Pennsylvania is one of the greatest fly fishing states in the entire country. There are dozens of natural trout fisheries and trophy trout water within a driving distance no matter where you live. The only question that remains is what fly to use, so here is a list of our 10 favorites for fly fishing in Pennsylvania backcountry!
Parachute Adams
The name of the game in the backcountry is a fly that floats high and looks appealing to fish. Enter the Parachute Adams, one of the most storied patterns in the sport. If forced to pick one dry fly to use in the backcountry for the rest of time you could do a heck of a lot worse than this one!
Mr. Rapidan Parachute
One of the greatest attractor patterns ever created. The Mr. Rapidan Parachute was designed for small streams and dropping a nymph below as a dry-dropper rig. We love prospecting pools and runs with a small nymph hanging 24 to 30-inches below.
Squirmy Worm
Go far enough into the Pennsylvania backcountry and a majority of the fish will be native brook trout and wild browns. Fish in these streams aren’t usually the pickiest, so fly selection doesn’t need to be exact. The squirmy worm is often the perfect choice for these mountain waters! It’s effective to run them underneath a larger dry or as a single nymph with a pinch of weight added. This pattern is best in larger streams and high flows.
CDC Pheasant Tail
This is a favorite dropper no matter which dry fly it’s trailing behind. An array of CDC PTs from sizes #12-#20 should accompany folks into the PA backcountry. Its effectiveness and versatility are matched by few other flies that make up a fly fisher’s repertoire.
Foam Ant
In the summer months, when most backcountry fishing occurs, few flies match the productivity of the flying ant. This fly perfectly matches the terrestrials that are often buzzing about along mountain streams in Pennsylvania. Using them in a little bigger size also allows for a dropper to be used to maximize our efficiency!
Neversink Caddis
When we travel to brook trout streams with bubble pocket water and shallow stretches of riffles, we like to tie the Neversink Caddis on with a long leader for delicate presentations. The foam body and dense collar of hackle help keep this dry fly up above the surface, even in rougher water. On occasion, we will drop a lightweight midge pattern like a size #20 Zebra Midge below.
Zebra Midge
Let’s say against all odds, the Pennsylvania backcountry trout are being a bit snooty about fly offerings. The zebra midge is an outstanding pattern for these situations! It has a slender body and weight at the head to give it a quick sink, something that’s vitally important for these steep waters.
Stimulator
This is one of the most famous attractor patterns across the country, and thus it should adorn the fly boxes of backcountry anglers in PA. It rides high and catches fish, imitating everything from hoppers to stoneflies. Adding some rubber legs can be a nice touch to make it even more irresistible to high mountain trout.
Bead Head Woolly Bugger
Woolly Buggers are a staple in most fly boxes but have a time and a place to be used. We use this streamer sparingly. Not every section will be deep enough to retrieve it through. In most cases, we will fish the majority of the day with a dry-dropper rig or nymphing rig and then switch to the Woolly Bugger once we reach pools and runs deeper than 3 feet.
Chubby Chernobyl
Few, if any, dry flies ride higher in pocket water than the “Chubby.” It should be carried in a variety of colors and sizes to suit any situation. Using one in olive or light yellow can do a good job at mimicking green drakes, while a dark olive or orange option can match hoppers.
Long hikes into the backcountry makes lightweight gear paramount. It’s not necessary to drag along boxes upon boxes of flies, so long as the patterns, we do take will catch fish. If our boxes carry the flies mentioned above, success can be assured!