Best Attractor Fly Patterns
Royal Wulff
The Royal Wulff has been working for at least 70 years. The big ones work as attractors, and you can fish the little ones in a trico or BWO hatch. It’s an easy fly to see on the water, because the wings just seem to pop out of that brown hackle. The peacock herl body slims down when wet, giving this fly a slimmer profile than it appears to have. Possibly the perfect prospecting dry fly.
Fly Tying Material List
- Hook: Standard Dry Fly Hook Size 8-20
- Thread: Red 70D Danville Flymaster
- Wing: White Calf Tail or Calf Body, Upright and Divided
- Tail: Elk Mane
- Body: Peacock Herl split by Red Floss
- Hackle: Brown
Purple Haze
This purple Adams was invented on the Bitterroot River and works on every river in Missoula. You can search with it, or match hatches with it. Brown and Grizzly hackle mixed is one of the most effective color schemes available to the fly fisherman, and the purple body gets the trout’s attention. The only mistake you can make with the Purple Haze is not use it!
Fly Tying Material List
- Hook: Standard Dry Fly Hook Size 10-20
- Thread: Purple 70D Danville Flymaster
- Wing Post: White Calf tail or Calf Body Hair
- Tail: Elk Mane
- Body: Purple Stretch Nylon
- Hackle: Mixed Brown and Grizzly
Royal Stimulator
The Royal Stimulator takes the best features of the stimulator and the Royal Wulff, and mixes it up into a fish catching machine. The Herl/Floss body is irrestible to fish, while the elongated silhouette imitates a myriad of insects. It floats well and will hold a small dropper.
Fly Tying Material List
- Hook: 3XL Curved Shank 8-14
- Thread: Flourescent Orange
- Tail: Elk Body Hair
- Rib: Fine Gold Wire
- Abdomen: 1/3 Peacock herl, 1/3 Red Floss, 1/3 Peacock herl
- Abdomen Hackle: Brown
- Wing: Elk Body Hair under White Calf Tail
- Thorax Hackle: Brown
- Thorax: Fluorescent Orange Dubbing
Parachute Adams
It’s pretty easy. If you want a searching mayfly pattern, it’s the Parachute Adams. The gray body and the Brown and Grizzly hackle have proven to be irresistible to trout for over 90 years. Whether the trout take it as a caddis or a mayfly, this fly takes its share of fish whenever you tie it on. Don’t be afraid to throw a small one (16-18) as a searching pattern. Most insects are small, your searching pattern should be as well.
Fly Tying Material List
- Hook: Standard Dry Fly Hook size 12-16
- Thread: Gray 6/0 Danville
- Post: White Calf Tail or Body Hair
- Tail: Elk Mane
- Body: Muskrat Gray Dubbing
- Hackle: Mixed Brown and Grizzly
Chubby Chernobyl Tan
The Chubby Chernobyl has revolutionized Dry/Dropper fishing. Once you’ve applied floatant to this fly, it could almost be used as a life preserver. Almost. The wing and foam body combine to float droppers up to about a size 6. The Chuuby Chernobyl is also a fish catcher, which adds to the experience. We’ve pictured the tan Chubby Chernobyl, but we carry it in Purple, Golden Stone, Royal and lots others as well.
Fly Tying Material List
- Hook: 3XL Size 6-16
- Thread: Tan 6/0 Uni Thread (136D)
- Tail: Tan Krystal Flash
- Egg Sac: Tan UV Ice Dub
- Body: 2mm tan Foam, cut to shape
- Rear Wing: White EP Fibers
- Legs: Brown Span Flex
- Underbody: Tan UV Ice Dub
- Front Wing: White EP Fibers
- Front Legs: Brown Span Flex
Plan B Royal
The Plan B is, quite simply, a fly that works. You look at all the foamies in the bin, and wonder what separates this one from the rest, but it does separate itself! We have the Royal Plan B custom tied for our Missoula fly shop, as well as carrying Plan B’s in Pink, Olive, Purple, Golden and the original. A lot of our guides will cut the hackle even with the shank, to make it ride even lower in the film.
Fly Tying Material List
- Hook: 3XL
- Thread: Purpel 6/0 Danville Flymaster (70D)
- Tail: Orange Antron under Red Krystal Flash Under Black Krystal Flash
- Egg Sac: Sparkle Purple Dubbing
- Body: 2mm Tan Foam, cut to shape
- Rear Legs: Brown Span Flex
- Rear indicator: 2mm Yellow Foam
- Body Hackle: Dyed Purple Grizzly
- Body: Sparkle Peacock/Red Dubbing
- Front Legs: Brown Span Flex
- Front Indicator: 2mm Orange Foam
