Flyfishing the Sierras

• Hook: TMC 100 #14-20
• Thread: Olive 8/0
• Body: Blue Wing Olive Superfine
• Tail: 8-12 Blue Dun Hackle Fibers
• Wing: Blue Dun Hen Hackle Tip
• Hackle: Blue Dun Hackle

Notes: The Catskill drys are a traditional pattern from the East Coast that were variations of earlier British Chalkstream patterns. They represent mayflies with a hackle fiber tail, thin bodies, upright wings and hackle collars. The hackles are much stiffer than their British counterparts due to the more turbulent water of the Catskills. Our Wulff patterns became even more heavily hackled with thicker bodies for the larger Western streams. Catskill Drys are very effective in the smaller creeks and streams of the Sierras. Probably the most famous Catskill Dry is the Adams which tends to be considered an attractor dry but also is a good choice for gray drakes and small gray duns. Important Catskill Drys for the Sierras are the Blue Wing Olive (BWO and Green Drakes), Light Cahill (Sulfurs and Pale Morning Duns), Red Quill (March Browns and Mahogany Duns), and Quill Gordon. Quill Gordons actually do not reside within the Sierras (they are an Appalachian Mayfly). However, the pattern makes a great attractor mayfly pattern on Sierra streams.
These mayflies emerge on the bottom and will swim to the surface with it's wings out. A Hare's Ear Wet Fly does a good job in matching the emergent stage, using a Leisenring Lift to mimic the swimming action. The dry flies represent the dun stage after the mayfly reaches the surface. Often these duns get caught in eddies where the larger trout will hold anticipating an easy meal. Other promising areas are the feeding lanes at the lower sections of pools, trout will often hold in front of a boulder within this section sipping the duns as they drift to them. Presentation needs to be positioned from below the pool about 10 feet with a cast at least 2 feet above the boulder location. Hold the rod tip high to mimize drag. Many of the duns hatch during the midday when the water warms up. During the late afternoon, the mayflies will become involved in egg-laying and will become trapped within the water film as Spinners. Both Spinner patterns and the Catskill patterns will work during this time period.

Variations:

• Hook: TMC 100, sizes 12-20
• Thread: Tan 8/0
• Tail: Light Ginger Hackles Fibers
• Wing: Wood Duck Flank Fibers, upright and divided
• Body: Light Cahill Superfine
• Hackle: Light Ginger

• Hook: TMC 100, sizes 12-18
• Thread: Gray 8/0
• Tail: Med. Dun Hackles
• Wing: Wood Duck Flank Fibers, upright and divided
• Body: Dark Brown Hackle Stem
• Hackle: Med. Blue Dun

• Hook: TMC 100, #12-16
• Thread: Black 8/0
• Tail: Dark Blue Dun Hackle Fibers
• Wing: Wood Duck Flank Fibers, upright and divided
• Body: Stripped Peacock Quill
• Hackle: Dark Blue Dun