I believe trout in heavily-pressured Western waters grow accustomed to seeing the same flies over and over, so I am constantly looking for patterns that other anglers aren't using. The Biot Bug is one of these patterns. In larger sizes, it can be used to imitate a variety of mayfly nymphs, while the smaller sizes make great midge imitations. I keep a variety of Biot Bug color combinations in my box, including black, olive, red, and brown, and tie them as large as a size 16 and as small as a size 20. While I will use this fly in a two fly nymph rig, I have found it particularly effective as a dropper under a dry fly when sight fishing in shallow water. Tie up a few Biot Bugs and see if they don't do the trick for you the next time you find a fish that won't eat a Copper John or Pheasant Tail. . Read the full article



For the life of me, I can’t remember when or where I came up with the Electric Stonefly nymph. What I can remember however, is all the fish I have caught on it. It seems to catch fish everywhere. I always keep a few Electric Stones in my box and find myself reaching for one when I am fishing a new river or when the fishing is slow. I like to fish the Electric Stonefly as the first fly in a two fly rig on a 7.5’ 3x leader. I tie them as big as a size 6 and as small as small as a 12. Try tying a few Electric Stoneflies up and see if they don’t work for you. Read the full article



Flav Cripple

During the summer, PMDs play a huge role in a trout's diet on many streams across the Rocky Mountains.  These mayflies can range in color from a pale to bright yellow depending on location, but one thing that doesn't change is the trout's appetite for them.   PMDs usually hatch at mid-morning, and will continue to emerge anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours depending on weather and stream conditions.   Trout like to stack up in the eddies and tailouts of pools to feed on the newly-hatched or still-hatching insects. I like to fish this emerger twelve to fifteen inches behind a Parachute or Cripple PMD with a nine-foot 5x leader so I can cover two stages of the hatch at the same time.   I prefer to pick out individual fish versus 'flock shooting' into a group of risers. What many anglers don't realize is that each individual fish within the pod may be keying in on a different stage of the hatch, so blind casting into the group is not a technique the prudent angler practices.   This short tie is a great imitation of a PMD emerger that can be fished dry in the surface film or wet with an indicator and weight. Tie up a few PMDmergers and be prepared for the hatch this summer.   I don't think you will be disappointed! Read the full article



As the high water of runoff dirties waters all over the West, Giant Stonefly (Pteronarcys californica, more commonly known as the Salmonfly) nymphs begin their migration toward the river banks in preparation for hatching. During this migration the nymphs are often washed downstream, and hungry trout wait anxiously to gobble these giant morsels. The Flashback Brown Stonefly is a good imitation of these nymphs. I like to fish them on a short, heavy leader (for instance a 7.5-foot leader tapered to 2X) tight to the banks, where the trout hold out of the heavy flows. I like to trail a #10 Prince Nymph or Copper John fifteen to twenty inches off the rear of my stonefly nymphs. Brown is only one possible color variation. Others include gray and black. Read the full article



I first discovered Wrightway Sports products three years ago while looking into Cicada patterns for an upcoming trip to the Green River . I found some cool pre-cut black foam bodies that were exactly the right size and shape for what I was tying so I bought a few packs at the fly shop and sat down at the vise. Thirty minutes later I was looking at a dozen size 8 Cicadas and was thinking how much time I saved by using the pre-cut bodies. I also noticed how nicely the perfectly-cut bodies made my flies look. Read the full article







        I have to be honest and acknowledge that the Salmon-ator is nothing more than a rebuild of Randall Kaufman's famous Stimulator --hence the name. However, it's the elements that make up this rebuild --the foam egg sack, low riding profile, thicker, longer wing, and small head-that give the fly its success. The Salmon-ator was designed to imitate the large Pteronarcys californica stonefly found on rivers throughout the Rocky Mountains , the Salmonfly or Giant Black Stone. Salmonflies are big, clumsy insects that cause quite a commotion when they hit the water. Also, due to their mass, these insects ride very low, unlike most of the heavily hackled flies used to imitate them. The Salmon-ator will ride close to the water due to its clipped hackle and heavy wing yet refuses to sink because of the foam underbody, making it the perfect fly for both heavy riffles and calmer pools. Stick a few Salmon-ators in your box in preparation for summer. Even if you never encounter a hatch, at least it will give you a respite from tying size 24 midges!   Read the full article


      The Lightning Bug is an all-purpose nymph. It provides an effective generic imitation of a variety of the small, immature insects that are so abundant in tailwaters. I consider it a must-have fly for the Missouri River . I use it during all seasons and, unless there is an obvious reason to fish something else, I probably have a Lightning Bug at the end of my tippet.    

     The Lightning Bug may be fished effectively on either a dead drift or with a lift, and works well in a double nymph rig with a larger beadhead nymph. It may be fished with or without additional weight added to the leader. I also fish the Lightning Bug as a dropper under a hopper or other large dry fly.   Read the full article


     As fly tying materials become more expensive, fly tiers have become much more innovative in the materials that they are now tying with. Today when shopping for materials, a fly tier is just as likely to go to a craft store or supply store as he is his local fly shop.

     One atypical material that has become more present in many of my own flies is the needlepoint material Kreinik. Kreinik is a braided cord that comes in a variety of sizes and finishes, and close to a hundred fishy colors. It has a number of practical uses, including bodies on streamers, wingcases, shucks, midge bodies, wings, etc. The possibilities are endless. Virginia fly tier extraordinaire, Harrison Steeves, originally popularized the material. His excellent book, "Tying Flies with Furs, Feathers and Foam," illustrates a number of successful patterns that utilize it. Read the full article




Many anglers are interested in knowing what guides use on a particular river or stream.  In this edition of the Guide Flies column, I present six flies from guide and fly shop owner Kory Kober.  Kory has taken the time to present some patterns that should work very well in south-central Montana this spring before runoff really starts on the region's rivers.  Below are a selection of big nymphs, streamers and dry flies to capture the attention of the most discerning trout.. Read the full article







I came up with the T.H.C. about 2 years ago when I needed a cased caddis that was both easy to tie and an accurate representation of the naturals.  This particular fly is tied to represent the larval form of the Grannom caddis, a fly found throughout the Rocky Mountains and the predominant caddis species in many streams.  If you've ever picked up a rock and found about 500 'little sticks' covering it, you have seen the Grannom caddis.  I like to fish this as the second fly in a double nymph rig very close to the bottom, which means (dry fly purists cringe!) lots of split shot.  I fish it on a dead drift, in rocky riffles and faster runs, and like to trail it behind a heavy stonefly or Copper John. Read the full article



Soft hackles have been since before the year 1496, when The Treatise of Fishing with an Angle was published. When browsing the web for fly patterns, I came upon soft hackles and was mesmerized. They quickly became my favorite type of pattern. I always have some in my box and one at the end of my tippet. Even if I'm not directly targeting a specific hatch, I use them as point flies. The hackles have a way of pulsating in the water which I believe causes fish to notice and strike --at the trailing fly (any subsurface midge or nymph pattern) if not at the soft hackle itself. I believe soft hackles make great attractor patterns because they produce so much movement.

My favorite birds to use for soft hackles are partridge and starling. I recommend buying whole skins rather than a bag full of loose feathers. A partridge skin costs around 25 dollars, while starling skins cost around 5 dollars. Of course you can also shoot the birds yourself, though preparing them is difficult. You can buy partridge skins in various dyed colors, but I prefer natural necks that have more of a brown tint. Starling skins are mainly black, but I've seen them in many colors, ranging from gray/black to solid black. You can use hen hackle as well, but they just don't behave the way softer hackles do in the water. Read the full article



This is just a slight variation on a time-tested pattern that everyone should keep in their box, using some new materials and colors. Purple is not a color most trout fisherman think of, but they should given its effectiveness. Consider how important it is in steelhead fishing --a steelhead is just a big rainbow. Purple is one of the last colors to disappear from a trout's field of vision, meaning the color is easily spotted and gives off vibrant color under normal circumstances. Purple is an especially effective color when nymphing in extremely deep holes, and is a color large fish do not associate with threats. Give this fly a chance and see if you don't become a believer. Read the full article




To most anglers in the Rockies spring means one thing -- Blue Winged Olives, sometimes called simply 'BWO.' These diminutive mayflies are the first indication that winter is releasing its grip on the mountains. They also offer the first true chance for some dry fly fishing in most locations, which makes them highly thought of among fishermen everywhere.

There are actually dozens of species of mayflies that fit under the heading 'Blue Winged Olives,' most members of the genus Baetis. So far as anglers are concerned, this really doesn't matter. All of these species are represented by the same flies, with only slight variations in color and size between them. All BWO nymphs fall into the 'swimmer' category of mayflies and can be found in all different types of water, though moderately fast riffles and runs usually hold the largest populations. Often, the most prolific dry fly fishing will be found in the tailouts of runs and the flats between riffles as the trout feed on freshly-emerged duns drying their wings in these slower sections of river. Read the full article