Mark's Top Ten Dry Flies

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It's difficult to tie me down about my favorite flies, and since my favorite flies are all dry flies, any top ten list I compose will be"dries-only."

I put together this checklist of dry flies that fly fishermen will want to include in their vests when heading to the trout streams any time of year.

One aspect I like about this list of dry flies is that with these ten flies, I am covered for just about any fishing situation where trout are looking on the surface.

Most anglers know that Adams will imitate just about any mayfly hatch, but the versatility of flies like the Asher, the House and Lot and the Turck's Tarantula are underrated.

So fill your box with these sure-fire flies and hit the stream.

Parachute Adams: This little gray-bodied fly doesn't look like much. It certainly doesn't have the pizzazz of the Royal Wulff or the high profile of the Stimulator. But if you want to imitate just about any mayfly hatch and have the ideal prospecting fly, you'll need Parachute Adams in sizes #10 to #20 in your box.

Royal Wulff: Looks like candy to you and the trout. This amazing pattern does not imitate any insect but still works like few other dries. Sits up high, works during all kinds of hatches and is a nice choice for the top fly in a dropper rig.

Elk Hair Caddis: Some like the Goddard version, others the Henryville, but the Elk Hair pattern is tried and tested. The Elk Hair Caddis works on all kinds of water, fished during a hatch or just casting blindly.

Asher: No one but no one fishes an Asher anymore. This is a simple fly, just palmered hackle. But few flies imitate terrestrials, water bugs, caddis and mayflies and can be fished wet like this old standby. And it's easy to tie.

Quill Gordon: Traditional producer. Thin eastern-style fly imitates many different mayflies. Not a bad prospecting pattern for slower waters.

Parachute Blue-Winged Olive: Too many anglers underestimate the BWO hatch. Both the insects and the patterns are too small and difficult to see. But a parachute BWO can produce when all other patterns fail.

House and Lot: Big and ugly. The perfect attractor fly for medium to fast water. Looks like a spider, a waterbug, a moth, a butterfly, a bee and a grasshopper. You can see the fly and so can the trout.

Patriot: This is a fly that looks like it was designed by a nationalistic circus clown. Red, white and blue. But you'll salute the little fella when you see how many fish he'll catch for you.

Stimulator: One of the great western flies. Rides high, draws strikes, stands up to use. Imitates various stoneflies and caddis. Few fish can resist it.

Turck's Tarantula: Is it a dry fly? A terrestrial? Who cares? This versatile fly is one of the most efficient searching patterns I fish. This big, buggy, rubber-legged fly imitates stoneflies when fished dry, and imitates baitfish, crawfish and other swimming uglies when fished below the surface. It works consistently on any kind of water, but especially pocket water, riffles and runs.

Article © Mark D. Willliams, 2000.