Attractor Dry Flies

Attractor dry flies have to be one of the most popular type of dry flies for fly fishing. All the best attractor flies are tied out of any material that floats. The feathers of them will come from animals like ducks and chickens, while the main bodies of them will be composed from things like fur and foam. All of these materials are designed to make these flies float high in the water, which makes them a visually exciting way to fly fish. Most attractor fly patterns don't really imitate any specific type of insect in general, but multiple species of insects at one time. In fact, some of the best attractor flies don't really imitate any insects at all. Attractor dry fly patterns like the Royal Wulff, Renegade and Purple Haze flies are all staple attractor dry flies for almost any freshwater species and they don't really look like anything flying around the river. But these flies are designed not imitate but to catch the attention of the fish you are trying to catch. Sorry for the pun but I couldn't help myself. Though attractor fly patterns don’t usually resemble a specific insect, these flies can be designed to imitate anything from a minnow to drowned terrestrial flies or the nymph stage of an aquatic insect.

One of my favorite attractor patterns fly fishing flies is by using them as an indicator fly with a nymph dropper. I will add 6 inches to 30 inches of tippet off the rear or shank of the hook. I will connect the tippet to the shank of the hook of the dry and the eye of the nymph using the Orvis Knot. A big key to is to fish the right size and style of dry for the situation. When I am fishing shallow water were I need very little weight I really like to use an Adams Wulff or Stimulator fly in Yellow and Orange in a size 10 to 16. There are times where you need to fish a little bit more weight to help you to get your fly down in faster and/or deeper water. The Tan Chubby Chernobyl, Black Fat Albert or Orange Foamulator fly in a size 6-12 are some of the best attractor flies for this situation. The main thing is that you want a fly with more foam and size when you add more weight. It helps the fly float higher and longer.

Most anglers use attractor flies, but you can fish for so many other species. In fact, Carp are my personal favorite fish to get to eat attractor dry flies but even Bluegill, Bass and other pan fish can be an absolute blast on attractor fly patterns. But no matter what species you fish for whether it’s small Brook Trout on a back-country stream or panfish at a local lake we will have all the attractor dry flies you will need for your next trip.