Hold this pattern up against a cloudy sky in late May or early June. That’s when the big redsides are looking up. This is how they see it. McPhail’s Adult Salmonfly boasts a segmented body, two-tone tan and orange, and a split tail. The legs are knotted to knees and the hackle-tip wings seal the deal. Gulp.

Fish this pattern close to shore when trout are active on the surface. Evening can offer the best action when clouds of salmonflies are in the canyon.

Tie the McPhail Adult Salmonfly on a No. 6 TMC200R hook. Build the body with two layers of 2 mm tan and orange foam. Segment the body with orange thread and tie in stripped quills for the tail. For the wings, use center quail brown/grizzly hackle tips. Add a few strands of root beer Krystal Flash. Tie in a deer hair wing, layered with claret/brown blend dubbing for the thorax. For the legs, use knotted orange pheasant tail fibers. Finish with mono eyes, stripped quill antennae and dubbed head.