FLIES
JUNE'S TOP 10
June is one of the single finest months to be a trout angler in the US. Throw a dart at a map of trout state and your likely to find some incredible fishing. Here are the flies that have produced for us year after year.
Aptly named, this fly earned its place when I was fishing the East Walker in the middle of summer and wanted to fish a dry, despite 0 bugs coming off. A large brown trout decided the Cat Vomit was worth the effort to rise up and chow. I have repeated this multiple times over the years.
A soft landing golden stone that doubles as an October caddis in the fall. One of my top-producing summer/fall dry flies, when a Chubby isn't getting it done, strap on a Clark's Stone and those wary trout will eat.
A low-riding caddis that doubles as an emerging mayfly. A staple slow water dry fly. Another classic California pattern, make sure you always have a few in your box all summer long.
Don't go anywhere in the West in June without a pocketful of PMD spinners. We like this pattern because it's easy to see and finicky fish eat it.
Quickly becoming a favorite pattern all over the West, the Duracell looks like an emerging caddis, or mayfly and is an absolute killer in Nor Cal. Drop one off a golden stone dry and you have a primo searching rig.
Caddis are ubiquitous across North America all summer and while we all wait and pray for that June evening hatch, trout are feeding on pupae subsurface all day, every day. Buggy, heavy and the right colors, Rio's Super Pupa is what you need to find fish under a dry or a bobber.
June is stonefly time, but not all stoneflies are as big as the headliners. Golden stones often come in smaller sizes and Sallies too. The Micro Stone fits that bill and fools fish that have passed on all the big junk.
Walt knew what he was doing with this pattern. Caddis larvae carpet most trout streams across North America. Trout eat them constantly. This pattern gets down quickly and is deadly effective across California.
Slim and flowing, this pattern looks like a leech or a small baitfish, even a damsel nymph and it gets eaten. Excellent choice for early summer High Sierra lakes or Almanor or Manzanita.
If you're on the hunt for big trout, this pattern is a good place to start. Big fish want meat. The Silk Kitty is a t-bone steak. Don't wait for fall to fish streamers.
