Essential Fly Patterns
The essential fly patterns every tier should know: proven dry flies, nymphs, midges and streamers that catch fish almost anywhere. If you tie nothing else, tie these.
Adams Fly
The Adams fly is a classic dry fly pattern that effectively imitates a wide range of mayflies and midges. It is known for its versatility and is often used as a 'searching pattern' when no specific…
Amy's Ant
Amy's Ant is a versatile terrestrial pattern that does an excellent job imitating a variety of land insects that find their way into the water. It was designed to be buoyant and durable, making it…
Barr's Emerger
The Barrs Emerger is a versatile and effective pattern designed by John Barr. It is intended to imitate the emerging stage of mayflies, making it an effective choice during a hatch.
Bead Head Brassie
The Beadhead Brassie is a classic nymph pattern that's been catching fish for decades. The wire-wrapped body and bead head give it weight, allowing it to sink quickly to where the fish are feeding.
Bead-head Pheasant Tail
The Bead-head Pheasant Tail is a highly realistic nymph pattern that imitates a wide variety of aquatic insect larvae, including mayflies, midges, and small stoneflies. The bead head adds weight,…
Beadhead Woolly Bugger
The Beadhead Woolly Bugger is a classic and versatile streamer pattern that is known for its effectiveness in attracting a wide range of fish species. Its wiggly motion and beadhead gives it an…
Black Beauty
The Black Beauty is a simple, slim midge pupa pattern tied in sizes #16-#20 on a curved emerger hook, built from little more than black thread and fine silver wire ribbing to imitate a midge pupa…
Chernobyl Ant
The Chernobyl Ant is a large, foam-based dry fly known for its ability to attract big fish. This pattern is particularly effective for trout and bass. Its buoyancy and large profile make it a great…
Clouser Minnow
The Clouser Minnow is a versatile streamer pattern that is known for its effectiveness in both freshwater and saltwater. It was designed by Bob Clouser as a smallmouth bass pattern but has proven to…
Comparadun
The Comparadun is a versatile dry fly pattern that effectively imitates a variety of mayfly species. Its unique, splayed deer hair wing provides excellent visibility and helps the fly ride flush on…
Copper John
The Copper John is a popular nymph pattern that's known for its ability to sink quickly. Its flashy profile and realistic silhouette make it an effective attractor pattern that can fool even the most…
Crazy Charlie
The Crazy Charlie is one of the most iconic bonefish patterns ever developed, created by Bahamian guide Charlie Smith on Andros Island in 1977. Its simple yet effective design features a translucent…
Egan's Frenchie
Lance Egan's modern Euro nymph blends the proven Pheasant Tail design with a hot spot collar and Coq de Leon tail for added attraction. The tungsten bead gets it down fast in heavy currents, while…
Elk Hair Caddis
The Elk Hair Caddis is a classic dry fly pattern that imitates a variety of caddis species. Its buoyant elk hair wing and hackle make it highly visible and keep it riding high on the water, making it…
Glo Bug
The Glo Bug is a simple yet effective pattern that mimics fish roe. The bright colors attract fish, making it an excellent choice when fishing in high, discolored water.
Gold Ribbed Hares Ear
The Gold Ribbed Hares Ear is a classic nymph pattern that imitates a broad range of aquatic insects. Its dull color and rough texture give it a natural, buggy appearance that is irresistible to fish.
Griffith's Gnat
The Griffith's Gnat is a generalist pattern that effectively mimics a variety of insects, primarily midges and small mayflies. Its peacock herl body provides an enticing iridescence, and its grizzly…
Guides Choice Hares Ear
The Guides Choice Hares Ear is a variant of the original Hares Ear nymph, but with a hot spot and soft hackle to make it more attractive to fish. It's a versatile fly that imitates a broad range of…
Lefty's Deceiver
Versatile streamer has proven its worth in both fresh and saltwater. Designed by Lefty Kreh to be a baitfish imitator, with a long, slim profile and a tail that imparts lifelike action to the fly.…
Lightning Bug
The Lightning Bug is a flashy, attention-grabbing nymph pattern. It's designed to imitate a variety of small mayfly nymphs and midges, making it a versatile choice for many different fishing…
Mil Spec Perdigon
A military-inspired olive perdigon designed for competitive euro nymphing. The slim profile created by the Hends Body Quill and UV resin coating allows for a fast sink rate while maintaining a…
Miracle Midge
The Miracle Midge is a simple, yet extremely effective pattern that can be fished in a variety of ways. It is particularly effective during winter months when midges are one of the primary food…
Muddler Minnow
The Muddler Minnow is a popular and versatile fly that is primarily used to imitate small baitfish and large aquatic insects. It's effective due to its tantalizing movement and the realistic…
Pat's Rubberleg
Pat's Rubberleg is a highly effective and popular nymph pattern that imitates a stonefly nymph. The rubber legs give it a lifelike movement in the water which drives fish crazy.
Pheasant Tail
The Pheasant Tail is a classic nymph pattern that is extremely effective at catching trout. It's versatile, imitating a wide range of mayfly nymphs, and is a proven pattern around the world.
Prince Nymph
The Prince Nymph is a classic attractor nymph pattern that imitates a variety of aquatic insects, including stonefly and mayfly nymphs. Its biot tail, peacock body, and flashy components make it one…
Rainbow Warrior
The Rainbow Warrior is a flashy nymph pattern that is sure to attract the attention of trout in any water condition. The combination of a tungsten bead, flashy body, and pheasant tail fibers make it…
Ray Charles Sow Bug
The Ray Charles Sow Bug is a simple yet incredibly effective pattern that imitates a sow bug, a favorite food of trout in many tailwaters. It can be tied in several colors to match the naturals and…
Rojo Midge
The Rojo Midge is a simple but highly effective pattern. Its red body and copper beadhead attract fish in various water conditions. It's especially effective in stillwater, where midges make up a…
Royal Coachman
The Royal Coachman is an iconic dry fly pattern that's been used by fishermen for over a century. Its bright colors and distinctive pattern can be effective at attracting a variety of trout species.…
Royal Wulff
A classic dry fly pattern with a high visibility post, perfect for fishing in fast, turbulent water. Its bright colors and bushy profile make it a great attractor pattern.
RS2
Versatile and effective fly imitates a range of small aquatic insects. The slim body and CDC wing make it an excellent imitation of a hatching midge or mayfly. Simple design is key to its success,…
San Juan Worm
The San Juan Worm is a simple yet highly effective pattern that imitates aquatic worms, a favorite meal for trout. This fly can be effective in high, off-color water after rain or snowmelt washes…
Squirmy Wormy
The Squirmy Wormy is a simple yet effective pattern that imitates an earthworm. It's incredibly effective in high, stained water when visibility is low and trout are seeking out large, easy meals.
Stimulator
A high-floating attractor dry fly with a bushy hackle and prominent wing that imitates large stoneflies, caddis, and grasshoppers. Its buoyant design makes it perfect as a hopper-dropper rig…
The Blowtorch
The Blowtorch is a hot spot jig nymph combining peacock herl with fluorescent orange accents for maximum attraction. The tungsten bead and jig hook design create a quick sink rate and natural jigging…
The Infamous Mop
The Mop Fly is one of the most controversial yet undeniably effective patterns in modern fly fishing. Using a simple chenille mop material body on a jig hook, it creates a grub-like profile that…
Top Secret Midge
The Top Secret Midge is a highly effective pattern for selective trout. This pattern imitates a midge pupa, the middle stage between larvae and adults. This is a key food source for trout, making…
Two Bit Hooker
The Two Bit Hooker is a slim mayfly nymph tied on a Tiemco 921 with a copper-tone tungsten bead for quick sink and a segmented brown-and-black abdomen ribbed for durability. Mottled brown India hen…
WD-40
Simple yet effective midge pattern created by John Barr that mimics various stages of a midge's lifecycle. Excellent choice when trout are selectively feeding on midges. Features thread body, sparse…
Woolly Bugger
The Woolly Bugger pairs a long black marabou tail with a chenille body and palmered black hackle, tied here unweighted on a 4X-long TMC 5263 in sizes 4 through 10. Without a bead it rides higher in…
Yellow Humpy
The Yellow Humpy is a dry fly pattern known for its high visibility and buoyancy. It's effective in rough water where it can ride the waves without getting swamped.
Zebra Midge
A simple yet effective midge larva pattern known for its effectiveness in tailwaters and spring creeks. The Zebra Midge mimics natural midge larvae with a segmented look and slender profile, making…
Zonker
The Zonker pairs a pearl Mylar tubing body with a white rabbit strip laid over the back and trailing past the bend, so the whole fly breathes on the swing. Lead-free wire under the tubing gets it…