Perhaps no hatch is more anticipated than the giant Salmon Flies of the West's most famous trout waters. This buoyant and realistic Hair Wing Triple Decker Salmon Fly pattern can be fished all day with no damage other than a few tooth marks from the giant trout that come up to inhale it.
The Purple Psycho Prince Nymph Bead Head is a great trout and steelhead fly pattern. The Psycho Prince was invented by the fly tying mastermind Mike Mercer and continues to push the envelope for innovative Prince Nymph variations. The Psycho Prince can be tied in several colors, the most popular being purple, yellow, green, and pink
Quite often mayflies become trapped in their cases or crippled in some other way during the hatching process. Trout become aware of such flies and often start to key in on cripples. The Cripple Gray Drake Dun effectively imitates a struggling mayfly and can be deadly where gray drakes are common.
Baetis or Blue Winged Olive Mayflies are both a spring and fall hatching insect, critically important to trout. The hatches can be exciting to fish, especially if you have the right fly pattern with the correct presentation. The RS2 Blue Winged Olive Emerger is a Baetis pattern you shouldn't be without during such periods. Tried and proven, the RS2 Blue Winged Emerger is a fly that can truly be the tipping point between a day just fishing and taking in the scenery and a day actually moving some fish.
The Olive Woolhead Sculpin mixes the realistic muddler shape with the strike inducing action of a rabbit strip tail. Multiple colors for all water and light conditions also make this a must have for every angler's fly box.
Buoyant, visible, and very fishy, the Brown 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.
An excellent big fish fly, the Sea-ducer is effective when big gamefish are willing to strike a suggestive rather than realistic pattern. This on has been around for years and will continue to catch aggressive fish around the world.
The white post on this Peacock Parachute Midge allows it to be seen even in riffled water. In the correct sizes and colors this fly also makes a great trico or baetis pattern when tiny mayflies are hatching.
With the Yellow Humpy Trude we've added a calf tail over wing which no doubt increases it's buoyancy, though more importantly gives the fisherman the advantage of quickly locating his fly even in the roughest of waters. As an attractor this pattern stands out as a very effective offering whether you're working a grassy bank, or choppy riffle.
The Light Spruce Matuka is a time tested streamer pattern that has proven it's effectiveness all over the world. The Light Spruce has a minnow-like profile and bright colors which will trigger strikes. These features make this streamer an effective pattern for all types of water and a choice hard to beat for a searching attractor.
The Chartreuse Gummy Minnow is perhaps one of the oddest flies you may have ever come across. Created from an innovative material this is one of a number of Gummies on a similar imitative and irresistible theme. Saltwater and warm water species of all varieties find this pattern impossible to pass up, and the Gummy has even proven to be an attention getter with trout as well. Remarkably realistic, with a flashy underbelly they can be worked slowly or fast. A number of Chartreuse Gummy Minnow patterns should be occupying space in your fly box.
The addition of a parachute hackle and white post has taken the popular Madam X to new levels of fly fishing popularity with the Royal Parachute Madam X. The PMX, as it's known, is a must have in any trout fishing fly box. It may work for a hopper, a stonefly, a caddis fly, or an attractor fly but whatever the reason the fish come up with, it just seems to work. Fly fishing guides all over the world are making this their go to fishing fly.
The Royal Wulff attractor fly is hanging strong as one of the best attractor flies in fly fishing history. The addition of buoyant, visible calf hair wings to the famous royal body have made this a favorite pattern that will work anywhere in the world.
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 Olive Egg Sucking Leech has become a favorite in salmon and steelhead waters all over the world and performs great on trout and other species as well. The addition of the neon egg to the proven wooly bugger-type body has produced a combo creature that no angler should be without.
Often the best caddis fishing is in very low light. The Green Headlight Caddis fly features a calf body post that makes it very visible and a CDC under wing that keeps it riding high in the water. In tan, gray or green, this caddis fly is a must-have for last light.
The Parachute Adams is perhaps the most important and versatile of all dry flies. It is a must have dry fly in a variety of sizes for fish all over the world. The white post gives the fly fisherman a focal reference point in all types of water. The pattern can be used as a mayfly or as a searching or attractor fly. Fly fishermen in all types of rivers, streams, and lakes should keep several sizes on the top row of the fly box.
The Freight Train Fly utilizes a proven combination of colors and a classic profile. This is another effective Northwestern steelhead and salmon pattern.
A large profile bunny leech pattern, this Black Bunny Leech fly will get attention from a distance. Cross cut and Zonker style rabbit strips give this fly a lifelike pulsating action proven to stimulate strikes from trout, salmon, bass, and a variety of other species.
Fly fishers on lakes and rivers with selective trout find that CDC Callibaetis Duns provide an ultra realistic slim mayfly shape. These flies are extremely effective hatch imitating dry flies when a standard hackled mayfly pattern seems to draw only refusals from gulpers and other rising trout.
Years ago any conversation waterside involving the subject of Sow Bugs on most waters would have brought questioning looks by many as this aquatic life form had very little recognition. Now a days Nymph fishermen are sure to carry some Sow bugs in the collection. The Grey Sow Bug is a very good impressionistic pattern that is sure to draw some attention. Simply put, get this fly, put it in your box and get it wet! The Grey Sow Bug will not disappoint.
The Black Gnat Fly probably had a home in your father's and possibly grandfather's fly box. This classic and very effective pattern continues to be a productive fly on both moving and still water. The Black Gnat is mostly fished as an attractor but will work as a midge or dark colored mayfly.
The Hot Pink/Red San Juan Worm is an effective pattern that will imitate annelids, aquatic worms, earthworms and will simply catch fish. The bright contrasting colors will attract fish and it makes this a great fly for searching and one of the top producing flies in high or murky water. Anglers are finding San Juan Worms to be effective all year long in all types of water and will catch almost any freshwater fish.
The Brown Egg Sucking Leech has become a favorite in salmon and steelhead waters all over the world and performs great on trout and other species as well. The addition of the neon egg to the proven wooly bugger-type body has produced a combo creature that no angler should be without.
This effective pattern works well when bonefish and other species are looking for a bit of color in their meal. Available in smallish sizes, this fly also fills the need for a smaller offering for spooky fish.
The Double Bead Head Prince Nymph is a heavier Flashy version of the classic Prince Nymph. The heavy weight of the two beads allows you to get this fly deep, often without needing extra weight. Guides go to this pattern to make casting easier for their clients and for a quick nymphing set up. This pattern is one of the most effective attractor nymphs around. The split tail and wing look very natural and make this fly work exceptionally well in water with Stoneflies. The flash of the beads and peacock are attention getters and make this fly work in every type of water. Anglers have great success with this pattern for almost every freshwater fish all over the world. It pays to carry several different sizes and varieties of this incredible pattern in your box at all times.
Designed to imitate a stonefly, hopper, or caddisfly, the Crystal Stimulator Tan has proven itself to work in a variety of dry fly fishing situations and demand a spot in every trout fishing fly box. Hollow hair and ample hackle allows this fish fly to ride high and even hold a fairly heavy dropper fly. Whether tossing it during a stonefly hatch or using it as an attractor fly this pattern is always worth several casts.
This classic saltwater fly also known as a Clouser Minnow is probably the most popular saltwater pattern in the world. The Clouser Deep Minnow, Blue-White is effective on nearly every predatory saltwater species. The Clouser Minnow is especially useful for stripers, bluefish, bonefish, redfish, snook, seatrout, and many others. It has also become a very popular freshwater streamer pattern. Every fly fisher should carry an array of sizes and colors to be ready for anything.
This American version of the classic British Pheasant Tail mayfly nymph continues to catch fish wherever slender mayflies are found. The peacock thorax on this nymph also gives it a bit of irridescent flash that makes it an effective attractor fly and a great searching pattern. This fly has caught more fish than perhaps any other nymph in the history of fly fishing.
Fish Taco casts easy, moves well in light winter inside flows and won't spook fish in low water. Fishes well on sink tips to put us in the steelhead zone.
Similar to the Comparadun, the Sparkle Mohogany 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.
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.