Salmon fly patterns

Last updated

Salmon fly patterns (not to be confused with flies for Atlantic Salmon) are an important collection of artificial flies used by fly anglers to imitate nymphal and adult forms of Pteronarcys californica a giant stonefly or salmon fly. Salmon flies are common in high gradient, freestone rivers and streams from Western Canada throughout the Western U.S. to Mexico in the Rocky Mountains and coastal mountain ranges. Nymphs live for three to five years before adult emergence which typically occurs in late Spring or early summer. [1] The long lifespan of the nymphal form provides year-round angling opportunities for fly anglers.

Contents

Adult imitative patterns

As described in Flies for Trout (1993), Dick Stewart & Farrow Allen [2]

As described in Trout Country Flies (2002), Bruce Staples [3]

As described in Yellowstone Country Flies (2013), Walter J. Wiese [4]

Adult attractor patterns

As described in Flies for Trout (1993), Dick Stewart & Farrow Allen [2]

As described in Trout Country Flies (2002), Bruce Staples [3]

Nymph patterns

As described in Flies for Trout (1993), Dick Stewart & Farrow Allen [2]

As described in Trout Country Flies (2002), Bruce Staples [3]

As described in Yellowstone Country Flies (2013), Walter J. Wiese [4]

As described in Fly Patterns-Tie Thousands of Flies (2008), Randall and Mary Kaufmann [5]

Notes

  1. Elder, J. A. and Gaufin, A. R. (1973). "Notes on the occurrence and distribution of Pteronarcys californica Newport (Plecoptera) within streams". Great Basin Naturalist. 33: 218–220.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 3 Stewart, Dick; Allen, Farrow (1993). Flies for Trout. North Conway, NH: Mountain Pond Publishing. ISBN   0936644141.
  3. 1 2 3 Staples, Bruce (2002). Trout Country Flies - From Greater Yellowstone Area Masters. Portland, OR: Frank Amato Publications. ISBN   1571882480.
  4. 1 2 Wiese, Walter J. (2013). Yellowstone Country Flies-The Fly Patterns of Parks' Fly Shop. Gardiner, MT: Walter J. Wiese.
  5. Kaufmann, Randall; Kaufmann, Mary (2008). Fly Patterns-Tie Thousands of Flies. Moose, WY: Western Fisherman Press. pp. 28–129. ISBN   9781885212238.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fly tying</span> Process of producing artificial flies used in fly fishing

Fly tying is the process of producing an artificial fly used by fly fishing anglers to catch fish. Fly tying is a manual process done by a single individual using hand tools and a variety of natural and manmade materials that are attached to a hook. Although the recent history of fly tying dates from the middle 1800s, fly tyers were engaged in tying flys since at least 200 AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolly Bugger</span> Artificial fly fishing lure

The Woolly Bugger is an artificial fly commonly categorized as a wet fly or streamer and is fished under the water surface. It is a popular and widely used pattern for both freshwater and saltwater game fish and is generally listed as one of the top patterns to have in any fly box. John Gierach, a noted fly fishing writer discussed the Woolly Bugger first in his chapter on streamers in Good Flies. Woolly Buggers are typically fished in streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and tidal flats. Today, Woolly Buggers are tied in a wide variety of styles and colors to imitate a wide range of game fish prey.

The Woolly Bugger is so effective, it should be banned from some watersheds. I suspect its effectiveness is due to its resemblance to so many edible creatures in the water—nymphs, leeches, salamanders, or even small sculpins. Its tail undulating behind a fiber, bubble-filled body is just too much for most fish to resist. It just looks like a meal!

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muddler Minnow</span>

The Muddler Minnow is a popular and versatile artificial fly of the streamer type used in fly fishing and fly tying.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George F. Grant</span> American author and conservationist

George F. Grant was an American angler, author and conservationist from Butte, Montana. He was active for many years on the Big Hole River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artificial fly</span> Lure used in fly fishing

An artificial fly or fly lure is a type of fishing lure, usually used in the sport of fly fishing. In general, artificial flies are an imitation of aquatic insects that are natural food of the target fish species the fly fishers try to catch. Artificial flies are constructed by fly tying, in which furs, feathers, thread or any of very many other materials are tied onto a fish hook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolly Worm (imitation)</span>

The Woolly Worm is an artificial fly commonly categorized as a wet fly or nymph and is fished under the water surface. It is a popular pattern for freshwater game fish and was a very popular fly in the 1950s–1970s in the west. Charles Brooks in Nymph Fishing for Larger Trout recommends the Woolly Worm as a general purpose nymph pattern in most western trout waters in any fly box. Woolly Worms are typically fished in streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes for trout, bass, and panfish. Today, Woolly Worms are tied in a variety of styles and colors to imitate a large aquatic nymphs such as stoneflies, dragonflies, damselflies or hellgrammites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angling in Yellowstone National Park</span>

Angling in Yellowstone National Park is a major reason many visitors come to the park each year and since it was created in 1872, the park has drawn anglers from around the world to fish its waters. In 2006, over 50,000 park fishing permits were issued to visitors. The park contains hundreds of miles of accessible, high-quality trout rivers containing wild trout populations—over 200 creeks, streams and rivers are fishable. There are 45 fishable lakes and several large lakes are easily accessible to visitors. Additionally, the park's remote sections provide anglers ample opportunity to visit rivers, streams, creeks and lakes that receive little angling pressure. With the exception of one specially designated drainage, all the park's waters are restricted to artificial lures and fly fishing. The Madison, Firehole and a section of the Gibbon rivers are restricted to fly fishing only.

<i>Pteronarcys californica</i> Species of stonefly

Pteronarcys californica is a species of insect in the family Pteronarcyidae, the giant stoneflies and salmonflies. It is known commonly as a salmonfly. Salmonflies are an important aquatic insect for fly anglers and many nymph and adult fly patterns are tied to imitate this insect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Bailey (conservationist)</span>

Dan Bailey was a fly-shop owner, innovative fly developer and staunch Western conservationist. Born on a farm near Russellville, Kentucky, Bailey is best known for the fly shop he established in Livingston, Montana in 1938. Dan Bailey's Fly Shop is still in business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parks' Fly Shop</span>

Parks' Fly Shop is a fly shop and licensed fly fishing outfitter in Gardiner, Montana. In business since 1953, the shop located at 202 2nd Street between Main and Stone is the oldest business in Gardiner under continuous family ownership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bibliography of fly fishing (species related)</span>

This annotated bibliography is intended to list both notable and not so notable works of English language, non-fiction and fiction related to the sport of fly fishing listed by year published. Although 100% of any book listed is not necessarily devoted to fly fishing, all these titles have significant fly fishing content. Included in this bibliography is a list of species related fly fishing literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bibliography of fly fishing (fly tying, stories, fiction)</span>

This annotated bibliography is intended to list both notable and not so notable works of English language, non-fiction and fiction related to the sport of fly fishing listed by year published. Although 100% of any book listed is not necessarily devoted to fly fishing, all these titles have significant fly fishing content. Included in this bibliography is a list of fly tying, fly tackle, regional guides, memoirs, stories and fly fishing fiction related literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Wulff</span> Artificial fly fishing lure

The Royal Wulff is a popular artificial fly used for dry fly fishing. It is an attractor pattern and a descendant of both the Royal Coachman fly and the Wulff style of hair wing flies named for Lee Wulff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bunyan Bug</span>

Bunyan Bugs are a series of artificial lures used in fly-fishing, designed to look like a wide variety of insects, including grasshoppers, stoneflies, Mayflies, horse flies, bumble bees, ants and caddisflies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parks' Salmonfly</span>

Parks' Salmonfly is a traditional dry fly imitating adults of the family of giant stoneflies or salmonflies (Pteronarcyidae). The most commonly imitated species is Pteronarcys californica or salmonfly common throughout Western North America from British Columbia to California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stimulator (dry fly)</span> Artificial fly

The Stimulator is a dry fly popularized by angler, fly tyer and author Randall Kaufmann to imitate large adult stoneflies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wulff series of dry flies</span>

The Wulff series of dry flies evolved from a dry fly style conceived by angler Lee Wulff in the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-winged Olive flies</span>

Blue-winged Olive flies is a collective term used by anglers in fly fishing to identify a broad array of mayflies having olive, olive-brown bodies and bluish wings in their adult form. Sometimes referred to as BWO , a wide array of artificial flies are tied to imitate adult, nymphal and emerging stages of the aquatic insect. While the family Baetidae probably has the most species identified as blue-winged olives, another mayfly family Ephemerellidae also contains some. Collectively, blue-winged olive mayflies are an important food source in most trout streams, thus their widespread imitation by fly tiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humpy fly</span>

The Humpy fly is a popular and effective dry fly used by fly anglers for trout in fast-water conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terrestrial flies</span>

Terrestrial flies are a broad group of artificial flies used by fly anglers to imitate terrestrial insects that fall prey to fish in rivers, streams and lakes. Most typical are patterns imitating grasshoppers, crickets, ants, beetles, leaf hoppers, cicadas and moths.