The Adams Dry fly needs no introduction. It is arguably one of the most popular and bestselling patterns out there. It was created in 1922 by a man named Leonard Halladay. The Irresistible Fly with its fat deer hair body was created by Joe Messinger of Morgantown, West Virginia in the 1930’s. The Adams Irresistible is just one of his many variations of his Irresistible Fly. It floats high and it’s great in fast water.
The Cruncher is a nymph pattern that has many variations. This is one of the most popular. I do not know the history of this fly but I suspect it has been around for a long time.
There are many versions of this fly out there. I found 4 in Flies for Trout by Stewart and Allen. This particular pattern was designed by George Harvey, Penn State fishing instructor and author of Techniques of Trout Fishing and Fly Tying. I think this fly dates to the 1930s. Sulphur Mayflies are small so sizes 14 -18 are appropriate.
Ed McCoy of Michigan came up with this mayfly pattern several years ago. It’s a variation of a parachute dry fly in that the front and rear sections of hackle are cut from the para post to form a pair of spinner wings.
This is a variation of a fly tied by Jim Misiura. He used Gartside’s Super-Secret Stuff as a flash material but here we will use Hareline’s Ice Wing Fiber as a substitute. Chartreuse is a favorite color for warm-water predatory fish. It can be tied in sizes 1/0 – 10.
Umpqua Signature Tyer Bob Quigley designed the Film Critic to match mayflies at their most vulnerable stage of the hatch while emerging from nymph to dun. Mayfly emergers are often stuck in the film for quite some time making them easy pray for hungry trout. It can be tied in sizes 10 – 20.
Bill Murdich originally tied the Murdich Minnow as a striper fly, but any predatory fish chasing minnows will eat this. A great fly for smallmouth bass fished just below the water surface.
The Puterbaugh Caddis was developed by Don Puterbaugh, a long-time guide on the Arkansas River in Colorado. It floats well and presents a great silhouette in the water. It also uses very few materials and is easy to tie.
The Gray Fox Dry Fly is a great go-to pattern, no matter which side of the country you’re on. This pattern originated in the Catskills by Preston Jennings in the 1930s. Despite developing as an eastern fly pattern, it has since found a home across the west where it’s effective for imitating tan and brown mayflies.
Variations of these egg patterns have been around for quite some time. Simple and quick to tie. Best of all they are very effective. Hook sizes 14 -16 for the smaller trout and larger 8 – 10 for Steelhead.
