Nymph Rankings

Best Nymph Patterns for Western Rivers

The Pheasant Tail Nymph is the most versatile subsurface fly for western trout rivers, recommended on more waters than any other nymph. Pat's Rubber Legs and the Zebra Midge complete the top three, covering stonefly and midge imitations that produce year-round across all six states.

Last updated: February 2025

Nymph Pattern Versatility Rankings
Rank	Pattern	Rivers (Top Pick)	Rivers (Any)	Seasons	Hook Sizes
#1	Pheasant Tail Nymph	81	104	spring, summer, fall, winter	#14-20
#2	Zebra Midge	36	61	spring, summer, fall, winter	#16-22
#3	Pat's Rubber Legs	29	54	spring, summer, fall	#4-10
#4	Prince Nymph	18	60	spring, summer, fall	#10-16
#5	Ray Charles	14	16	spring, summer, fall, winter	#14-18
#6	San Juan Worm	9	13	spring, summer, fall, winter	#10-14
#7	Perdigon	3	18	spring, summer, fall, winter	#14-20
#8	Lightning Bug	1	4	spring, summer, fall	#12-18
#9	Prince Nymph	0	24	spring, summer, fall	#10-16
#10	Stonefly Nymph	0	11	spring, summer	#6-10
#11	Damselfly Nymph	0	4	spring, summer	#10-14
#12	Green Rock Worm	0	3	spring, summer, fall, winter	#10-16
#13	Chironomid (Bomber)	0	2	spring, summer, fall	#12-18
#14	Green Caddis Larva	0	2	spring, summer, fall	#12-16
#15	Mop Fly	0	2	spring, summer, fall, winter	#10-14
#16	Annelid (San Juan Annelid)	0	1	spring, summer, fall, winter	#18-24
#17	Bead Head Prince Nymph	0	1	spring, summer, fall	#10-16
#18	Bird's Nest	0	1	spring, summer, fall	#10-14
#19	Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis Nymph)	0	1	spring, fall, winter	#18-22
#20	Caddis Larva (Green/Tan)	0	1	spring, summer, fall	#12-16
#21	Dark Golden Stonefly Nymph	0	1	spring, summer	#8-12
#22	Dragonfly Nymph	0	1	summer	#6-10
#23	Flashback Pheasant Tail	0	1	summer, fall	#14-18
#24	Girdle Bug	0	1	spring, summer	#4-8
#25	Hexagenia Nymph	0	1	summer	#6-8
#26	Mercer's Dark Stone Nymph	0	1	spring, summer	#6-10
#27	Mercury Midge	0	1	spring, summer, fall, winter	#18-24
#28	Red Blood Midge	0	1	spring, fall, winter	#18-24
#29	Zug Bug	0	0	spring, summer, fall	#10-16

The 29 Best Nymphs, Ranked

Pheasant Tail Nymph

81 rivers (top pick)Sizes #14-20

Frank Sawyer's classic is the most versatile nymph in the fly box. Imitates a broad range of mayfly nymphs and works on every trout stream in the West. Sizes 14-20 cover most situations.

Madison River Yellowstone River Gallatin River Missouri River Bighorn River Arkansas River South Platte River North Platte River Snake River Green River Bighorn River (Wyoming)New Fork River Henry's Fork South Fork Snake River Salmon River South Fork Boise River Deschutes River Crooked River Metolius River Owyhee River Yakima River Methow River Skagit River Lower Sacramento River McCloud River Hat Creek Fall River Upper Sacramento River Pit River Truckee River East Walker River Truckee River East Walker River East Fork Carson River Jarbidge River Ruby Mountains / Lamoille Creek Bruneau River Great Basin NP Streams Pecos River Oak Creek East Fork Black River Chevelon Creek Davidson River Tuckasegee River Nantahala River Watauga River Wilson Creek Deep Creek Linville River South Toe River Mitchell River Crooked River Androscoggin River Upper Connecticut River Pemigewasset River Swift River Ellis River Ammonoosuc River Baker River Mascoma River Souhegan River Battenkill River White River Winooski River Lamoille River Dog River Deerfield River (Upper)Walloomsac River Mettawee River Otter Creek New Haven River Penns Creek Spring Creek Little Juniata River Spruce Creek Big Fishing Creek Yellow Breeches Creek Big Spring Creek Kettle Creek Slate Run Tulpehocken Creek

Zebra Midge

36 rivers (top pick)Sizes #16-22

The simplest and most effective midge pattern ever tied. Essential on tailwaters year-round — the Zebra Midge in sizes 18-22 is often the first fly tied on during winter fishing.

Pat's Rubber Legs

29 rivers (top pick)Sizes #4-10

A large, heavily weighted stonefly nymph pattern. Pat's Rubber Legs is the go-to point fly for nymph rigs on the Madison, Yellowstone, and Gallatin rivers. The rubber legs pulse with every micro-curre

Prince Nymph

18 rivers (top pick)Sizes #10-16

A classic attractor nymph with peacock herl body and white biots. The Prince Nymph doesn't imitate any specific insect but suggests many. It's a reliable searching pattern when drifted through riffles

Gunnison River McCloud River Upper Sacramento River Truckee River Pecos River Rio Chama East Fork Black River Davidson River Tuckasegee River Watauga River Wilson Creek Deep Creek Linville River South Toe River Mitchell River Kennebago River Roach River Upper Connecticut River

Ray Charles

14 rivers (top pick)Sizes #14-18

A scud/sowbug pattern that is absolutely essential on the Bighorn River. Named because you'd have to be blind not to catch fish on it, the Ray Charles imitates the freshwater crustaceans that dominate

Bighorn River Frying Pan River North Platte River Green River Crooked River Rocky Ford Creek Pyramid Lake South Fork Reservoir Wild Horse Reservoir San Juan River Colorado River at Lees Ferry Spring Creek Spruce Creek Big Spring Creek

San Juan Worm

9 rivers (top pick)Sizes #10-14

Love it or hate it, the San Juan Worm catches fish. Especially productive after rain events and during spring runoff. A confidence fly for tough days.

Missouri River Bighorn River Arkansas River Colorado River Lower Sacramento River Truckee River Upper Klamath River San Juan River Colorado River at Lees Ferry

Perdigon

3 rivers (top pick)Sizes #14-20

The competition fly that has taken the nymphing world by storm. Perdigons sink fast, stay in the strike zone longer, and are devastating in Euro nymphing setups.

Crooked River Metolius River San Juan River

Lightning Bug

1 rivers (top pick)Sizes #12-18

A flashback nymph that works well in slightly off-color water. The Lightning Bug adds flash to attract attention in conditions where natural-looking flies disappear.

Lower Sacramento River

Prince Nymph

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #10-16

The Prince Nymph is the classic attractor nymph — it doesn't imitate anything specific but suggests everything. Great searching pattern for unfamiliar water.

Stonefly Nymph

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #6-10

The Stonefly Nymph is a broad category of patterns designed to imitate the nymphal stage of Plecoptera, one of the most important aquatic insect orders for trout. These robust, protein-rich insects li

Damselfly Nymph

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #10-14

The Damselfly Nymph is a critical stillwater pattern that imitates one of the largest and most important food sources for lake-dwelling trout. Damselfly nymphs are aggressive aquatic predators that li

Green Rock Worm

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #10-16

The Green Rock Worm is a specialized pattern designed to imitate the free-living caddis larvae of the Rhyacophila genus, commonly called "rock worms" by anglers. These bright green larvae are among th

Chironomid (Bomber)

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #12-18

The Chironomid Bomber is a highly effective stillwater pattern that imitates midge pupae—arguably the most important food source for trout in lakes, reservoirs, and slow-moving river sections. Chirono

Green Caddis Larva

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #12-16

The Green Caddis Larva imitates one of the most abundant and important food sources in trout streams: the larval stage of free-living caddisflies, particularly the bright green Rhyacophila species. Un

Mop Fly

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #10-14

The Mop Fly is one of the most controversial and simultaneously effective patterns in modern fly fishing. Constructed from chenille strands pulled from household cleaning mops, this unconventional pat

Annelid (San Juan Annelid)

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #18-24

The San Juan Annelid is a deceptively simple yet devastatingly effective nymph pattern that imitates aquatic worms, particularly Tubifex worms found in nutrient-rich tailwaters. Originally developed o

Bead Head Prince Nymph

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #10-16

The Bead Head Prince Nymph is one of fly fishing's most versatile and productive attractor nymphs, combining the proven fish-catching qualities of the classic Prince Nymph with the added weight and fl

Bird's Nest

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #10-14

The Bird's Nest is a wonderfully scruffy, buggy-looking nymph pattern that has been fooling selective trout for over six decades. Named for its resemblance to a disheveled bird's nest, this unassuming

Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis Nymph)

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #18-22

The Blue-Winged Olive (BWO) Baetis nymph is one of the most important imitations in any trout angler's fly box. Baetis mayflies are ubiquitous across North American trout streams, emerging throughout

Caddis Larva (Green/Tan)

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #12-16

The Caddis Larva is an essential imitation of one of the most abundant food sources in trout streams across North America. Caddisfly larvae inhabit virtually every river, stream, and lake, with some s

Dark Golden Stonefly Nymph

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #8-12

The Dark Golden Stonefly Nymph imitates one of the most important large aquatic insects in western freestone rivers. Golden stoneflies (family Perlidae) are substantial insects that spend 2-3 years in

Dragonfly Nymph

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #6-10

Dragonfly nymphs represent some of the largest and most protein-rich prey items available to trout in stillwaters and slower river sections. These fierce aquatic predators can live underwater for 1-3

Flashback Pheasant Tail

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #14-18

The Flashback Pheasant Tail is a modern variation of Frank Sawyer's classic Pheasant Tail Nymph, enhanced with a pearlescent flashback over the thorax to add attraction and suggest the gas bubble trap

Girdle Bug

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #4-8

The Girdle Bug is a burly, rubber-legged stonefly nymph pattern designed to imitate the massive Salmonfly and Golden Stone nymphs that inhabit western freestone rivers. This heavily-weighted pattern f

Hexagenia Nymph

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #6-8

The Hexagenia Nymph imitates one of the largest and most impressive mayfly nymphs in North America—the giant burrowing mayfly, Hexagenia limbata. These massive nymphs, which can reach lengths of two i

Mercer's Dark Stone Nymph

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #6-10

Mercer's Dark Stone Nymph is a highly effective imitation of large stonefly nymphs, specifically designed to represent salmonflies (Pteronarcys californica) and golden stoneflies (Hesperoperla pacific

Mercury Midge

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #18-24

The Mercury Midge is a modern, minimalist pattern designed to imitate midge larvae and pupae in their subsurface stages. Characterized by its distinctive glass bead or tungsten bead head and sleek, si

Red Blood Midge

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #18-24

The Red Blood Midge is a specialized pattern designed to imitate the larval stage of Chironomidae, commonly known as blood midges due to their distinctive red coloration caused by hemoglobin in their

Zug Bug

0 rivers (top pick)Sizes #10-16

The Zug Bug is a classic American nymph pattern that has been catching trout consistently since its creation in the 1930s. This versatile attractor nymph features a distinctive combination of peacock

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best nymph for trout?

The Pheasant Tail Nymph is the most universally productive nymph for trout. It imitates a broad range of mayfly nymphs and works in sizes 14-20 on virtually every trout river in the West.

How do you fish nymphs in a river?

The most common method is indicator nymphing: attach a strike indicator to your leader and drift weighted nymphs along the bottom through likely holding water. Euro nymphing (tight-line nymphing) is an increasingly popular technique that uses no indicator and provides better contact with the flies.

What is the difference between Euro nymphing and indicator nymphing?

Indicator nymphing uses a floating strike indicator to detect strikes and keep flies at depth. Euro nymphing uses a long, thin leader with no indicator — you maintain direct contact with the flies and detect strikes by feel or sag in the leader. Euro nymphing is generally more sensitive and effective in faster water.