NymphbeginnerRocky Mountain West
$2.95
The Hare's Ear Nymph is the flyfishing equivalent of ordering 'whatever the chef recommends.' Its buggy, indistinct silhouette imitates nothing specific and everything in general, which turns out to be an excellent survival strategy in trout water. The guard hairs splay out in the current like tiny antennae, creating the impression of something alive and edible. Centuries of refinement, and the best material for catching trout is still fur from a rabbit's face.
Big Horn River
MT · Tailwater
North Platte River
WY · Freestone River
Green River
UT · Tailwater
Map unavailable. Locations for Hare's Ear Nymph: Big Horn River, MT; North Platte River, WY; Green River, UT
region guide
The Rocky Mountain West holds the finest trout rivers in North America. From the gin-clear tailwaters of Colorado to the sweeping freestone rivers of Montana, these waters offer everything from technical dry fly fishing to aggressive streamer hunting. This is your river-by-river guide to all of it.
seasonal playbook
Spring is the most dynamic season in fly fishing — water temperatures swing daily, hatches emerge in waves, and fish that have been dormant for months begin feeding with increasing urgency. This is your region-by-region playbook for fishing the awakening.
hatch guide
Caddisflies outnumber mayflies on most trout streams, yet they receive a fraction of the attention. From the explosive Mother's Day caddis hatch to the giant October caddis of the Pacific Northwest, understanding Trichoptera transforms your fishing from spring through fall.
technique
Every river tells you where the fish are, if you know how to listen. Reading water is the fundamental skill that separates productive anglers from persistent ones. The ability to look at a stretch of river and identify the handful of spots that hold fish — and dismiss the vast majority that don't — is worth more than a lifetime of fly pattern knowledge.
technique
Most anglers open their fly box and stare at it like a menu in a foreign language. But fly selection isn't mystical — it's a decision tree. Start with what the fish are eating, narrow by presentation depth, match the profile and size, and you'll arrive at the right fly in under sixty seconds. Here's the system.
technique
Every angler has heard it: 'The barometer's falling — the fish are gonna feed.' But how much of barometric pressure lore is actual science, and how much is confirmation bias wrapped in a fishing vest? The answer is more nuanced than either camp wants to admit.
technique
Ninety percent of a trout's diet is consumed subsurface. Yet ninety percent of the magazine covers show a dry fly floating on calm water. The decision between nymphing and dry-fly fishing isn't about preference — it's about reading the situation and making the choice that puts your fly where the fish are actually feeding.
NymphbeginnerRocky Mountain West
#14 - #20
Frank Sawyer's original, perfected by American tiers. Pheasant tail fiber body, copper wire rib. The most important nymph ever tied.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout · Brook Trout · Mountain Whitefish
NymphbeginnerRocky Mountain West
#10 - #18
Doug Prince's attractor nymph. Peacock herl body, biot wings, brown hackle. A searching nymph that works when nothing else does.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout · Brook Trout
NymphbeginnerRocky Mountain West
#4 - #10
Oversized stonefly nymph with rubber legs. Tungsten weighted. Gets to the bottom fast and stays there.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout · Mountain Whitefish
NymphbeginnerRocky Mountain West
#12 - #20
Tied by Satoshi Yamamoto
John Barr's tungsten-headed nymph. Sinks fast, flashes bright. The most productive nymph in the West.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Mountain Whitefish
NymphintermediateRocky Mountain West
#14 - #20
Spanish competition nymph. Slim UV-resin body over thread, tungsten bead. Sinks like a stone, minimal drag in current.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout
NymphbeginnerRocky Mountain West
#8 - #14
Simple chenille worm pattern named for the San Juan River. Red, brown, or pink. The fly that purists love to hate and fish love to eat.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Mountain Whitefish