Hello to all, I am a Taff (Welshman) coming to the US next month to fish the Clark Fork and Bitteroot Rivers I was just looking for some advice on fly patterns to use, I roll my own flies and have tied some Salmon flies ( not like any UK salmon fly I can tell you!!!), Chernobyl Ants, Humpies, Stimulators, Klinkhammers (european pattern), Griffiths Gnats and Adams varients, is there any thing missing from my armoury ???, I seem to be gearing up for a lot of top of the water stuff but do I need any sub surface patterns? the Montana nymph has legendary status here in the UK but as a novice angler in the US I look to your wisdom for guidence. By the way the Mayfly (Vulgata, Danicia) season over here has been fantastic, a benefit of global warming perhaps, look forward to my trip, Richie.
Good time to fish those rivers. You might see golden stoneflies, yellow sally stones, green drakes, tricos, blue wing olives and the flies you mentioned depending on the time of the month that you arrive. Lucky for you it is mostly dry fly fishing then but if dries aren’t working standard nymphs like prince, flash back pheasant tail, san juan worm, hare’s ear, stonefly nymphs, copper johns, and other usual suspects all can produce fish.
Looks like you’ve got a good handle on the dries - I’d add Elk Hair Caddis; they always are good for a fish or two; LaFontaine Sparkle Caddis for emergers. Might want to tie up some buggers, too. Have fun.
Regards,
Scott
Wow! Ask a question, a couple of hours later get the answer from one of the west’s top guides! Doesn’t get any better. 