River Pattern Guide

Best Flies for Yakima River

The Yakima River is Washington State's premier dry fly trout fishery, widely regarded as one of the finest freestone rivers in the American West. Fed by snowmelt from the Cascade Range and flowing 214...

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11 recommended patterns

Elk Hair Caddis fly pattern
Dry Fly

Elk Hair Caddis

The tent-wing dry fly that revolutionized caddis fishing.

Sizes 12–18

CDC Emerger fly pattern
Emerger

CDC Emerger

Nature's floatant meets the most critical feeding window.

Sizes 16–22

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

Quill Gordon fly pattern
Dry Fly

Quill Gordon

The Quill Gordon is a Catskill classic tied with a stripped peacock quill body that creates a delica

Sizes 12–14

Goddard Caddis fly pattern
Dry Fly

Goddard Caddis

John Goddard and Cliff Henry's spun deer hair caddis is the most buoyant caddis imitation ever conce

Sizes 10–16

Leadwing Coachman fly pattern
Wet Fly

Leadwing Coachman

The Leadwing Coachman is a traditional wet fly with a peacock herl body and dark slate wings that ha

Sizes 12–16

Carey Special fly pattern
Wet Fly

Carey Special

The Carey Special is a Pacific Northwest stillwater staple featuring a pheasant rump hackle that cre

Sizes 8–12

Juju Baetis fly pattern
Nymph

Juju Baetis

Charlie Craven's Juju Baetis is a sleek, modern nymph that imitates tiny Baetis mayfly nymphs with d

Sizes 18–22

Jig Perdigon fly pattern
Nymph

Jig Perdigon

A slick, heavily-weighted Spanish competition nymph designed to sink fast through the water column o

Sizes #14–#20

CDC Pheasant Tail fly pattern
Nymph

CDC Pheasant Tail

A refined variation of the Pheasant Tail Nymph that replaces the wing case with a CDC feather puff f

Sizes #16–#20

Comparadun fly pattern
Dry Fly

Comparadun

Developed by Al Caucci and Bob Nastasi, the Comparadun revolutionized dry fly design with its fan-sh

Sizes #12–#20