Fly Patterns for Southeast Minnesota

Fly fishing in southeast Minnesota can require a variety of patterns depending upon the time of year and the weather conditions.  However, much of the guess work can be eliminated by narrowing down your choice of flies, especially for those who are novices to the sport and to the area.  I have listed most of the basic patterns, ingredients to tie them, and how to fish them. 

More patterns will be appearing as I have time to load them.  If you have a question about a pattern or would like to see a pattern listed, please drop me a line at ontheflyguiding@msn.com

General Nymph Patterns:    Scud    Tato Scud    Beadhead Scud     Pheasant Tail Nymph     Flashback CDC Pheasant Tail Nymph   Marabou Pheasant Tail Nymph    Pheasant and Starling Soft Hackle   Bead Head Pheasant Tail Ostrich Herl    Black Krystal Flash Pheasant Tail    Lightning Bug    Hare's Ear Nymph    Prince Nymph    Black Biot Krystal Flash PT    Cress Bug    Pink Squirrel    Orange All Purpose    Boba Fett    The Root River Special    Copper John    Soft Hackled Fly    Mr.Pickle    Gabriel's Trumpet    Whiskey Fly     Rabbit Foot Emerger    Mylar Uni-Nymph    Soft Hackle Hare's Ear    Wilted Spinach Variation    The Black Wet Fly   Peacock Lightning Bug    Skinny Nelson            

Midge Patterns: Simpleton Midge   Griffith's Gnat    The Black Midge Emerger      Odd Ball Midge    Stuck-in-the-Shuck Midge    Griffith's Gnat With CDC    Adult Midge    Floating Midge Emerger    Syl's Midge    WD40    Mighty Midget

Baetis Patterns: The Shillinglaw Emerger    CDC Biot Emerger    BWO Fuzzball    CDC Emerger    Blue Winged Olive    Diving BWO    BWO Dun     The BWO Usual    Mylar Uni-Nymph    Chocolate Emerger   

Caddis Patterns: Elk Hair Caddis    Deer Hair Caddis    Gray Caddis Dry    Tape Wing Caddis    Bead Head Caddis Larvae    Caddis Larvae    Caddis Danger Baby    Theo's Danger Baby    Caddis Emerger    No Hackle Caddis    Slow Water Caddis    Caddis Klinkhammer    Olive Caddis Nymph   CDC and Elk     Killer Caddis    Barr's Graphic Caddis    Green Deep Sparkle Pupa    Attractile Caddis Pupa    LaFontaine Dancing Caddis

Dark Hendrickson Patterns: Dark Hendrickson    Dark Hendrickson (variation)

Light Hendrickson Patterns: Light Hendrickson    Light Hendrickson (cdc)    Light Hendrickson Dry/Emerger    Poly Parachute Sulphur    PMD Sparkle Dun    Light Hendrickson Shillinglaw Emerger

Trico Patterns: Trico Girl Emerger    MH Trico Girl

General Dry Fly Patterns: Adams Dry Fly    Golden Lo    The Usual    Old Blue           

Terrestrials: Black Wet Fly    Foam Beetle    Japanese Beetle    The Pink Ant    Black Foam Beetle    Madame X    Chernobyl Beetle    The 3P Ant    Suspended Black Wet Fly

Streamers: Zonker    Woolly Bugger    Polar Bugger    Brian's Big Fish Streamer    Double Bunny    Hairy Leech    Bent Head Streamer    Zoo Cougar    SMB Bug    Mudbug    Pass Lake Streamer    Rub A Dub Leech    Slumpbuster    Clouser Swimming Nymph    Black Leech    Bow River Bugger    Ian's Epoxy Minnow

Realistic Patterns: Root River Golden    Simply Golden