Free Living Caddis The free-living caddis larva is one of my favorite flies to tie, partially because it fishes so well. Like most caddis larvae, there are numerous ways to tie this. I like the pattern below because it's more realistic than impressionistic, yet still incredibly durable. This fly is Ugly Flies • nymphs
Mr X The classic Madam X is a legendary attractor pattern, known for its high-floating profile and fish-catching ability. But sometimes, trout want a meal that is a little more bite-sized. Enter the Mr. X. This fly is what happens when you take a proven classic, shrink it down Ugly Flies • dries
2 Bit Hooker The Two-Bit Hooker is built for one specific job, sinking like an absolute stone to get right down into the strike zone. Where standard nymphs get bulky and slow when you add weight, this pattern stays notoriously slim. The secret is in that double bead. By stacking two tungsten Ugly Flies • nymphs
Flymph The Flymph sits right between a nymph and a dry, which is exactly where trout do a lot of their eating. It imitates the bug on its way up, mid change, not yet an adult. Hidy gave that in-between stage a name, and the fly built to match it Ugly Flies • soft-hackles
Carrot Nymph It's orange, so it's a carrot nymph. That's the whole story behind the name, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. Where mine goes its own way is the build. Most carrots are a soft hackle fly with an orange body, but Ugly Flies • nymphs
Holy Grail Nymph Flies come with a varying array of names, some quirky, some direct, but in my opinion this fly here earns its name. If you're new to fly tying and see this fly for the first time it may look intimidating, but in reality it's not that Ugly Flies • nymphs
