NymphbeginnerSouthwest & California
$3.50
The fly that purists love to hate and secretly fish when nobody's watching. Works. End of discussion.
Taos Fly Shop
Taos, NM
Fifty-year legend. Published author. Catskill-trained but desert-hardened. Taylor's patterns for the Rio Grande, San Juan, and Pecos rivers carry half a century of Southwest wisdom.
San Juan River
NM · Tailwater
Lees Ferry
AZ · Tailwater
Lower Owens River
CA · Tailwater
Map unavailable. Locations for San Juan Worm: San Juan River, NM; Lees Ferry, AZ; Lower Owens River, CA
region guide
In the arid vastness of the American Southwest, cold water is currency and the rivers that carry it hold world-class fly fishing. From the legendary tailwaters below desert dams to alkaline stillwaters teeming with massive trout, the Southwest defies every expectation.
seasonal playbook
Winter separates the dedicated from the fair-weather crowd. The rivers are empty, the hatches are tiny, and the fish feed in slow motion. But they do feed — they have to. And the angler who understands cold-water metabolism, midge biology, and the art of slowing down will find winter fishing not just productive but deeply rewarding.
NymphbeginnerSouthwest & California
18-24
Simple but lethal midge pupa imitation. The thread body and bead head are all you need when trout are keyed on the tiniest organisms in the water column.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout
NymphbeginnerSouthwest & California
14-20
Frank Sawyer's classic mayfly nymph pattern. The pheasant tail fibers create a naturally segmented body that imitates Baetis and PMD nymphs perfectly.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout
NymphbeginnerSouthwest & California
14-20
John Barr's tungsten-beadhead nymph that sinks fast into the strike zone. The copper wire body flashes in current, triggering strikes from trout holding in deeper water.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout
NymphbeginnerSouthwest & California
10-18
A buggy, impressionistic nymph that suggests a wide range of aquatic insects. The dubbing from a hare's ear creates a fuzzy profile that traps air bubbles, mimicking an emerging insect.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Brook Trout
NymphadvancedSouthwest & California
16-22
A Baetis nymph imitation developed for the technical spring creeks of Northern California. The slim profile and natural coloring fool the spookiest trout in gin-clear water.
Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout
NymphintermediateSouthwest & California
14-18
A local pattern developed for the massive rainbow trout below Glen Canyon Dam. Imitates the abundant amphipods and scuds that make Lees Ferry one of the top tailwaters in the West.
Rainbow Trout