WD-40 #22–28
Midge
- Imitates
- Midge (Chironomidae)
- In season
- Nov–Mar
- Peak
- Feb, Dec
Best Trout Flies in Montana
The trout flies to carry in Montana, season by season, matched to the hatches on its rivers.
- 18Fly patterns
- 14Hatches
- 11Watersheds
Fly box by season
The patterns for the hatches on Montana trout water each season, the hatches on the most watershed charts first.
Winter Dec–Feb
- WD-40 #22–28 For Midge
- Zebra Midge #22–26 For Midge
Spring Mar–May
- WD-40 #22–28 For Midge
- Zebra Midge #22–26 For Midge
- Comparadun #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive
- CDC Dun #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive
- Chubby Chernobyl #8–10 For Skwala Stonefly
- Skwala Adult #8 For Skwala Stonefly
- 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 #4–8 For Salmonfly and Golden Stonefly
- Elk Hair Stone #6–8 For Golden Stonefly
- Dave's Hopper #8–12 For Hopper Season
- Parachute Hopper #10 For Hopper Season
- Paradrake #10–12 For Green Drake
- Trico Spinner #22–26 For Trico
Fall Sep–Nov This season
- WD-40 #22–28 For Midge
- Zebra Midge #22–26 For Midge
- Comparadun #16–22 For Blue-Winged Olive and Mahogany Dun
- CDC Dun #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive
- Dave's Hopper #8–12 For Hopper Season
- Parachute Hopper #10 For Hopper Season
- Trico Spinner #22–26 For Trico
- Orange Stimulator #8 For October Caddis
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
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
Dave's Hopper #8–12
Terrestrial
- Imitates
- Hopper Season (Melanoplus sp.)
- In season
- Jul–Sep
- Peak
- Aug
Elk Hair Caddis #14–16
Caddis
- Imitates
- Mother's Day Caddis (Brachycentrus sp.)
- In season
- Apr–May
- Peak
- May
Paradrake #10–12
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Green Drake (Drunella grandis)
- In season
- Jun–Jul
- Peak
- Jun
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
March Brown #12–14
Mayfly
- Imitates
- March Brown (Rhithrogena morrisoni)
- In season
- Mar–May
- Peak
- Apr
Flies locals reach for
Patterns named in the favorite flies of three or more of Montana's top trout rivers.
- Sparkle Minnow6 rivers
- Elk Hair Caddis6 rivers
- Pat's Rubber Legs5 rivers
- Parachute Adams5 rivers
- PMD's5 rivers
- Morrish Hopper3 rivers
- Copper John3 rivers
- Woolly Bugger3 rivers
- BWO3 rivers
Montana trout fly FAQ
What are the best trout flies in Montana?
WD-40, Zebra Midge, Comparadun, CDC Dun, and Chubby Chernobyl: they match the hatches on the most watershed hatch charts across Montana'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 Montana anglers name most?
Sparkle Minnow, Elk Hair Caddis, Pat's Rubber Legs, Parachute Adams, and PMD's come up most often in the favorite flies listed for Montana's top trout rivers.
Where does this list come from?
From the hatch charts of the 11 watersheds Montana's trout rivers run through, and the favorite flies listed for its top rivers. Check with a local fly shop before you go.
