Mayflies

Delicate insects with upright wings that drift naturally on the surface.

Look For
Slow rises and trout feeding calmly in seams or eddies.

Fish With
Parachutes, emergers, and slim-bodied nymphs.

Guide Note
Match size before color

Caddis

Fast-moving insects with tent-shaped wings that often skitter across the water.

Look For
Aggressive eats near riffles and faster current.

Fish With
Elk Hair Caddis, soft hackles, and caddis pupae.

Guide Note
A slight twitch can trigger strikes.

Stoneflies

Large aquatic insects commonly found near fast, rocky water.

Look For
Fish holding tight to banks, pockets, and heavier current.

Fish With
Large nymphs, hoppers, and attractor patterns.

Guide Note
Big meals move big fish.

Midges

Tiny insects active almost year-round, especially during colder months.

Look For
Subtle sipping rises and pressured fish.

Fish With
Small dries, zebra midges, and tiny nymphs.

Guide Note
Longer leaders help in clear water.

Terrestrials

Land insects like hoppers, ants, and beetles that fall into the water.

Look For
Summer eats near grass, cut banks, and overhanging brush.

Fish With
Hoppers, foam ants, and beetle patterns.

Guide Note
Windy afternoons can fish extremely well.

Baitfish

Minnows, sculpins, and small fish that trigger aggressive predatory eats.

Look For
Cloudy water, low light, deep banks, and aggressive follows.

Fish With
Streamers, sculpin patterns, and articulated flies.

Guide Note
Cover water and vary retrieve speed until fish react.

Guide Notes

Most trout feed lower in the water column than people think.

The fish that eats first usually isn’t the biggest fish in the run.

Cloud cover can turn a quiet river on in minutes.

If the water looks too fast to hold fish, check the edges.

Fish notice drag long before they notice the wrong fly.

The first cast matters more than the tenth.

After rain, darker flies usually outfish cleaner profiles.

Big trout rarely waste energy for a perfect drift they’ve already seen.

Depth changes catch more fish than fly changes.

The best anglers adjust faster than the fish do.