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Fly Box · 30 guides

Nymph fly patterns.

Subsurface patterns for immature aquatic insects and dependable searching rigs. Open a guide to identify the fly, see photos and variations, and learn when and how to fish it.

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We show a real photo when its identity and usage rights are clear. If only an illustration is available, we label it plainly.

01
Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Black Beauty Midge showing very slim thread body, fine silver rib, compact dark thorax, no glass bead in core formIllustrated view

Nymph · #18–24

Black Beauty Midge

Pat Dorsey's sparse black midge-larva or pupa imitation with a fine rib and compact thorax.Open guide
02
Microscope photograph of a whole translucent amber Simuliidae black-fly larva showing a dark compact head, segmented narrow body, and enlarged rounded rear abdomenReal fly photo

Pattern family · Utah State University Extension gives a natural-larva range of roughly 3–12 mm; match a sample or trusted report before converting millimeters to a hook

Black Fly Larva Patterns

A flowing-water larva guide separating the club-shaped Simuliidae body, attached colony behavior, and compact cocooned pupa so a tiny dark recommendation does not collapse into a midge or generic thread fly.Open guide
03
Large macro photograph of a natural green Cheumatopsyche caddis larva with dark plated thorax, brown head, six legs, and exposed soft abdomenReal fly photo

Pattern family · Species and instar vary; sample or use a trusted local report before choosing hook size

Caddis Larva Patterns

A bottom-stage guide separating exposed net-spinning larvae from portable-case builders without calling every green caddis larva a free-living rockworm.Open guide
04
Natural olive-brown crayfish underwater on sand used to compare a broad clawed bottom-prey profile for carp fly selectionReal fly photo

Pattern family · Common examples span roughly #4–12, but fly mass, prey scale, water depth, leader, and fish behavior matter more than the family label

Carp Fly Patterns

A sight-fishing decision guide for choosing a carp fly by the fish's feeding lane, prey shape, landing softness, sink rate, and hook orientation instead of one universal pattern.Open guide
05
Exact red Copper John Nymph photographed on a U.S. dime, showing its bead, red wire abdomen, dark thorax, paired tails, and small scaleReal fly photo

Nymph · #10–20 in the reviewed Orvis tying recipe, #12–22 in Umpqua's current John Barr range

Copper John

John Barr's dense attractor nymph, built around a bead, splayed biot tails, wire abdomen, peacock-style thorax, flash-backed dark wing case, and soft legs.Open guide
06
High-magnification polarized-light photograph of a translucent damselfly larva against black with six legs and three tail gills visibleReal fly photo

Pattern family · Match local nymphs; a #10 tying example is documented

Damselfly Nymph Patterns

A slender stillwater-and-slow-water nymph family with a narrow body and three leaf-like tail gills.Open guide
07
Large isolated side photograph of a translucent olive-green dragonfly nymph showing broad head, eyes, wing pads, six legs, segmented abdomen, and short rear appendagesReal fly photo

Pattern family · Mature size varies widely by family and instar; match a local sample or trusted current report instead of one family-wide hook size

Dragonfly Nymph Patterns

A natural-body-plan guide separating streamlined swimming darners from broader crawling and burrowing dragonfly nymphs without collapsing all Odonata into one weighted olive fly.Open guide
08
Exact source-named rubber-leg Frenchie variation in a vise with a dark bead and wing case, pink collar, ribbed brown abdomen, pale thorax, black legs, and fiber tailReal fly photo

Nymph · Reviewed Orvis standard: #14 on a standard nymph hook, Other competition and jig forms vary; match the measured natural, water depth, hook rules, and tackle

Frenchie Nymph

A slim competition-style Pheasant Tail derivative that replaces the traditional PT thorax and legs with a bright dubbed thorax or collar, a Coq de Leon tail, durable wire rib, and fast-sinking bead.Open guide
09
Side photograph of a Pheasant Tail representing a slim general mayfly-nymph formReal fly photo

Pattern family · No universal size; match the local food form and water

General Nymph Patterns

A deliberately broad family for source rows that identify only a nymph's size, weight, or general profile—not its insect or recipe.Open guide
10
Large in-vise side photograph of a natural-tone Hare's Ear nymph with rough tan-brown dubbing, guard-hair tail, dark wing case, and compact beadReal fly photo

Nymph · Orvis: #12–20; FFI unweighted example: #10. Match local insects and water

Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear Nymph

A source-reviewed guide to the Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear: a rough, generalist nymph whose hare dubbing, metallic rib, tail, thorax, and wing case can suggest several immature aquatic insects without copying one species exactly.Open guide
11
Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Green Weenie showing short chartreuse body, small looped tail, unweighted core form, compact simple silhouetteIllustrated view

Nymph · #10–12

Green Weenie

A bright chartreuse chenille pattern with a short looped tail, associated with Pennsylvania trout fishing.Open guide
12
Large dark natural dobsonfly larva on rounded stream rocks with segmented body, lateral filaments, legs, and terminal appendages visibleReal fly photo

Pattern family · Large nymph sizes; match local larvae and tackle

Hellgrammite Patterns

A large aquatic-larva family with an elongated segmented body, lateral filaments, six thoracic legs, and paired terminal hooks.Open guide
13
Source-named UV Caddis Jig Nymph in a vise with an angled black hook, bright speckled bead, blue-violet segmented body, turquoise thorax, and pale tail fibersReal fly photo

Pattern family · No universal size; match the exact jig hook, compatible bead, body length, target, tackle, and current

Jig Fly Patterns

A hook-and-weighting family in which an angled jig hook—and commonly a compatible slotted bead—supports compact nymphs, bottom bugs, and mobile streamers without turning those different bodies into one pattern.Open guide
14
Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Juju Baetis showing slim segmented abdomen, sparse tail, dark wing case, compact thoraxIllustrated view

Nymph · #16–24

Juju Baetis

Charlie Craven's slim Baetis-style nymph with a segmented synthetic body, wing case, and sparse profile.Open guide
15
Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Mercury Midge showing translucent glass bead, slim thread body, fine wire rib, optional compact thoraxIllustrated view

Nymph · #18–24

Mercury Midge

Pat Dorsey's glass-bead midge pattern with a slim thread body and fine wire rib.Open guide
16
Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Micro May showing compact bead-head profile, segmented abdomen, short wing case, sparse tail and legsIllustrated view

Nymph · Small tailwater sizes; verify the local form

Micro May

A compact bead-head mayfly nymph used as a small dropper or in a multi-nymph rig.Open guide
17
Exact source-identified black-and-white bead-head Pat's Rubber Legs variant with a chenille body and long rubber legs in a viseReal fly photo

Nymph · #6–10 in the reviewed coffee-and-black club guide, #12 in the reviewed compact Orvis guide form, Match the local stoneflies, lane, tackle, and hook rules rather than treating one size as universal

Pat's Rubber Legs

Pat Bennett's heavy chenille-and-rubber stonefly nymph: simple enough for a guide box, mobile enough for rough current, and variable enough that every bead, color, and hook form must be named.Open guide
18
Exact finished green Perdigon nymph variation with a dark metal bead, orange collar, and slim resin body held in a fly vise that obscures the rear hook areaReal fly photo

Nymph · #12–18 are common starting sizes; match the insect, water, hook, and legal weight, The photographed green form's exact hook and bead size are not established by its thumbnail

Perdigon Nymph

A bead-led, resin-coated competition nymph built to reach fast or deep lanes with a small, low-drag profile.Open guide
19
Side profile of an American Pheasant Tail Nymph against a dark blue backgroundReal fly photo

Nymph · #12–20

Pheasant Tail Nymph

A compact mayfly-nymph pattern whose pheasant-tail fibers and copper rib create a slim, segmented profile.Open guide
20
Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Pink Squirrel showing curved nymph hook, buggy squirrel-dubbing body, bright pink thorax, gold bead and red ribIllustrated view

Nymph · #12–18 in the reviewed Orvis variant

Pink Squirrel

John Bethke's Driftless-region attractor nymph with a buggy squirrel-dubbing body and unmistakable fluorescent-pink thorax.Open guide
21
Large side macro photograph of a Bead Head Prince Nymph with white biot wings and peacock bodyReal fly photo

Nymph · Original Doug Prince recipe: #6–12, Orvis bead-head range: #4–18, FFI proportioned demonstration: #12

Prince Nymph

A high-contrast searching nymph built from a peacock-herl body, gold rib, forked brown biot tail, swept brown hackle, and white biot V-wing; the reviewed bead-head form adds weight and flash.Open guide
22
Exact finished silver-bead Rainbow Warrior in a vise with a short pheasant-tail tail, reflective pearl abdomen and wing case, dubbed thorax, and red collarReal fly photo

Nymph · #12–22 in the reviewed Orvis recipe, Orvis demonstrates #16 and notes #18–20 are common practical sizes

Rainbow Warrior

Lance Egan's compact pearl-and-red attractor nymph, combining a silver bead, pheasant-tail tail, reflective Flashabou abdomen and wing case, rainbow dubbing thorax, and red collar.Open guide
23
Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Ray Charles Sowbug showing soft full ostrich-herl body, flat pearl flashback, bright thread head, sparse flattened profileIllustrated view

Nymph · Often #12–18; Orvis demonstrates #16

Ray Charles Sowbug

A Bighorn-origin sowbug pattern with a soft ostrich-herl body, pearl flashback, and bright thread head.Open guide
24
Exact red wire-bodied San Juan Worm tied along the curve of a red bent hookReal fly photo

Nymph · #8–12 in the reviewed Pacific Northwest guide, #8 in Bob Krumm's archived Ultra Chenille recipe, Other regional recipes vary; match water, rules, and tackle

San Juan Worm

A deliberately simple subsurface worm pattern whose chenille, yarn, wire, or flexible body is secured along a curved hook, with every material and weighted form kept explicitly labeled.Open guide
25
Macro photograph of a translucent natural Hyalella azteca freshwater amphipod curled over brown leaf litterReal fly photo

Pattern family · Commonly #12–18 in the reviewed Simple Scud; naturals vary more widely

Scud Fly Patterns

A freshwater amphipod family defined by a curved shellback, segmented body, many short legs, and locally variable size and color.Open guide
26
Large macro side photograph of a natural brown Asellus aquaticus freshwater isopod over green aquatic vegetationReal fly photo

Pattern family · Often #12–18 in reviewed tailwater patterns

Sowbug and Cress Bug Patterns

A freshwater isopod family with a flattened oval body and overlapping dorsal segmentation, distinct from the side-curved scud profile.Open guide
27
Close photograph of a natural Ephemerella subvaria mayfly nymph showing dark paired wing pads, broad head, legs, lateral gills, segmented abdomen, and three tailsReal fly photo

Pattern family · The reviewed Fly Fish Food Split Case PMD source describes #16–20; BWO and other exact forms require their own measured local size and recipe

Split-Case Nymph Patterns

A construction guide that separates the bright divided wing-case cue from the natural mayfly body, exact PMD or BWO identity, bead, and fishing depth.Open guide
28
Side photograph of a black-and-brown Box Canyon Stone nymph patternReal fly photo

Pattern family · #4–18 depending on species

Stonefly Nymph Patterns

A broad family of two-tailed, bottom-oriented stonefly nymph imitations in many sizes and weights.Open guide
29
Natural dark dobsonfly larva on stream rocks used as a large segmented bottom-prey reference for warmwater bottom bug selectionReal fly photo

Pattern family · Match prey, target fish, and tackle

Warmwater Bottom Bug and Swimming Nymph Patterns

A planning family for jigged, rubber-legged, swimming, and bottom-oriented warmwater nymph wording without an exact recipe.Open guide
30
Exact source-identified Zebra Midge resting in an open hand, showing its bead, slim dark ribbed body, and very small scaleReal fly photo

Nymph · #16–22 in the reviewed Orvis recipe, #18–22 is a common practical range; match the local insect

Zebra Midge

A sparse, fast-sinking midge-pupa pattern built from a slim thread body, open wire rib, and small bead.Open guide

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