Mayfly Dry Pattern

Essential materials for tying realistic and high-floating mayfly dry flies.

Everything you need to tie effective mayfly dry flies—realistic wings, fine dubbing, CDC, hackle, tails, quills, and other premium materials. Build lifelike, buoyant mayfly imitations for any hatch.

Mayfly Dry Pattern

Mayfly dries are some of the most iconic flies in all of fly fishing, and the right materials make all the difference in how naturally they sit, float, and move on the water. This collection brings together the essential components used by expert tiers to create convincing mayfly imitations—from highly realistic wings and bodies to classic dry-fly staples like CDC, rooster hackle, microfibbet tails, dubbing, and quills.

Whether you’re tying a delicate Blue-Winged Olive, a high-floating March Brown, or a realistic Danica mayfly, the materials here allow you to match size, color, silhouette, and behavior with precision. Our selection includes both realistic, ready-made mayfly parts for tiers who want ultra-lifelike patterns, and traditional dry-fly materials suitable for Catskill, comparadun, parachute, and CDC-style dries.

With the right components, you can create patterns that sit naturally on the surface film, land softly, and trigger confident rises—even from selective trout.

What You Can Tie With These Materials

  • High-floating mayfly dry flies
  • Parachute and thorax-style dries
  • Comparaduns and sparkle duns
  • CDC mayfly patterns
  • Realistic extended-body mayflies
  • Spinner patterns

These materials help you achieve the correct profile, translucency, buoyancy, and movement needed to fool pressured fish.

Recommended Materials for Mayfly Dries

  • Dry fly dubbing — fine-textured blends perfect for slim mayfly bodies.
  • CDC feathers — unmatched for natural movement and buoyancy.
  • Microfibbet or synthetic tailing fibers — ideal for split tails and silhouette control.
  • Realistic mayfly wings — ready-made, transparent wings that elevate realism instantly.
  • Quills & body quills — tapered, segmented bodies that match naturals beautifully.
  • Hackle feathers — essential for classic dry flies and added flotation.

Buying Tips

  • Choose lighter dubbing blends for dry flies—fine fibers float best.
  • Use CDC or hackle when you need extra buoyancy.
  • Pick realistic wings or extended bodies for lifelike profiles.
  • Tail fibers should match length and stiffness to the natural mayfly.
  • Use quill bodies when tying slim, segmented BWO or PMD patterns.