Fly Tying Recipes & Patterns

Tied by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions.This Blue Winged Olive Quill Nymph is a sleek, high-performance pattern perfect for technical trout fishing—especially when matching BWOs during hatch periods. Tied by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions, this version was originally introduced to him by Matt Grobert, a seasoned fly tyer and author. Grobert learned the pattern from Doug Freeman of the U.S. Youth Fly Fishing Team, who adapted it from a Hunter Hoffler original.What sets this pattern apart is the use of natural stripped peacock quill for the abdomen and a bold, bright orange hotspot behind the bead. That contrast—slim, natural body with an eye-catching thorax—makes it incredibly effective. It mimics the slender BWO nymph while also providing just enough color to trigger reaction strikes, especially in cold or slightly off-colored water.Whether you're Euro nymphing or running a traditional nymph rig, this BWO quill nymph gets down fast and stays in the zone, thanks to its slim profile and tungsten bead.Materials Hook: Barbless dry-fly hook, size 16. Bead: Tungsten bead, 2mm, silver. Thread: 6/0, fire orange. Tail: Medium Pardo Coq de Leon, sparse. Abdomen: Peacock quill, Golden olive, stripped. Collar/thorax: Squirrel dubbing, dark brown. Hot Spot: Tying thread. Note: There are two distinct lines of Coq de Leon. “Pardo,” or the brown line, features feathers that are marked with fine specklingHow to Tie the Blue Winged Olive Quill Nymph 

Tied by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions.The Shiney Hiney is Tim Flagler’s streamlined, high-performing riff on Juan Ramirez’s Kryptonite Caddis. The inspiration? A clever use of a glass bead at the butt end of the fly—meant to represent the gas bubble that forms around a caddis pupa as it rises toward the surface to emerge.Tim’s version simplifies the process without compromising effectiveness, making this a quick and dirty tie that gets results. The glass bead adds both flash and realism, especially when backlit underwater. Whether you're fishing tailwaters, freestones, or spring creeks, this pattern triggers strikes when caddis are active—especially in the pupa or emergence phase.Materials Hook: Scud/emerger hook TMC 2457 or Daiichi 1120, size 16. Gas bubble: Silver-gray core Killer Caddis glass bead, midge size. Thread: Dark brown, 6/0 or 70-denier. Body: Green Stretch Round Rib, small. Collar: Rusty dun CDC. Thorax/head: Brown rabbit-fur dubbing. How to Tie the Shiney Hiney Caddis Pupa 

Tied by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions.The Bronze Goddess is a go-to smallmouth bass fly that also earns bonus points for how well it fools trout. Tied by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions, this pattern combines realistic profile, natural movement, and fish-triggering color to great effect.Bass anglers will immediately see the resemblance to a crayfish—especially when this fly is crawled along the bottom or stripped with short, erratic movements. The shape, the legs, the subtle shimmer—it all screams “crustacean in distress,” and fish respond accordingly.While originally designed with smallmouth in mind, the Bronze Goddess has proven itself on trout streams too, particularly in sections with rocky bottoms where crayfish are present. Whether you're swinging it, stripping it, or letting it dead-drift along the bottom, this pattern moves like something alive. And that’s exactly what makes it so effective.Materials Hook: 4X-long streamer hook (here, a Mustad 9672), size 4. Eye base: Any dubbing. Thread: Orange, 8/0 or 70-denier. Eyes: Yellow-and-black lead Eyes, small. Tail: Golden-brown marabou. Flash: Copper Flashabou. Body: Copper Estaz Metallique Hackle: Brown saddle hackle. Collar: Wood-duck dyed mallard-flank feather. Hackle: Brown saddle hackle. Legs: Barred chestnut or pumpkin silicone legs. Head: Copper Estaz Metallique. Fishing notesFish the Bronze Goddess like you would a crawfish imitation: low and slow. Let it bump along the bottom with the occasional twitch. Excellent for smallmouth bass in rivers and creeks, but don’t overlook it for big trout in warm summer months when crayfish are active.How to Tie the Bronze Goddess 

Tied by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions.This fly is basically a Prince Nymph tied on a jig hook with a few minor modifications.Materials Hook: Hanak H400BL size 14 competition jig hook or Fulling Mill FM5045 Jig Force Hook. Bead: 3.0 mm gold tungsten bead Weight: Lead wire, .01. Thread: 70 Denier, olive. Tail: Coq-de-Leon fibers, 4-5. Body: Peacock herl. Rib: Ultra wire, small, gold. Legs: Hen hackle, dark brown. Horns: Goose biots, white. Collar: Natural grey squirrel dubbing. How to Tie the Prince Nymph Jig 

Learn to tie and fish Tim Cammisa’s Double Play streamer — a proven pattern for big trout. Step-by-step guide, materials, tips, and fishing techniques.

Tied here by Matt O’Neal of Savage Flies.This all-purpose stonefly nymph is loosely based on the Montana Stone, but uses a yarn for the body, thorax, and wingcase instead of chenille. Still an easy tie and can be tied in a variety of colors for many different species.Materials Hook: #8-14 long shank Weight: Lead wire 0.020 Thread: Black, brown or to match the body Tail: Grizzly hackle fibers Body: Yarn, any natural color or Chenille Thorax: Grizzly hackle, palmered How to Tie the AP Stonefly Nymph 

Tied by South of North Fly Fishing: https://www.youtube.com/@southofnorthflyfishingAs the name suggests, this pattern is built around Dirty Bug Yarn and imitates a caddis, especially well in smaller sizes. But it’s far more than just a caddis fly. In larger sizes—think size 12 and up—it functions beautifully as a general attractor or terrestrial pattern.Tied by South of North Fly Fishing, this buggy dry sits with an excellent footprint on the water. That means it gets noticed, especially during those “anything goes” feeding windows when trout are opportunistic and scanning for movement. The mottled color options available in Dirty Bug Yarn give this fly a natural, variegated look that mimics the irregular texture and tone of real insects.Whether you're casting into fast runs or slick glides, this pattern has the kind of bugginess that triggers takes. Its simplicity also makes it a fun and fast tie, so you can crank out a few in multiple colors and sizes to cover a range of situations.MaterialsHook: Ahrex FW510 Curved Dry Thread: Semperfli Brown 30d Nano Silk Body/Tail/Shuck: Semperfli Caddis Brown Dirty Bug Yarn Wing: Deer Hair Flash: Semperfli Semperflash Krystal Pearl Hackle: Whiting Farms Brown Saddle HackleHow to Tie the Dirty Bug Yarn Caddis 

Tied by the Trusty Rusty Fly Company Watch on YouTubeOriginally designed by George Harvey—one of the godfathers of Pennsylvania fly fishing—the Green Weenie is a fly that’s earned legendary status, especially in the Eastern U.S. Harvey mentioned the pattern in his book Memories, Patterns, and Tactics, and over time it’s proven to be far more than a novelty.Tied here by the Trusty Rusty Fly Company, this simple pattern imitates everything from inchworms to caddis larvae, depending on how and where it’s fished. The color alone can trigger aggressive takes, especially in late spring and early summer when terrestrials start falling into the water.The Green Weenie is most often dead-drifted with the current like a nymph, and works beautifully in small streams and larger rivers alike. It’s also surprisingly effective for panfish and warmwater species. Fast to tie, easy to fish, and consistent in its results—this is a staple for any fly box.Materials Hook: TMC 5262 Heavy Nymph & Streamer Hook size 10 or 12 Thread: UTC 70 denier chartreuse or Danville 6/0 fl. green Body and tail: Standard fl. chartreuse ultra chenille How to Tie the Green Weenie 

Tied by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions Watch Tim’s tutorials on YouTubeMaterials Hook: 2X-long, 2X-heavy streamer/nymph hook (here, a Lightning Strike SN1), sizes 6-12. Bead: Bead, 1/8-inch, fluorescent fire orange. Thread: 6/0 or 140 Denier, brown. Tail: Dark-brown marabou blood quill. Body: SLF Prism dubbing, chocolate brown.How to Tie the Egg Sucking Leech