10 Best Flies for Rainbow Trout: Tested Patterns for Dry Flies, Nymphs, and Streamers

The Parachute Adams use stiff, buoyant hackles (typically from a rooster's neck) to imitate a dry or resting insect on the surface. It doesn’t mimic any one insect perfectly, but its “parachute” style fools trout into seeing it as a mayfly, a small caddis, or something edible floating by.

To choose the right size, we recommend 14-16 for most conditions. However, when the water is quiet and the trout are being picky, go down to 18. You can also adjust to 12 for rapid pocket water, where the trout don't have time to look closely.

Summer evenings on a river with caddis hatching everywhere are what trout fishing is all about. You can often hear trout slashing at them before you even see the rises. That's when you tie on an Elk Hair Caddis and get ready.

The elk hair wing is what makes this fly so effective. It keeps the fly floating even after multiple fish have hammered it. Color choices matter, and each one has a purpose:

• Tan: Your default option that works most of the time.
• Olive: Matches natural caddis in spring creeks.
• Black: Best for low-light conditions at dawn or dusk.

Our best tip for fishing it is to cast close to banks, behind rocks, or anywhere you see rough water. Don’t be afraid to give it a gentle twitch, because caddis often skitter across the surface.

If you want to expand your caddis options, check out our caddis fly patterns collection for different sizes and color variations you can choose from. Experimenting with these will help you match the hatch more accurately and increase your chances of hooking more trout.

Late summer through fall is the terrestrial season. It is when grasshoppers, beetles, and crickets are constantly falling into the water. Trout recognize this immediately, that’s why we like using a Stimulator to imitate these meals.

In most situations, sizes 10-12 work perfectly. But if you're fishing fast pocket water with aggressive fish, bump up to a size 10. You can also use these as one of the strike indicators with a smaller nymph dropper underneath, which we’ll discuss in detail below.

For now, you can browse our complete dry flies collection to get an idea of the fly size and style you need.

If you’re a beginner fly angler and have only one nymph, make it a Pheasant Tail. Why? Because it imitates a bunch of other subsurface bugs, mayfly nymphs, small caddis larvae, and more. That means you can fish it in almost any situation without bringing in many flies.

Here’s how to fish it: Dead-drift through riffles and runs where trout hold. If you need more depth, add a split shot above it. If that doesn’t work, fish it as the top fly in a two-nymph rig with a heavier fly below, like this Bead Head Prince Nymph.

Think of Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear as the “when in doubt” nymph. Its spiky dubbing and mottled tan-brown body give it a buggy appearance that imitates mayflies, caddis, or small stoneflies.

Also, its rough texture can trap tiny air bubbles underwater. This makes the fly look alive and natural, something smooth-bodied flies often lack.

When you drift this nymph through the feeding lanes, those small bubbles can hook the eye of a steelhead. It’s easy to use, which is why it deserves a spot in your nymphing arsenal.

Midges hatch year-round, even in winter when nothing else is coming off. Because of this, rainbows never stop feeding on them, which makes this Zebra Midge (size 18) one of the most reliable patterns for its thread-like body with a bead head.

Here’s how we fish it:

• Use it under a dry fly as a dropper to imitate rising aquatic insects.
• Include it in a two-nymph rig, since it is often too small to see takes otherwise.
• Pay close attention to your indicator for any pause, twitch, or unnatural movement, as trout often take tiny midges here.

For advanced techniques that really improve your hookup rate with small nymphs like this, our euro nymphing setup guide breaks down rigging methods to increase your strike rate.

The Woolly Bugger is a marabou‑tail streamer that imitates leeches, minnows, crayfish, and big nymphs. Think of it as a “chameleon” in the water. It doesn’t perfectly match any single prey, but its buggy, lifelike movement is enough to convince trout that it’s an easy meal.

To ensure your catch, you should do these:

• Don't reel it straight in. Use short, sharp strips to make it twitch like wounded prey.
• Tie it with a loose knot (like a loop knot) so it can wiggle freely.
• Carry a few colors (black, olive) and sizes to match the food sources the fish are eating that day.

For fly fishers who are just starting, use this ready-to-use Woolly Bugger assortment with 15 flies included in a fly box. You can choose multiple sizes and colors in one package that lets you experiment until you find out which combinations work best.

Do we need to say anything more? This is the last, but one of our best bets. Slim Baitfish imitate small minnows that rainbows actively hunt in rivers and lakes. Its slim look cuts through the current, with flashy materials that catch light underwater.

What we like even more about Clouser Fly is their big, realistic eyes, which make them jig up and down, enough to trigger predatory instincts easily.