Summer's nearly here, and that means it's time to start thinking top to bottom when rigging up. With below-average snowpack across much of the Rockies, water levels are already running low, and river temps are warming fast. That combo brings one key takeaway: bugs are hatching early, and fish are looking up.
Our Q2 fly selection is built to help you take full advantage of the conditions, whether you’re throwing bushy dries into pocket water or dredging the bottom with tungsten nymphs.
1. Chubby Chernobyl—Golden Stone w/ Grey Wing #10
2. Yakoda Little Leech Weighted—Olive #16
3. Royal Wulff —#12
4. Humpy—Yellow #14
5. Yakoda CDC Stonefly—Golden #10
6. Peacock Caddi— #16
7. Juan’s Kryptonite Caddis—Green #18
8. Yakoda Funky P—#14
9. Yakoda Hot Wire CDC—#18
10. Tungsten BH Rubberleg Sassi Solution—#18
Here's how we’re fishing them:
Dry-Dropper Combos: Your Go-To Rig
With opportunistic fish rising early, this is the time to fish a dry-dropper. Use a high-floating dry to suspend a small nymph or emerger a foot or two below.
Chubby Chernobyl + CDC Stone
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Ideal for fast riffles or pocket water. Offer them a dry and nymph variant of the same fly. Drop the Yakoda CDC Golden Stone 18”-24” off the back on 5x. Twitch it slightly for movement—fish will take either fly.
Humpy + Juan’s Kryptonite Caddis
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Fish this in slower runs and riffles where fish are sipping just below the surface. The Humpy floats well while the Kryptonite Caddis covers that mid-column where all those emerging caddis are easy pickings for a hungry trout.
Royal Wulff + BH Caddis Pupa
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Perfect for prospecting—a classic attractor with a buggy realistic dropper. Great for freestone rivers or alpine streams.
Peacock Caddis + Tungsten BH Rubberleg Sassi Solution
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Perfect for smaller water, though don't hesitate to fish this setup anywhere. The bushy Peacock caddis is highly buoyant with a smaller profile, ideal for tricking fish, while the Sassi’s Solution nymph is a glorified fish magnet. Be prepared for a lot of eats!
Indicator/Euro-Style Nymphing
If you’re not seeing rises or the sun’s high overhead, it’s time to nymph and get down deeper.
Yakoda CDC Stone + Yakoda Funky P
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This is your bottom-dredger. Use a small indicator or tight-line it through deep runs. The CDC Stone gets their attention; the Funky P seals the deal.
Yakoda Little Leech Weighted + Tungsten BH Rubberleg Sassi Solution
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A killer combo in tail outs and slower pockets. The leech draws aggression; the Sassi’s is flashy & irresistible.
BH Caddis Pupa + Juan’s Kryptonite Caddis
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If you’re seeing caddis on the surface and are unsure of what to tie on, this 1-2 punch will cover both pupa and emerger stages. Both patterns are hyper realistic and will get the job done.
Dry Fly Only
When you hit a hatch or see heads poking up, it’s game on. Don’t overthink it.
Peacock Caddis
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Fish it dead-drift with the occasional twitch. Especially effective in the evenings or over shaded banks.
Royal Wulff + Yellow Humpy
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These attractor patterns are built for visibility and versatility. Great for blind-casting over likely water or chasing splashy rises.
Get out there!
With the nicest weather ahead of us and water conditions shaping up to be incredible over the next couple of months, it’s go time. Time to hit the water hard and go with confidence. The fish are hungry, the bugs are hatching — and your Q2 box is ready to fill your net. Have fun out there and thanks as always for being a Yakoda Fly Club Subscrib
