Hatch Imitations

Flies That Imitate Mayfly Nymphs

19 proven patterns designed to match mayfly nymphs across multiple life stages. From subsurface nymphs to surface duns, these are the flies that consistently fool selective trout.

Flashback Hare's Ear fly pattern
Nymph

Flashback Hare's Ear

The Flashback variant adds a strip of pearl tinsel over the wing case of the classic Hare's Ear, pro

Sizes #12–#18

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

Hare's Ear Nymph fly pattern
Nymph

Hare's Ear Nymph

The Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear is the buggiest, most imitative general nymph ever devised. The rough, sp

Sizes #10–#18

Jig Pheasant Tail fly pattern
Nymph

Jig Pheasant Tail

The jig-hook version of the Pheasant Tail Nymph rides point-up to reduce snags and fishes perfectly

Sizes #14–#20

Deep Sparrow Nymph fly pattern
Nymph

Deep Sparrow Nymph

A heavy tungsten jig nymph with a dubbed body and CDC collar that imitates a range of small mayfly n

Sizes #14–#18

Iron Lotus fly pattern
Nymph

Iron Lotus

A modern Czech nymph with a woven body, tungsten bead, and hot spot collar. Built for heavy Euro nym

Sizes #12–#16

Surveyor fly pattern
Nymph

Surveyor

A modern Euro nymphing staple that blends the best elements of the Pheasant Tail and Frenchie into o

Sizes #14–#18

Copper John fly pattern
Nymph

Copper John

The Copper John is a heavy, flashy attractor nymph that sinks like a rock and catches fish like a dr

Sizes #12–#18

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

Tungsten Torpedo fly pattern
Nymph

Tungsten Torpedo

A heavy, streamlined Euro nymph with a smooth thread body under UV resin and a large tungsten bead.

Sizes #10–#14

Lightning Bug fly pattern
Nymph

Lightning Bug

The Lightning Bug is a flashy attractor nymph with a pearl tinsel body and tungsten bead that catche

Sizes #14–#18

Rainbow Warrior fly pattern
Nymph

Rainbow Warrior

Lance Egan's Rainbow Warrior is a flashy midge/mayfly crossover pattern with a pearl Mylar body, red

Sizes #16–#22

Frenchie fly pattern
Nymph

Frenchie

The Frenchie is the quintessential Euro nymph — a Pheasant Tail variation with a fluorescent hot spo

Sizes #12–#20

Perdigon fly pattern
Nymph

Perdigon

The Perdigon is a sleek, heavy, UV-resin-coated nymph designed for one purpose: getting to the botto

Sizes #14–#22

Quasimodo Pheasant Tail fly pattern
Nymph

Quasimodo Pheasant Tail

A Czech-style Pheasant Tail variation tied on a curved scud hook with a pronounced hump-back profile

Sizes #12–#18

Pheasant Tail Nymph fly pattern
Nymph

Pheasant Tail Nymph

Frank Sawyer's Pheasant Tail Nymph is one of the most widely fished subsurface patterns in the world

Sizes #12–#20

Polish Woven Nymph fly pattern
Nymph

Polish Woven Nymph

The Polish Woven Nymph features a two-tone woven body that creates a durable, segmented abdomen rese

Sizes #10–#16

Tungsten Jig Hares Ear fly pattern
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

Two Bit Hooker fly pattern
Nymph

Two Bit Hooker

A hot-collared jig nymph that combines a wire body with a fluorescent dubbing collar for a slim, fas

Sizes #14–#18