Flies

Almost There Baetis — $2.50 Bucky spends more time fishing small dry flies than just about anyone we know, and the Baetis hatch has long been a favorite of his. He's spent the last few seasons perfecting this fly, with the aim of finding a pattern that even the pickiest of big trout won't refuse. He finally shared it with us this past fall, and he has certainly succeeded! This fly rides low in the surface film, mimicking Baetis emergers perfectly, and big, selective trout will take it with confidence. Make sure to have a few for your next Baetis outing!

BRF Fly Selection - Lamar Valley — $64.99 The Lamar valley in Yellowstone National Park is one of our favorite areas. Amazing scenery, excellent hatches, and sizable cutthroat trout combine to provide the quintessential Yellowstone angling experience. Each year, the trout here seem to get just a bit more selective, meaning that choosing the right patterns is more crucial than ever. This fly selection offers two flies each of 12 time-tested dry fly patterns, covering all the hatches you are likely to see on the Lamar river, Slough Creek, and Soda Butte Creek. You'll be ready for any scenario you might encounter, and those big, rising cutthroat won't stand a chance.

Euro Stone — $2.50 NEW FOR 2018! Little black stonefly nymphs are very effective on local rivers like the Madison and Gallatin year round, and particularly so from early fall through spring. Tying this fly on a jig hook ensures that the fly will ride with the hook point up, minimizing snags and maximizing your time spent fishing. The tungsten bead gets the fly down fast, and the addition of an orange "hot spot" behind the bead seems to really catch the attention of the trout. Whether you are here in the fall fishing for runners, on a spring road trip, or waiting for that next great summer hatch, make sure to give the Euro Stone a try. Size 14.

Hi-Vis Callibaetis Spinner — $2.50 Hebgen Lake is arguably one of the finest dry fly fisheries in the Yellowstone area, and Callibaetis mayflies are the main insect on the trout's menu for the majority of the season. Big trout rise daily to these insects during their late-morning spinner falls, and as the number of insects increases, the fish also become increasingly selective. It is not uncommon to see so many natural spinners on the water that it is virtually impossible for the angler to distinguish their fly from all the others, and it is imperative to be able to see your fly easily to detect a take. We've developed this simple fly to help solve this problem, as the orange post is easy to see amidst a sea of naturals, and it provides just the right silhouette to fool those big, picky trout.

Improved Killer Bee — $2.50 NEW FOR 2018! Our original Yellowstone Killer Bee pattern has proven to be an effective late summer fly over the years, but unfortunately, the pre-cut foam bodies that we used to tie that fly have become increasingly hard to come by recently. To solve this dilemma, we set out to redesign our bee pattern with more readily available materials, and the Improved Killer Bee was born. This fly floats better and is more durable than it’s predecessor, and the addition of a few strands of Krystal Flash adds just a bit of sparkle that fish can’t seem to resist. Bees often catch the attention of trout that have already seen a million hoppers and beetles, and we always have a few stashed away in our boxes during July, August, and September in Yellowstone. Size 12.

Improved Sunken Stone - Tan — $1.50 This version of Nick's classic Sunken Stone is tied with a foam body for extra flotation, and a more drab color scheme for when the fish have already seen a million bright orange flies float past them. Size 8.

Madison Buzzer — $2.50 NEW FOR 2018! Bucky loves fishing small dries to rising trout, and he is constantly experimenting with new patterns, trying to fulfill three essential criteria: they must float well, they must be visible, and most importantly, they must catch a lot of fish. The Madison Buzzer has passed every test, and we’ve been very impressed with its success on local rivers like the Madison when fish are taking single emerging or adult midges. It’s also become a killer fly on Hebgen lake during midge times in the spring, and it doubles as an effective trico pattern for mid-summer hatches on the Madison arm.

Prospector — $2.99 Now available in black! Streamer fishing continues to grow in popularity year after year, and for good reason. Many anglers owe the biggest fish of their lives to big, ugly flies, and the feel of a monster brown crushing a streamer is simply unforgettable. The downside, however, is that these flies often take all day to tie, and the sheer amount of material on the hook tends to make them harder to cast than a wet sock. We've developed the Prospector to address these two problems, with a simple design that is reasonably quick to tie, and a minimal amount of material to keep the fly light and easy to cast. This fly still offers enough of a bulky, flashy profile to attract a big fish, but without the complicated design of other patterns. The brown and yellow combination is particularly effective during the fall, while the olive and white color makes a great searching pattern all year long. Size 8.

Summer Stone — $2.50 NEW FOR 2018! Here at Blue Ribbon we are big fans of fly patterns that can serve multiple purposes, and the Summer Stone is all about versatility. We use this fly to imitate Yellow Sallies and other small stoneflies that are present on most waters throughout June and July, and it’s highly productive as a searching pattern all summer long. It’s also a great spring skwala imitator, and we’ve even used it to mimic spruce moths and hoppers with success. The Summer Stone covers a wide variety of angling situations, simplifying the number of patterns an angler needs to carry. If you are fishing anywhere in Yellowstone country from spring through fall, you’ll want a few of these in your box. Size 12.

White Miller Razor Caddis — $2.50 The White Miller has taken over as the dominant hatch on the Firehole river over the last decade, but despite the sheer number of insects often available to the trout, the hatch remains difficult to fish. The trout often seem to prefer twitching or skating flies, since the naturals tend to flutter about just over the water's surface. We've been experimenting for the last number of seasons with highly buoyant flies to better handle skating presentations, and this pattern has proven to be a winner. The combination of Razor Foam body, Micro Zelon underwing, and X Caddis Deer Hair wing keep this fly floating high, and a few strands of Krystal Flash provide just enough sparkle to separate this fly from the millions of naturals that are often present.

“The One” Sculpin — $3.99 This is a mean streamer that big brown trout will hammer. It's a great pattern to have in your fall line up. It looks good and is something the fish haven't seen too often. Size 4.

$3 Bridge Serendipity - Beadhead — $2.50 No other beadhead nymph has caused as much excitement in the fishing community here in Yellowstone Country as the $3 Bridge Serendipity. Casually called the $3 Dip, these simple little nymphs have found their way into the fly box of every guide.

$3 Bridge Serendipity - Original — $2.50 When Nick Nicklas first came up with this fly he kept it to himself for quite a few years. Once the cat was out of the bag, our guides demanded we tie plenty. This is still one of our favorite nymphs for our area waters and think it will become one of yours too.

$3 Bridge Serendipity - Wired — $2.50 Patrick Daigle came up with the Wired $3 Dip for fishing the shallows of the Madison without the need for additional weight. Two strands of wire give the fly that extra bit of heft to get down without split shot. Size 16.

6X Emerger — $2.50 This is an old, unjustly forgotten pattern we are bringing back for 2009. Clayton Molinero, or CP as we called him, loved to fish the fall Baetis hatch on the Firehole River. He showed us this fly years ago. Size 18.

Aaron’s Callibaetis Nymph — $2.50 Hebgen Lake is one of the finest dry fly fisheries Yellowstone country has to offer, but when these fish are not feeding in rhythm, they can be nearly impossible to catch on the surface. This past year on Hebgen was less consistent than usual, with many days where fish refused to rise more than once or twice. In this scenario, adding a dropper nymph underneath the dry fly can be very effective, so Aaron devised this new callibaetis nymph to increase the odds when these already-difficult fish are not feeding consistently. Size 16.

Adams Cripple — $2.50 Ask any BRF guide about a short list of their favorite flies and this one will be on it. From trout selectively feeding on Callibaetis mayflies on Hebgen Lake to big cutthroat taking gray drakes on Henry’s Fork and Slough Creek this is deadly!

Adams Parachute — $2.50 One of the most versatile dry fly patterns out there. This fly is a must-have in any fisherman's box.

Adams Parawulff — $2.50 This has been a great lake fly for us! We use it for Callibaetis duns as well as a drake pattern.

Aero Red Legs — $2.50 This messy-looking beetle pattern is a hit with trout everywhere. Be sure to have a few on your next trip to the Lamar valley, and don't underrate it for the Madison and Gallatin, either. Size 14.

Amy’s Ant — $2.50 This foam creation has been a hit with cutthroat all over Yellowstone! Size 14.

Ant-Acid — $2.50 Be sure to have a few of these in your boxes this summer, as they have become one of the best-selling terrestrial patterns around. Available in purple/black and cinnamon.

Ausable Wulff — $2.50 Here's another classic attractor fly that's been largely forgotten by the fishing community, but not the trout. This fly will make a great PMD imitation as well. It's killer on the Gallatin, Madison, and many other local waters. Size 14.

Baetis (BWO) Upright Dun — $2.50 We know Baetis (BWO) mayflies are one of the most important mayflies for both anglers and trout. We know too the tiny duns emerge best during inclement weather conditions and when they do the emergence is often so heavy anglers have a difficult time keeping track of their fly due to so many insects on the water. With so many duns on the water emerging best on cold-wet afternoons and big trout feeding in narrow feeding lanes due to the number of insects it is next to impossible to keep track of your fly. For these reasons and more our new BWO Upright Dun will catch more big trout for those fishing it!

Baetis Cripple - Black Wing — $2.50 You have heard us talk for several years now about the benefits of black wings on dry flies like the Mr. T and D.O.A. Cripples. The color black is highly visible in situations where there is a glare on the water, such as on overcast days.