The Lip Sticker is one of our favorite flies to fish when we’re fishing new water. In olive, it is highly effective as a mayfly or caddis imitation. In pink and purple, it becomes a true attractor pattern, offering fish a little bit of familiarity with its classic pheasant tail silhouette and some unexpected colors that are known to get the attention of feeding trout.

This fly shares common characteristics with several of our other flies: a tungsten bead, a jig hook, a little flash, and a soft hackle collar. The partridge feather that forms the collar has a buggy, mottled pattern and when wet, mimics the trapped air bubble that emerging insects use to rise to the surface before becoming adults. 

Our favorite ways to fish it: 

• Pink and purple are especially effective when rainbow trout run upstream in the spring

• As a dropper under a dry fly

Type of Water: Rivers & Creeks 

Imitates: Mayfly, Midge / Chironomid 

Target Species: Brown Trout Rainbow Trout 

Insect Life Stage: Emerger

Pair it with: Purple Reign, Funky P, H2 Flashback, CDC Stonefly, Ol’ Dirty Worm