Hatch-chart pattern list
Best Flies for Green River (Utah)
Flaming Gorge's tailwater is gin-clear, crowded on the A section, and honest about fly size. Midges and scuds carry winter. PMDs, caddis, and cicadas carry summer. If you show up with a box of size 12 attractors and no 20s, you will look at a lot of fish you cannot move. Patterns below follow the Green River hatch chart, not a crowdsourced hot list.
This is not a live report of other anglers' catches. Presence and flow live on the Green River river page and the Utah destination guide.
What's hatching now
Month, insect, size, and pattern from the Green River hatch chart. October is highlighted when that month exists in the chart. We do not invent a hatch that is not on the chart.
| Month | Insect | Size | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Midges | #22-26 | Zebra Midge, Mercury Midge, Griffith's Gnat |
| February | Midges | #22-26 | Zebra Midge, Disco Midge |
| March | Blue-winged Olive | #18-22 | Parachute BWO, RS2, Sparkle Dun |
| Midges | #22-26 | Zebra Midge, Mercury Midge | |
| April | Blue-winged Olive | #18-22 | Parachute BWO, RS2, WD-40 |
| Midges | #22-26 | Zebra Midge | |
| May | Pale Morning Dun (PMD) | #16-18 | PMD Sparkle Dun, PMD Cripple, Pheasant Tail |
| Caddis | #14-16 | Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis | |
| Blue-winged Olive | #18-22 | Parachute BWO, RS2 | |
| June | Pale Morning Dun (PMD) | #16-18 | PMD Sparkle Dun, PMD Cripple |
| Caddis | #14-16 | Elk Hair Caddis, Peacock Caddis | |
| Stonefly (Upper WY) | #8-12 | Stimulator, Yellow Sally | |
| July | Pale Morning Dun (PMD) | #16-18 | PMD Sparkle Dun |
| Trico (Flaming Gorge) | #20-24 | Trico Spinner, CDC Trico | |
| Hoppers (Upper WY) | #8-12 | Chubby Chernobyl, Morrish Hopper, Dave's Hopper | |
| Caddis | #14-16 | Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis | |
| August | Hoppers (Upper WY) | #8-12 | Chubby Chernobyl, Parachute Hopper |
| Trico (Flaming Gorge) | #20-24 | Trico Spinner, CDC Trico | |
| Ants and Beetles (Upper WY) | #14-18 | Fur Ant, Foam Beetle | |
| September | Blue-winged Olive | #18-22 | Parachute BWO, RS2, Sparkle Dun |
| Hoppers (Upper WY) | #10-12 | Chubby Chernobyl, Morrish Hopper | |
| Caddis | #14-16 | Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis | |
| October | Blue-winged Olive | #18-22 | Parachute BWO, RS2, WD-40 |
| October Caddis (Flaming Gorge) | #8-10 | Stimulator, October Caddis Dry | |
| Midges | #22-26 | Zebra Midge, Mercury Midge | |
| November | Blue-winged Olive | #20-24 | Parachute BWO, RS2 |
| Midges | #22-26 | Zebra Midge, Mercury Midge | |
| December | Midges | #22-26 | Zebra Midge, Mercury Midge, Griffith's Gnat |
Nymphs
Subsurface patterns matched to this river's chart and catalog. Fish them at the size the chart lists, not the size that looks good in the bin.
Dries
Dries and terrestrials for the Green River. If the chart says a size 18 PMD, do not start with a 12.
Streamers
Streamers and wets for stained water, banks, and low light. This is not a claim that streamers are "on" today.
Setup
5X and 6X fluorocarbon on nymphs, 5X on dries unless the fish are on Tricos, then 6X or 7X. Start lighter than your home river. One small tungsten and a long tag often beats a 3.5mm bead in clear water. Tight-line the near bank and the heads of pockets. Use an indicator only when you need to search water you cannot euro.
FAQ
- What flies work on the Green River?
- Start with BWO Sparkle Dun and Midge Larva, then match size to the hatch chart for the month you are standing in. The Green River does not need a 40-pattern box. It needs the right size on the insect that is actually in the drift.
- When is the best time to fly fish the Green River?
- The editorial window we list is April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. That is a planning month range, not a guarantee. Shoulder months can fish well if flows and water temperature cooperate.
- Do I need a guide on the Green River?
- Utah has walk-up wade water and, on some sections, float water. A guide is worth it for a first float or a technical tailwater. A hatch chart and a gauge are enough for a first wade if you already nymph. We list local guides and shops on this page when we have them.
- Where can I see live flow for the Green River?
- Open the Green River river page for the USGS gauge, access notes, and the same hatch chart this fly list is built from. We do not publish other people's spots or fish counts.
- Is this a report of what's working now on the Green River?
- No. Executive Angler does not publish other anglers' catches, GPS, or a crowdsourced hot fly. This page is hatch-chart patterns plus catalog flies. Presence on the river page is gauge and weather only.
Related
River guide
Green River
Access, hatch chart, USGS gauge.
Destination
Utah
Trip planning for this region.
Pattern
BWO Sparkle Dun
Dry
Pattern
Midge Larva
Midge
Pattern
Olsen's CDC Midge
Dry
Fly shop
Anglers Den
5348 S 1900 W Suite A1, Roy, UT 84067
Fly shop
Basin Fly Shop
Vernal, UT
Nearby water
Asay Creek
Open the river guide, then its fly list.
Nearby water
Big Cottonwood Creek
Open the river guide, then its fly list.
Nearby water
Blacksmith Fork
Open the river guide, then its fly list.
Nearby water
Currant Creek
Open the river guide, then its fly list.