Last week, I offered some suggestions on assembling a basic assortment of nymph patterns for early-season trout in our region. This week, I’ll present a similar discussion targeting dry-fly patterns.

Tying flies has long been one of my favorite winter activities. I derive much pleasure from crafting a supply of the many fly patterns needed to restock my fly boxes for the upcoming trout season.

Finding fly patterns you can rely on day in and day out becomes daunting, especially if you’ve had a tough day recently. Every angler has those “confidence flies” in their boxes they tend to bank on, ...