Sparkle Dun #18–22
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis tricaudatus)
- In season
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Peak
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
Best Trout Flies in Pennsylvania
The trout flies to carry in Pennsylvania, season by season, matched to the hatches on its rivers.
- 23Fly patterns
- 26Hatches
- 9Watersheds
Fly box by season
The patterns for the hatches on Pennsylvania trout water each season, the hatches on the most watershed charts first.
Winter Dec–Feb
- Elk Hair Caddis #18 For Little Black Stonefly
- Zebra Midge #20–26 For Winter Midge
- Soft Hackle #18 For Little Black Caddis
Spring Mar–May
- Sparkle Dun #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive
- Parachute Adams #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive
- CDC Emerger #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive
- Quill Gordon #12–14 For Quill Gordon
- Comparadun #12–14 For Hendrickson
- Light Cahill #14 For Light Cahill
- Parachute Sulphur #16–18 For Sulphur
- Elk Hair Caddis #14–18 For Little Black Stonefly and Grannom Caddis
Summer Jun–Aug
- Trico Spinner #22–26 For Trico
- Trico Poly Wing #22–26 For Trico
- Light Cahill #14 For Light Cahill
- Parachute Sulphur #16–18 For Sulphur
- Slate Drake #10–12 For Isonychia
- March Brown #10–12 For March Brown
- Green Drake Wulff #8–10 For Green Drake
- Yellow Sally #14–16 For Yellow Sally
Fall Sep–Nov This season
- Sparkle Dun #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive and Fall BWO
- Parachute Adams #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive
- CDC Emerger #18–22 For Blue-Winged Olive
- Trico Spinner #22–26 For Trico
- Trico Poly Wing #22–26 For Trico
- Slate Drake #10–12 For Isonychia
- October Caddis #14 For Autumn Caddis and Autumn Sedge
- Fur Ant #14–18 For Terrestrials and Flying Ant
The hatch behind each fly
What each pattern imitates, and when that hatch is on the water.
Trico Spinner #22–26
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Trico (Tricorythodes sp.)
- In season
- Jul–Sep
- Peak
- Aug
Quill Gordon #12–14
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Quill Gordon (Epeorus pleuralis)
- In season
- Mar–Apr
- Peak
- Apr
Comparadun #12–14
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Hendrickson (Ephemerella subvaria)
- In season
- Apr–May
- Peak
- Apr
Light Cahill #14
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Light Cahill (Stenacron interpunctatum)
- In season
- May–Jul
- Peak
- Jun
Parachute Sulphur #16–18
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Sulphur (Ephemerella dorothea)
- In season
- May–Jul
- Peak
- Jun
Slate Drake #10–12
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Isonychia (Isonychia bicolor)
- In season
- Aug–Oct
- Peak
- Sep
Elk Hair Caddis #18
Stonefly
- Imitates
- Little Black Stonefly (Capnia sp.)
- In season
- Jan–Mar
- Peak
- Feb
Elk Hair Caddis #14–16
Caddis
- Imitates
- Grannom Caddis (Brachycentrus numerosus)
- In season
- Apr–May
- Peak
- May
March Brown #10–12
Mayfly
- Imitates
- March Brown (Stenonema vicarium)
- In season
- Apr–Jun
- Peak
- May
Green Drake Wulff #8–10
Mayfly
- Imitates
- Green Drake (Ephemera guttulata)
- In season
- May–Jun
- Peak
- May–Jun
October Caddis #14
Caddis
- Imitates
- Autumn Caddis (Neophylax sp.)
- In season
- Sep–Nov
- Peak
- Oct
Pennsylvania trout fly FAQ
What are the best trout flies in Pennsylvania?
Sparkle Dun, Parachute Adams, CDC Emerger, Trico Spinner, and Trico Poly Wing: they match the hatches on the most watershed hatch charts across Pennsylvania's trout rivers.
What hook sizes should I carry?
From #4 (Hex Paradrake, for the Hex / Giant Mayfly) down to #26 (Trico Spinner, for the Trico), by the hatch charts.
Where does this list come from?
From the hatch charts of the 9 watersheds Pennsylvania's trout rivers run through, and the favorite flies listed for its top rivers. Check with a local fly shop before you go.
