The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

Dry

H&L Variant

Insect Species Icon Quill Gordon, Blue Wing Olive, Callibaetis and 8 others
Difficulty Icon Medium - 7-10 Min
Water Category Icon Coldwater

Tying Video

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Tying Recipe
  • Hook: Down Eye, 1X Fine, Wide Gape
  • Thread: UTC 70 Denier, Black
  • Tail: Calf Body Hair, White
  • Body 1: Stripped Peacock Herl
  • Body 2: Peacock Herl
  • Wing: Calf Body Hair, White
  • Hackle: Dry Fly Hackle, Brown

This is a fly that has seen the times go. One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is this iconic pattern. It’s a killer high country bug, but also just as good of a general attractor pattern. Go ahead and stick with the recipe on this fly for the best looks and results.

The H&L Variant can be tied up with some cool colors, straying from it’s classical background. The calf hair in different colors can be a nice change of pace for the bug, especially if you’re looking to hone in on a certain type of insect.

The calf hair in this fly makes it extra easy to see, even in more turbulent water. It also aids the fly in the buoyancy category. This thing will float like a cork, even after a few fish have chomped on it! One of the best parts about this fly, just like so many other attractor patterns , is that it suggests a wide variety of insects and can be fished in various situations.

Fishing this fly by itself, or as the dry in a dry dropper setup will serve you well. By itself in small creeks, and high alpine lakes this bug really gets the job done. If you’re going to fish some bigger water, a dry dropper may be the key to a successful day. This is a great searching dry fly if you’re not totally sure about the bug life in the particular piece of water you’re fishing.

Blue Wing Olive

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: Northwest
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: East
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: Southeast
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: Midwest
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24

Brown Drake

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Northwest
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: East
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Midwest
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14

Callibaetis

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West
Callibaetis
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: Northwest
Callibaetis
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: East
Callibaetis
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: Midwest
Callibaetis
Sizes: #12 - #18

Green Drake

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest, Midwest
Green Drake
Sizes: #8 - #14
Region: East
Green Drake
Sizes: #8 - #14

Hendrickson

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East, Midwest
Hendrickson
Sizes: #10 - #16

Hexegenia

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest, East, Southeast, Midwest
Hexegenia
Sizes: #6 - #12

Isonychia

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East
Isonychia
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: Southeast
Isonychia
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: Midwest
Isonychia
Sizes: #12 - #18

Light Cahill

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East
Light Cahill
Sizes: #12 - #20
Region: Midwest
Light Cahill
Sizes: #12 - #20
Region: Northwest
Light Cahill
Sizes: #12 - #20

Mahogany Dun

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest
Mahogany Dun
Sizes: #14 - #20
Region: East, Midwest
Mahogany Dun
Sizes: #14 - #20

March Brown

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, East
March Brown
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Northwest
March Brown
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Midwest
March Brown
Sizes: #10 - #14

Quill Gordon

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East, Southeast
Quill Gordon
Sizes: #12 - #16

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