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Best Trout Flies: The Complete Guide
The must-have trout flies for any fly box, organized by dry fly, nymph, and streamer — what each imitates, when to fish it, and how many to carry.
Fly fishing guides
Choose the right fly. Fish it well.
Practical fly fishing guides: which flies to use for trout, salmon, steelhead, bass and more, plus the techniques, gear and terms behind them.
27 in-depth guides 8 topics Oct 2026 latest guide
Featured guides
Guides to start with
Each one links on to more specific articles in its topic.
Salmon Fly Patterns: The Complete Guide
A complete guide to salmon fly patterns — king salmon streamers, classic Atlantic salmon dry flies, and sockeye's unusual flossing technique.
Steelhead Flies: Best Patterns and Where to Fish Them
A practical guide to the best steelhead flies — egg patterns, streamers, and nymphs — plus how fly choice differs between the Deschutes River and Lake Erie.
Top Smallmouth Bass Flies
A practical guide to the best smallmouth bass flies — topwater poppers, streamers, and bottom patterns — with gear and selection tips by water type.
Fly Fishing for Redfish: Complete Guide
A complete guide to fly fishing for redfish — gear, where to find them, the Clouser minnow, topwater flies, color choices, and sight-fishing technique.
How to Fly Fish a Streamer
Learn how to fly fish a streamer, from reading water and picking a fly line to retrieves and the strip set that keeps fish hooked.
Fly Fishing Terms: A Glossary for Beginners
A plain-English glossary of fly fishing terms — gear, casting, flies, knots, water, and fish vocabulary every beginner needs to know.
Fly Fishing at Night: Is It Legal and Does It Work?
Night fly fishing works and can produce trophy trout and bass. Here's the legal picture, the gear and flies you need, and how to fish after dark safely.
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Flies by fish
Fly patterns and tactics for trout, salmon, steelhead, warmwater and saltwater fish.
Trout Flies Best trout flies, how to choose them, and minnow, snake, seasonal and regional patterns. 6 guides Salmon Flies Salmon fly patterns, including Iceland and Alaska silver salmon flies. 3 guides Steelhead Flies The best steelhead flies and where to fish them. 1 guide Warmwater Flies Fly patterns for carp and smallmouth bass. 2 guides Saltwater & Species Flies and tactics for redfish, seatrout, peacock bass and Guadalupe bass. 4 guides
Techniques and basics
How to fish different fly types, plus the gear, terms and conditions behind them.