Top 10 Flies for Late Summer Trout Fishing
Green River, Wyoming 📍
As summer winds down, the fishing in rivers, lakes, and creeks can be some of the best of the year. Water levels stabilize, insect hatches remain strong, and trout feed aggressively to bulk up before cooler months. Whether you’re fishing in the west, the east, or your local stream, here are ten must-have flies to keep in your box for the rest of the summer.
10. Prince Nymph (#14–16)
The Prince Nymph’s flashy peacock herl and split biot tail make it a top attractor nymph when trout aren’t dialed in on one specific insect. It works well in fast pocket water, deep riffles, and even tailouts. Its versatility means you can fish it as the point fly in a nymph rig or drop it below a large dry fly.
9. Woolly Bugger (Olive/Black, #6–10)
The Woolly Bugger is one of the most effective streamers ever tied, imitating everything from baitfish to leeches to large nymphs. Strip it across pools, swing it through runs, or dead drift it along the bottom. Olive and black are consistent producers in summer when trout and bass are feeding aggressively.
8. Pheasant Tail Nymph (#14–18)
The Pheasant Tail Nymph imitates a wide variety of mayfly nymphs, making it a staple in nearly every trout stream. Its slim profile and natural colors make it perfect for clear summer water. Fish it deep in runs or under an indicator, or use it as a dropper under a terrestrial pattern.
7. Zebra Midge (#18–22)
Midges are a staple food for trout all year, but in late summer, when other hatches slow down, they become even more important. The Zebra Midge is deadly in tailwaters and spring creeks. Try it under a hopper or ant pattern for a deadly summer combo.
6. Ant Patterns (#14–18)
Flying ants are a late summer favorite for trout, often causing aggressive surface feeding when they fall onto the water. Black or cinnamon ant imitations work especially well during hot, calm afternoons. Cast them along shady banks, under overhanging trees, or into eddies where fish wait for a quick meal.
5. Hopper Patterns (#6–10)
Grasshoppers are abundant in late summer, and trout love them. Big foam hopper patterns can draw explosive topwater strikes. Fish them close to grassy banks or let them drift through slow edges of runs. They’re also perfect for hopper-dropper setups with a nymph tied below.
4. Chubby Chernobyl (#8–12)
The Chubby Chernobyl is the ultimate high-floating terrestrial fly. Its foam body and flashy wing make it visible in rough water and perfect for supporting heavy nymphs underneath. Whether you’re imitating hoppers, stoneflies, or just looking for a big attractor dry, the Chubby gets noticed.
3. Stimulator (#10–14)
This high-floating attractor pattern imitates stoneflies and other large insects that trout love. Its bushy hackle keeps it riding high in rough water, making it perfect for pocket water and freestone streams. It also works well in a dry-dropper setup with smaller nymphs.
2. Elk Hair Caddis (#14–18)
The Elk Hair Caddis is a late summer evening essential. Caddisflies are still active this time of year, and this fly can be fished dead drift or skittered across the surface to trigger aggressive takes. Natural, olive, or tan colors work especially well in clear summer water.
1. Parachute Adams (#14–18)
If you could only carry one dry fly, this would be it. The Parachute Adams is a proven fish-catcher during mayfly hatches and also works as a general searching pattern. Its low-floating profile fools selective trout in clear water, making it the ultimate summer all-arounder.
Conclusion:
Late summer fishing offers some of the most exciting opportunities of the year, and having the right flies in your box can make all the difference. Whether you’re casting to sipping trout in alpine lakes or targeting aggressive fish in fast-moving streams, these 10 patterns will keep you prepared. Stock up now, and you’ll be ready for whatever the water brings.
Written by Henry Harrison
