River Pattern Guide

Best Flies for Rio Chama

The Rio Chama is northern New Mexico's most varied trout river, a multi-character stream that transitions from high-altitude freestone through a remote wilderness canyon before settling into a broad t...

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11 recommended patterns

Nymph

Perdigon

The fast-sinking competition nymph that changed Euro nymphing forever.

Sizes 14–22

Dry Fly

Sparkle Dun

Craig Mathews' Sparkle Dun combines a deer hair fan wing with a Z-lon trailing shuck, bridging the g

Sizes 14–20

Dry Fly

CDC Blue-Winged Olive

A CDC-winged BWO that rides perfectly in the surface film with no floatant needed. The natural oils

Sizes 18–22

Dry Fly

Olive Thorax Dun

Vince Marinaro's Thorax Dun design places the hackle at the center of the body rather than the head,

Sizes 16–20

Nymph

Beadhead Caddis Pupa

This simple caddis pupa imitation features a dubbed body with a contrasting thorax and a soft hackle

Sizes 12–18

Nymph

Sow Bug

The Sow Bug (or aquatic isopod) imitation is a flat-profiled, segmented nymph that imitates the tiny

Sizes 14–18

Terrestrial

Chernobyl Ant

The Chernobyl Ant is an oversized foam terrestrial pattern with rubber legs that creates a massive d

Sizes 6–12

Terrestrial

Foam Beetle

The Foam Beetle is a simple but devastatingly effective terrestrial pattern. A piece of black foam f

Sizes 12–18

Nymph

Tungsten Jig Hares Ear

The classic Hares Ear profile reimagined on a modern jig hook with a heavy tungsten bead for Euro ny

Sizes #12–#18

Wet Fly

Starling and Herl

A classic North Country spider pattern consisting of nothing more than peacock herl and a starling h

Sizes #12–#16

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