Pattern Database

John Crowe's spun deer hair beetle is the original foam-free beetle pattern. The oval, clipped deer hair body perfectly captures the profile of a beetle on the surface. Durable and effective all summer whenever beetles are active.

Dave Whitlock's foam and deer hair hopper has been a staple on meadow streams since the 1970s. It sits low in the film with realistic proportions and rubber legs that twitch in the current. Summer's most important pattern near grassy banks.

The Goddard Caddis uses spun and clipped deer hair to create a tent-shaped body that is virtually unsinkable. Exceptional in fast, broken water where high flotation matters more than delicacy.

A classic Catskill Variant with oversized hackle, stripped quill body, and paired hackle-tip wings. The stiff, long tail and generous hackle allow the fly to skate and dance on the surface — killing during selective surface activity.

The Humpy is one of the most recognizable Western attractor dry flies. The deer hair hump traps air for unsinkable flotation, making it perfect for rough freestone pocket water. Yellow suggests stoneflies and caddis; red is a general attractor; the Royal Humpy adds the peacock-floss-peacock body of the Royal Coachman.

Don Gapen's Muddler Minnow is the prototype of the sculpin-imitating streamer. The spun deer hair head creates a large profile and a subtle wobble, making it one of the most versatile streamers ever tied.

The Rat-Faced McDougal pairs a spun-and-clipped deer hair body with white calf tail wings and ginger hackle. The deer hair body is nearly unsinkable — excellent in fast water where buoyancy beats precision.

The Red Quill imitates the male Hendrickson natural — darker and smaller than the female, with a distinctive reddish-brown segmented body made from a stripped hackle quill. A Catskill classic as important as the Hendrickson itself.

The Royal Humpy combines the buoyant hump body of the Humpy with the Royal Coachman color scheme — peacock herl, red floss, and white wings. The result is a heavy-water attractor that's visible from any angle.