7 must-have flies for trout anglers in the West—and how to tie them

What are the West’s top must-have flies for trout? To find out, I consulted several of the region’s top fly fishermen. And though opinions varied, I was surprised by how often the choices aligned. Even when there was disagreement, it was usually only about variations on a pattern. And there was unanimous agreement that western trout flies need to be general in appeal, representing a wide variety of insects. Enter the following seven essential patterns. If you plan on tying up a storm this winter, these are flies you should have in your vest once spring arrives.

Looking for more even new flies? Check out our running list of the all-time best flies for Canadian anglers at www.outdoorcanada.ca/musthaveflies. And you can see all of Outdoor Canada’s expert fly tying tips at www.outdoorcanada.ca/flytyingtips.

ADAMS

This should be the first dry fly that all tiers learn. It has all of the classic elements of a dry: spun hackle, upright wings and a long tail. Once you master the Adams, all dry flies will be relatively easy to tie. While not a perfect imitation of anything, the Adams is the ultimate generalist any time mayflies are hatching. In fact, any time there are bugs on the surface of a lake or stream, the Adams will produce. It just has that ideal neutral shade that appeals to trout in a host of conditions.

When I first moved to Alberta and didn’t know about western hatches, I fished the Adams everywhere, from tiny brook trout streams to big rivers to high-mountain lakes. It was a good thing I didn’t know much, because the Adams caught fish everywhere, and it’s still my most-used dry fly. The key is carrying a wide range of sizes, and keeping the fly well coated in silicone floatant—the higher it rides on the water, the more effective it is.

HOOK: Standard dry fly, sizes 10 to 20

THREAD: Grey

TAIL: Mix of grizzly and brown hackle barbs

Wings: Grizzly hackle tips

BODY: Grey dubbing

HACKLE: Mix of grizzly and brown, dry-fly quality