I modified a very effective nymph pattern (the RS-2) by using a quill body instead of the standard dubbed body and changed the tailing material. By doing this I have created a fly that I can fish as a floating emerger or as a nymph. And, [more]

Caddis flies also die and fall on the water making them an easy snack for any fresh water fish. You'd be well advised to have a few of these in various sizes in your caddis fly box. They work particularly well in glassy pools and backwaters.

I like to use the dark spruce version for Western waters and the light spruce version for Eastern waters. I believe this has to do with the predominant color of most of the baitfish in these areas of the country. Tie it as instructed [more]

I designed the St.Vrain Caddis around 1982 after a caddis hatch that occurs on the St.Vrain River in Colorado. Since then I have caught fish on this pattern from the Beaverkill in the East to Hat Creek in California, and from Denmark to [more]

A.K. Best

Most nymphs and emergers have three different colors. The bottom of the abdomen is light, the top is darker than the belly, and the thorax is a color between the belly and the back. Since this [more]

Contrary to some widely held beliefs, the body of the Trico dun is not black. The spinners have black bodies, but not the duns. The body colors range from a light pale green to a dark charcoal green. They are prominently segmented and [more]

This is a highly visible pattern when fishing the Trico hatch. By using white turkey T-base segments for the wing post, you can tie a slightly taller wing for both visibility for you as well as more accurately matching the wing height [more]

The Trico spinner is a very popular fly to fish during the Trico hatch. Fish them both as dries and as sunken flies just under the surface. Be sure to make the tails longer than usual and make the wings longer and wider as well. Both [more]