris.
Similar to the Comparadun, the Pale Morning Dun Sparkle Dun pattern covers the stage of a mayfly hatch just before complete emergence of the dun. At this vulnerable stage mayflies are irresistable to rising trout. Every angler should carry these flies in appropriate sizes and colors for fishing the beginning stages of mayfly hatches.
The Black Sparkle Pupa Emerger Fly is the result of closely observing hatching caddis flies in underwater environments. It is an unconventional but effective fish catcher. The antron case is supposed to imitate the gas bubbles used by hatching flies to propel them to the surface. Whether or not this is accurate trout seem to inhale this fly when caddis are hatching. It can be fished with a dead drift, twitched, or swung.
Shrimp are not usually part of a salmon's diet once it moves into fresh water. Even so, the Pink Prawn Flies seem to trigger something in a fish's memory that makes it strike.
Trailer Trash is a bright, grabby fly. Fish it lower in the river or where ever kings are feeling happy. Trailer Trash flies are some of the lightest and easiest casting king flies around. Fish them off a sink tip for best results.