River Pattern Guide

Best Flies for St. Joe River

The St. Joe River is a conservation triumph and a fly angler's paradise rolled into one of northern Idaho's most beautiful river corridors. Fed by cold springs and snowmelt in the mountains along the ...

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11 recommended patterns

Parachute Adams fly pattern
Dry Fly

Parachute Adams

The most versatile dry fly ever tied.

Sizes 12–20

RS2 fly pattern
Emerger

RS2

Rim Chung's minimalist masterpiece for selective trout.

Sizes 18–24

Royal Wulff fly pattern
Dry Fly

Royal Wulff

The king of attractor dry flies — regal and irresistible.

Sizes 10–16

Humpy fly pattern
Dry Fly

Humpy

The Humpy is an indestructible attractor dry fly built for fast pocket water. Its deer or elk hair s

Sizes 10–16

Callibaetis Cripple fly pattern
Dry Fly

Callibaetis Cripple

This cripple pattern imitates a Callibaetis mayfly that failed to fully emerge from its shuck — stuc

Sizes 14–16

Squirrel Nymph fly pattern
Nymph

Squirrel Nymph

Dave Whitlock's Squirrel Nymph uses fox squirrel body hair and tail as dubbing for a buggy, all-purp

Sizes 10–16

Emerging Caddis Pupa fly pattern
Emerger

Emerging Caddis Pupa

This pattern captures the explosive moment when a caddis pupa ascends through the water column and b

Sizes 12–18

PMD Emerger fly pattern
Emerger

PMD Emerger

A trailing-shuck emerger pattern specifically colored to match Pale Morning Dun emergence. The pale

Sizes 14–18

Soft Hackle Hare's Ear fly pattern
Wet Fly

Soft Hackle Hare's Ear

A Hare's Ear body with a soft Hungarian partridge hackle collar, designed to be swung across and dow

Sizes 12–16

Chernobyl Ant fly pattern
Terrestrial

Chernobyl Ant

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

Sizes 6–12

Top Secret Midge fly pattern
Midge

Top Secret Midge

The Top Secret Midge features a thread body with a pearl Flashabou wing case at the thorax, adding a

Sizes 18–24