The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

Nymph

Three Dollar Dip

Insect Species Icon Midges, Blue Wing Olive, Hendrickson and 5 others
Difficulty Icon Easy - 1-3 Min
Water Category Icon Coldwater

Tying Video

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Tying Recipe
  • Hook: Down Eye, Fine Wire, 2X Wide, 2X Short
  • Bead: Brass or Tungsten, Sized to Hook
  • Thread: UTC 70 Denier, Red
  • Rib: Small Ultra Wire, Gold
  • Wing: Elk Hair, Bleached

Due the the short and simple material list this fly offers us, substitutions are not really a thing for this pattern. Better looking flies, more trout, and less frustration are all things that will come to you by following the recipe.

This fly doesn’t imitate one bug specifically, it actually can be a whole mess of bugs. With that being said, tying it in different colors to imitate certain species of insects in your area, or the water you plan to fish will serve you very well. If you have no clue about the insect life in the water, you should stick to common colors such as red, olive, and black. Having a few sizes of each never hurts either.

The Three Dollar Dip is one of those patterns you pull out of the fly box when nothing else seems to be getting the job done. It’s ability to imitate a very wide variety of insects is unmatched by many other bugs of it’s kind. Not to mention the fact that it’s so easy and quick on the vise. Guides, weekend warriors, beginners, and experts alike should all be sitting down to spin up some of these.

Fishing this fly in a nymph rig, or a dry dropper rig is the best place for it. In the nymph rig, getting it down with some heavier flies or split shot will show solid results. If you choose to fish it in a dry dropper rig, just be sure that the dry fly is hefty enough to float this fly.

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

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

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

Midges

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest, East, Southeast, Midwest
Midges
Sizes: #14 - #26

PMD

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

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