Updated October 15, 2026

    Flies for Tarpon19 proven patterns

    Dry flies, nymphs, streamers and more that catch tarpon, grouped by type.
    Working right nowTarpon guide

    Dry flies 1

    Gurgler (Bass)#2#4#6Gurgler (Bass) — a proven dry pattern.

    Nymphs 3

    Damsel Nymph#10#12#14Swimming damselfly nymph. Strip it through weed beds toward shore in early summer.Damsel Nymph (Olive)#14#16#18Damsel Nymph (Olive) — a proven nymph pattern.EP Shrimp#2#4#6Enrico Puglisi's lifelike shrimp. Works across all inshore species.

    Streamers 10

    Chartreuse Deceiver#1/0#2/0#3/0Bright chartreuse Deceiver for visibility in dirty or churned water.Clouser Minnow#4#6#8Clouser Minnow — a proven streamer pattern.Clouser Minnow (Saltwater)#1/0#2/0#3/0Bob Clouser's most famous creation. Arguably the most versatile saltwater fly ever tied.Deceiver (Lefty's)#1/0#2/0#3/0#4/0Lefty Kreh's legendary saltwater streamer. Pushes water and swims with big profile.Olive Woolly Bugger#4#6#8Olive Woolly Bugger — a proven streamer pattern.Snook Fly (Crystal Bugger)#1/0#2Crystal chenille woolly bugger variant for snook around structure.Tarpon Snake Fly#2/0#3/0Undulating snake-like streamer for rolling tarpon in passes and flats.Tarpon Toad#2/0#3/0#4/0Weedless rabbit strip fly designed specifically for rolling tarpon.Woolly Bugger (Olive)#4#6#8Woolly Bugger (Olive) — a proven streamer pattern.Woolly Bugger (Olive) (Bass)#4#6#8Woolly Bugger (Olive) (Bass) — a proven streamer pattern.

    Terrestrials 1

    Hopper#6#8#10Hopper — a proven terrestrial pattern.

    Poppers 3

    Deer Hair Popper#1/0#2#4Spun deer hair or foam popper for explosive topwater bass action.Gurgler#1/0#2#4Foam-backed gurgler that creates a V-wake on the surface. Deadly surface bass fly.Gurgler (Saltwater)#1/0#2/0Saltwater gurgler creating a wake on the surface. Irresistible to feeding predators.

    Wet flies 1

    Palolo Worm#4#6Polychaete worm imitation for the legendary Palolo worm hatches in tropical waters.