River Pattern Guide

Best Flies for Elk River

The Elk River tailwater in south-central Tennessee is a sleeper fishery that rewards anglers willing to explore beyond the region most well-known trout streams. Flowing approximately 12 miles below Ti...

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11 recommended patterns

Frenchie fly pattern
Nymph

Frenchie

The Euro nymphing gateway drug.

Sizes 12–20

Klinkhammer Special fly pattern
Emerger

Klinkhammer Special

The curved-shank emerger that hangs in the film like the real thing.

Sizes 12–18

Thread Midge fly pattern
Midge

Thread Midge

Microscopic but mighty — the fly that matches the tiniest hatch.

Sizes 18–26

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

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

BWO Loop Wing Emerger fly pattern
Emerger

BWO Loop Wing Emerger

A CDC loop wing emerger specifically tied to match Blue-Winged Olives. The looped CDC creates a visi

Sizes 18–22

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

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

Flying Ant fly pattern
Terrestrial

Flying Ant

The Flying Ant pattern includes CDC or hackle-tip wings that distinguish it from standard ant patter

Sizes 14–18

Black Spider fly pattern
Wet Fly

Black Spider

W.C. Stewart popularized this minimalist spider pattern in the 1850s, and it remains one of the most

Sizes #12–#18