In the category “Trout Flies”, I have selected many of my favorite, time-tested flies that have caught trout around the world. Some are old enough to have a bit of interesting history, which I review when available. Tying instructions with photos are included, as well as how to best fish them. These are the trout flies that I “never leave home without”.

Trout Flies- Tie or Buy?

Within the sport of fly fishing, one may pursue a number of avenues beyond the fishing itself. One may choose ...
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The Old-Fashioned Winged Wet Fly

I recently saw a blog titled "How to Fish the Old-fashioned Winged Wet Fly", and it gave me pause. The ...
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Fly Fishing Montana’s Fall Shoulder

It's fall in Montana, and the flyshop ceilings are echoing the cries of "It's streamer time, it's streamer time!" But ...
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Tying the SB Beadhead Nymph

The SB Beadhead Nymph, short for Simpson-Billmyer, is the best generic nymph pattern that I have yet fished. I have ...
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Parachute Flies- It’s All About the Post!

When I first began fly fishing, parachute flies seldom filled flyshop bins. Catskill flies were in vogue then. But I ...
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The White-Winged Curse; Fishing the Trico Hatch

Since the advent of fly fishing, fly fishers have had their demons. The summer trico hatch is mine. Through the ...
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Fishing Streamers

As leaves begin to turn from green to crimson and gold, trout anglers begin to think of fishing streamers. While ...
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Trico Spinner Falls- Breaking the Code

Summer is finally here! With it comes the eagerly anticipated summer hatches. On many streams, the early morning trico hatches and ...
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Fly Fishing Spring Creeks

When I began fly fishing for trout, I was fortunate to be living in Virginia. The Blue Ridge mountains in ...
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Ten Trout Flies Never To Be Without

Like many fly fishers, perhaps most, in my early learning phase, I felt overwhelmed with all the fly patterns available ...
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Coachman Fly- Attractor Fly with a Royal History

I have always been fascinated by attractor, or "fancy flies", as the Brits refer to them. A handful have stood ...
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Quigley Cripple- Shuck or No Shuck

Flytier Bob Quigley has created a number of original flies. His best known, the Quigley Cripple, has long been a ...
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Imitationist vs. Impressionist- Design of Trout Flies

Does it really matter whether we fish for trout with artificial flies that are exact imitations or merely impressions of ...
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Fish Tandem Flies and Catch More Trout

Many's the occasion that I have been asked how many flies I fish with at a time. In truth, I fish with as many ...
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The Parachute Adams; an Attractor Fly for Everyone

I am a tyer of flies. I've been tying flies almost as long as I have been fly fishing, roughly ...
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Fly Fishing Tricos – a Great Summer Hatch

Fly Fishing Tricos - a Great Summer Hatch Fly fishers who live near a stream boasting tricos are indeed fortunate ...
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Fly Fishing Emergers

It's my observation that the average fly fisher does not understand and utilize the varied opportunities to fish emergers. Emergers are ...
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Fly Fishing the Riffle

Whenever I'm scouting a new trout stream, one of the types of water I look for is the riffle. Why? ...
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Fishing Wet Flies

This article begins my third year of writing articles regarding fly fishing for trout. To my surprise, I continue to ...
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Fly Fishing the Caddis Hatch

It was a late summer evening too many years ago, and I was standing knee deep in the Missouri River, ...
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Summer Fly Fishing- Strategies for Trout

Summer Fly Fishing- Strategies for Trout I have previously written about fly fishing for trout in the fall, 10/14, winter, ...
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Designing Trout Flies for Better Fishing

I must confess that I don't really love to tie bunches of trout flies. I just can't seem to strap ...
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Fly Fishing Midges in Winter

It's winter, the first day of January, the first month of the year, and in Virginia, the coldest month of ...
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Fall Fly Fishing- Strategies for Trout

Fall is a time of transition, from summer to winter. Many changes occur in watersheds during this time which will ...
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