Trout Flies

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?

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 ...
the old-fashioned winged wet fly

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 ...
fly fishing fall

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 ...
Tying the SB Beadhead Nymph

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 ...
parachute flies

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 ...
trico hatch

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 ...
fly fishing fall

Fishing Streamers

As leaves begin to turn from green to crimson and gold, trout anglers begin to think of fishing streamers. While ...
speckle wing dun

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 ...
fly fishing spring creeks

Fly Fishing Spring Creeks

When I began fly fishing for trout, I was fortunate to be living in Virginia. The Blue Ridge mountains in ...
ten trout flies

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 ...
coachman fly

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 ...
parachute flies

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 ...
Design of trout flies

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 ...
tandem flies

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 ...
parachute Adams

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 ...
fly fishing tricos

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 ...
fly fishing emergers

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 ...
fly fishing the riffle

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? ...
fly fishing wet flies

Fishing Wet Flies

This article begins my third year of writing articles regarding fly fishing for trout. To my surprise, I continue to ...
tactics for fly-fishing a nonhatch

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, ...
terrestrial fly pattern

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, ...
dry fly patterns

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 ...
fly fishing midges in winter

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 ...
fly fishing fall

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 ...