5 Commonly Used Dry Flies for Fly Fishing
What Is a dry fly?
Mention the word "dry fly" to a fly fisherman, and you'll likely be met with an enthusiastic response. More than just a fly fishing technique, dry flies tend to be tied in unique and charismatic ways that make them equally as appealing to fishermen and fish.
A dry fly is a type of trout fly that floats on the surface of the water. Fly fishermen use these colorful little lures to catch trout, grayling, and other freshwater fish. Dry flies are tied with hackle feathers on top of the hook, which traps air between them and causes the fly to float.
Elk Hair Caddis
The Elk Hair Caddis is a great searching pattern to have in your fly box on overcast days when there aren't many bugs on the water. It's especially effective in sizes 14 and 16 (hook sizes). This fly is best fished with a dead drift, or simply allowed to float downstream without any movement from the angler. The Elk Hair Caddis represents several different kinds of insects that trout love to eat, including:
adult caddisflies
small stoneflies
mayflies and midges
Caddis are particularly important food for trout. Similarly to flies and mosquitoes, caddis lay their eggs on the water's surface, but they do so by skimming along above the water, dropping an egg every once in a while. If you see something that looks like it could be a flying ant darting along just above the surface of the water, chances are it's actually a caddisfly—and the fish know this as well!
Parachute Adams
The Parachute Adams is a classic pattern that is well-liked by fly fishermen around the world. Tying one on your line can be done fairly easily, but first you must collect the necessary materials.
For this fly, you'll need:
Hooks (size 12–18)
Thread (black and gray 6/0)
Hackle (gray, brown, or grizzly; rooster neck feather)
Body (peacock herl or dubbing material)
Post Wing (white calf tail)To tie this fly:
Wrap thread from eye of hook to back of bend of shank in an open spiral fashion. Add a tail of three fibers from center quill section of a white goose or duck wing feather. Tie in with five loose wraps and build a small head at that point leaving room for post at the end of body. Now wrap thread back down to about 2/3 down shank and return in open spiral fashion to the starting point at head area just below where you stopped previously. This is done so hackle has something to grip when winding later on after post wing is tied in. Tie in peacock herl so it extends past end of body and over top of shank behind head area as shown in picture above. Again, wrap thread back down to about 2/3 down body and return up to front leaving enough space between last two bindings for wings which will be tied in over top of post making sure they are centered over the fly as shown above before tying off with three half hitches or whip finish tool if desired by individual tying fly.. Now wrap hackle forward first under peacock herl then over top until reaching eye area, tie off with three loose wraps then bind hackle behind eyes as shown above. Trim excess material at rear and head portion making sure not to trim too close or you will cut through threads holding entire fly together.. Whip
Stimulator
This fly is useful when you are fishing in fast-moving water or in a stream because the foam rubber used to create it makes it float well. The Stimulator is also especially effective during the summer and fall. That's because trout like to feed on caddis, which this type of fly imitates.
Some people even refer to the Stimulator as a "Caddis Fly" but it can be used for many other types of fish as well.
Pale Morning Dun
The pale morning dun (PMD) is a popular mayfly.
Mayflies are known to be found in most rivers and streams. They prefer clean water, so their presence in an area means that the water quality is good. Besides being an indicator of clean water, mayflies are also an important food source for trout.
Many anglers will fish with a PMD as the first dry fly when choosing which to use, and it can be very effective, especially during its namesake: the morning hours.
Griffiths Gnat
Griffiths Gnats are excellent pattern flies that can be used in many ways: as a dry fly, an emerger, or a small nymph. They're also small enough to be used as dropper flies, and they're even useful for winter fishing. Griffiths Gnats are easy to tie and usually come in sizes 16-22, with tan coloration and light hackle and wings. These features make them excellent representations of the small mayflies that often emerge from streams. They work best when fishing in slow water during the summertime, but are pretty good year-round.
Other commonly used dry flies for fly fishing.
Dry flies are designed to float on the surface of the water and are usually made with some sort of hackle. They're usually made to imitate a specific insect and can be used for trout, bass, panfish, carp and other species of fish. There are many dry flies that have been designed for fishing in various conditions and for different species. It is important to understand what pattern of dry fly you should use in each situation as this will increase your chances at catching fish!
Since there are so many patterns out there we'll only focus on five commonly used ones here:
Royal Wulff
Humpy
Parachute Ant
