River Pattern Guide

Best Flies for Boardman River

The Boardman River holds a special place in Michigan fly fishing lore — it is the stream that flows directly through the heart of Traverse City, making it one of the most accessible urban trout rivers...

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11 recommended patterns

X-Caddis fly pattern
Dry Fly

X-Caddis

Craig Mathews' X-Caddis omits the hackle of an Elk Hair Caddis, creating a lower-riding fly that han

Sizes 14–18

Sulphur Dun fly pattern
Dry Fly

Sulphur Dun

The Sulphur Dun imitates Ephemerella dorothea and E. invaria, the signature evening hatch on eastern

Sizes 14–18

Iron Lotus fly pattern
Nymph

Iron Lotus

A modern Czech nymph with a woven body, tungsten bead, and hot spot collar. Built for heavy Euro nym

Sizes 12–16

Jig Pheasant Tail fly pattern
Nymph

Jig Pheasant Tail

The jig-hook version of the Pheasant Tail Nymph rides point-up to reduce snags and fishes perfectly

Sizes 14–20

Micro Mayfly fly pattern
Nymph

Micro Mayfly

A tiny, sparse nymph tied on a barbless jig hook that imitates the smallest mayfly nymphs in the dri

Sizes 18–24

Leadwing Coachman fly pattern
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

Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail fly pattern
Wet Fly

Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail

A marriage of the Pheasant Tail Nymph and soft hackle tradition, this pattern fishes brilliantly on

Sizes 14–18

Partridge and Green fly pattern
Wet Fly

Partridge and Green

The green silk-bodied companion to the Partridge and Orange, this soft hackle wet fly imitates emerg

Sizes 12–16

Foam Ant fly pattern
Terrestrial

Foam Ant

The Foam Ant creates the distinct two-hump silhouette of a real ant using closed-cell foam segments.

Sizes 14–20

Dave's Hopper fly pattern
Terrestrial

Dave's Hopper

Dave Whitlock's Hopper is the original modern grasshopper imitation, featuring a spun deer hair head

Sizes 6–12

Letort Cricket fly pattern
Terrestrial

Letort Cricket

Ed Shenk's Letort Cricket is a classic terrestrial designed for the legendary limestone streams of P

Sizes 10–14