River Pattern Guide

Best Flies for Clearwater River

The Clearwater River drains a vast wilderness in north-central Idaho, flowing west from the craggy peaks of the Bitterroot Range through some of the most rugged and beautiful canyon country in the Pac...

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12 recommended patterns

Nymph

Pheasant Tail Nymph

The universal nymph — fooling trout since 1958.

Sizes 12–20

Nymph

Frenchie

The Euro nymphing gateway drug.

Sizes 12–20

Nymph

Copper John

John Barr's heavy metal attractor — built to sink and designed to shine.

Sizes 12–18

Dry Fly

Stimulator

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

Sizes 8–14

Emerger

CDC Emerger

Nature's floatant meets the most critical feeding window.

Sizes 16–22

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

Nymph

Polish Woven Nymph

The Polish Woven Nymph features a two-tone woven body that creates a durable, segmented abdomen rese

Sizes 10–16

Streamer

Muddler Minnow

Don Gapen's Muddler Minnow is one of fly fishing's most versatile patterns. Its spun deer hair head

Sizes 4–10

Emerger

Snowshoe Emerger

The Snowshoe Emerger uses snowshoe rabbit foot hair as a wing material, providing exceptional floata

Sizes 16–22

Terrestrial

Dave's Hopper

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

Sizes 6–12

Nymph

Surveyor

A modern Euro nymphing staple that blends the best elements of the Pheasant Tail and Frenchie into o

Sizes #14–#18

Dry Fly

Rusty Spinner

A spent-wing spinner pattern that imitates the final stage of the mayfly lifecycle when egg-laying f

Sizes #14–#20