River Pattern Guide

Best Flies for Arkansas River (Colorado)

The Arkansas River in Colorado is one of the longest stretches of Gold Medal trout water in the state, flowing through the dramatic Arkansas River Valley from its headwaters near Leadville down throug...

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12 recommended patterns

Streamer

Woolly Bugger

If you could only fish one fly for the rest of your life.

Sizes 2–10

Dry Fly

Stimulator

The attractor dry fly that mimics everything big on the surface.

Sizes 8–14

Dry Fly

Royal Wulff

The king of attractor dry flies — regal and irresistible.

Sizes 10–16

Emerger

CDC Emerger

Nature's floatant meets the most critical feeding window.

Sizes 16–22

Nymph

Deep Sparrow Nymph

A heavy tungsten jig nymph with a dubbed body and CDC collar that imitates a range of small mayfly n

Sizes 14–18

Dry Fly

Quill Gordon

The Quill Gordon is a Catskill classic tied with a stripped peacock quill body that creates a delica

Sizes 12–14

Nymph

Pat's Rubber Legs

Pat's Rubber Legs is a large, heavily weighted stonefly nymph pattern with rubber legs that pulse an

Sizes 4–10

Nymph

Mop Fly

The Mop Fly — made from a strip of chenille mop material on a jig hook — is the most controversial a

Sizes 10–14

Emerger

Spotlight Emerger

A modern emerger pattern with a bright foam post for visibility and a sparse body that hangs in the

Sizes 14–18

Nymph

Tungsten Torpedo

A heavy, streamlined Euro nymph with a smooth thread body under UV resin and a large tungsten bead.

Sizes 10–14

Wet Fly

Leadwing Coachman

The Leadwing Coachman is a traditional wet fly with a peacock herl body and dark slate wings that ha

Sizes 12–16

Dry Fly

Comparadun

Developed by Al Caucci and Bob Nastasi, the Comparadun revolutionized dry fly design with its fan-sh

Sizes #12–#20