WD-40 #22–28
Midge
- Imitates
- Midge (Chironomidae)
- In season
- Nov–Mar
- Peak
- Feb, Dec
Best Trout Flies in Colorado
The trout flies to carry in Colorado, season by season, matched to the hatches on its rivers.
- 10Fly patterns
- 11Hatches
- 7Watersheds
Fly box by season
The patterns for the hatches on Colorado trout water each season, the hatches on the most watershed charts first.
Winter Dec–Feb
- WD-40 #22–28 For Midge
Spring Mar–May
- WD-40 #22–28 For Midge
- Comparadun #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive
- Chubby Chernobyl #8–10 For Skwala Stonefly
- Elk Hair Caddis #14–16 For Mother's Day Caddis
- Sparkle Dun #16–18 For Pale Morning Dun
- Chernobyl Salmonfly #4–6 For Salmonfly
Summer Jun–Aug
- Sparkle Dun #16–18 For Pale Morning Dun
- Chernobyl Salmonfly #4–6 For Salmonfly
- Stimulator #6–8 For Golden Stonefly
- Paradrake #10–12 For Green Drake
- Dave's Hopper #8–12 For Hopper Season
- Trico Spinner #22–26 For Trico
Fall Sep–Nov This season
- WD-40 #22–28 For Midge
- Comparadun #16–22 For Blue-Winged Olive and Mahogany Dun
- Dave's Hopper #8–12 For Hopper Season
- Trico Spinner #22–26 For Trico
The hatch behind each fly
What each pattern imitates, and when that hatch is on the water.
Comparadun #18–22
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis sp.)
- In season
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Peak
- Apr, Oct
Chubby Chernobyl #8–10
Stonefly
- Imitates
- Skwala Stonefly (Skwala americana)
- In season
- Mar–Apr
- Peak
- Mar
Elk Hair Caddis #14–16
Caddis
- Imitates
- Mother's Day Caddis (Brachycentrus sp.)
- In season
- Apr–May
- Peak
- May
Sparkle Dun #16–18
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Pale Morning Dun (Ephemerella inermis)
- In season
- May–Aug
- Peak
- Jun–Jul
Chernobyl Salmonfly #4–6
Stonefly
- Imitates
- Salmonfly (Pteronarcys californica)
- In season
- May–Jun
- Peak
- May
Stimulator #6–8
Stonefly
- Imitates
- Golden Stonefly (Hesperoperla pacifica)
- In season
- Jun–Jul
- Peak
- Jun
Paradrake #10–12
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Green Drake (Drunella grandis)
- In season
- Jun–Jul
- Peak
- Jun
Dave's Hopper #8–12
Terrestrial
- Imitates
- Hopper Season (Melanoplus sp.)
- In season
- Jul–Sep
- Peak
- Aug
Trico Spinner #22–26
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Trico (Tricorythodes sp.)
- In season
- Jul–Sep
- Peak
- Aug
Comparadun #16
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Mahogany Dun (Paraleptophlebia sp.)
- In season
- Sep–Oct
- Peak
- Sep
Flies locals reach for
Patterns named in the favorite flies of three or more of Colorado's top trout rivers.
- Parachute Adams7 rivers
- San Juan Worm4 rivers
- Pheasant Tails4 rivers
- Griffith's Gnat3 rivers
- Black Beauty3 rivers
- RS23 rivers
- PMDs3 rivers
- EHC3 rivers
- Elk Hair Caddis3 rivers
Colorado trout fly FAQ
What are the best trout flies in Colorado?
WD-40, Comparadun, Chubby Chernobyl, Elk Hair Caddis, and Sparkle Dun: they match the hatches on the most watershed hatch charts across Colorado's trout rivers.
What hook sizes should I carry?
From #4 (Chernobyl Salmonfly, for the Salmonfly) down to #28 (WD-40, for the Midge), by the hatch charts.
Which flies do Colorado anglers name most?
Parachute Adams, San Juan Worm, Pheasant Tails, Griffith's Gnat, and Black Beauty come up most often in the favorite flies listed for Colorado's top trout rivers.
Where does this list come from?
From the hatch charts of the 7 watersheds Colorado's trout rivers run through, and the favorite flies listed for its top rivers. Check with a local fly shop before you go.
