Dry FlyadvancedRocky Mountain West
Trico Spinner
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Regional source directory
Taos Fly Shop
Matched on Rocky Mountain West, dry flies, trout. New Mexico/Southwest trout shop lead for Rio Grande, San Juan, Pecos, and high desert water.
Rocky Mountain Fly Design
Matched on Rocky Mountain West, dry flies, trout. Colorado tier and shop lead for Rocky Mountain trout, bass, and predator patterns.
Fly Fish Food
Matched on dry flies, trout, mayfly. Strong technical tying and trout catalog coverage, especially nymphs, dries, and stillwater flies.
Fulling Mill Flies
Matched on dry flies, trout, dry. Large pattern house with broad freshwater and saltwater fly categories.
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Every summer morning on western tailwaters, millions of Trico mayflies mate, die, and fall to the water with their wings spread like tiny crucifixes. The trout line up and eat them with metronomic rhythm, completely ignoring anything that is not a perfect size #20-24 spent spinner drifting without a hint of drag. This is either the most technical, rewarding dry fly fishing on earth or a punishment designed by someone who hates anglers. Possibly both.
Quick Facts
Where to Fish It
Missouri River
MT · Tailwater
Big Horn River
MT · Tailwater
South Platte River
CO · Tailwater
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Related Reading
seasonal playbook
The Summer Guide: Long Days and Willing Fish
Summer is fly fishing's season of abundance. Sixteen-hour days, prolific hatches, aggressive fish, and the full spectrum from mountain trout to saltwater flats. This is your playbook for making the most of the warmest, longest, most generous months of the fishing year.
hatch guide
The Complete Guide to Mayfly Hatches
Mayflies are the foundation of trout-stream entomology. This guide covers every major hatch — BWOs, PMDs, Green Drakes, Sulphurs, Tricos, and Hendricksons — with the biology, timing, and fly selections you need to fish them effectively across the country.
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