Best Flies for Salt River (Arizona) (Arizona)

What's hatching now

Month, insect, size, and pattern from the Salt River (Arizona) hatch chart. October is highlighted when that month exists in the chart. We do not invent a hatch that is not on the chart.

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.

• 

  Zebra Midge

  #16

• 

  Egg Pattern

  #10

• 

  Micro Mayfly

  #18–#24

Dries

Dries and terrestrials for the Salt River (Arizona). If the chart says a size 18 PMD, do not start with a 12.

• 

  Griffith's Gnat

  #18

• 

  BWO Parachute

  #16

• 

  Trico Spinner

  #20

• 

  Elk Hair Caddis

  #12–#18

• No photograph

  Olsen's CDC Midge

  #18

• No photograph

  Monster Midge

  #18

• 

  Blue Dun

  #14

• 

  CDC Blue-Winged Olive

  #18

• 

  Blue-Winged Olive Comparadun

  #16

Streamers

Streamers and wets for stained water, banks, and low light. This is not a claim that streamers are "on" today.

• 

  Olive Woolly Bugger

  #6

• 

  Woolly Bugger

  #2

• 

  Carey Special

  #8

• 

  Double Bunny

  #2

• No photograph

  Backflop Jig

  #8

• No photograph

  Egan's Poacher — Olive

  #8

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 Salt River (Arizona)?

Start with Griffith's Gnat and BWO Parachute, then match size to the hatch chart for the month you are standing in. The Salt River (Arizona) 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 Salt River (Arizona)?

The editorial window we list is November, December, January, February, March, April. 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 Salt River (Arizona)?

Arizona 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 Salt River (Arizona)?

Open the Salt River (Arizona) 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 Salt River (Arizona)?

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.

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