Experienced anglers know that they should be prepared with several different flies when going on a fly fishing trip. In Alaska, 90% of fish are caught with about a dozen fly patterns. You can easily cut down on extra flies and stick with a few "tried and true" patterns if you know what works. Read on to discover some of the best fly patterns to use in Alaska.

Glo Bugs

Egg patterns are designed to resemble roe. One of the more popular egg patterns, Glo Bugs perform well in Alaska. Glo Bugs are a simple pattern consisting of a round ball of brightly colored "Glo Bug" yarn. Colors generally range from orange to pink. Glo Bugs are so effective because they imitate the salmon roe that trout love to eat. Bring along some Glo Bugs when you're fishing for rainbow trout and steelhead trout.

Woolly Buggers

Perhaps the most well known fly pattern for any fly fisherman, is the Woolly Bugger. These flies are made to look like larvae or leech-like creatures and generally feature dark colored thread. When salmon aren't in spawning mode and rainbow trout aren't trying to feed on roe, Woolly Buggers are one of the best flies for rainbow trout.

Egg Sucking Leech

This is perhaps the most used fly pattern in Alaska. Somewhat similar in look to Woolly Buggers, the Egg Sucking Leech is generally black or purple in color. Very popular in the Kenai River, the Egg Sucking Leech is an effective fly for rainbow trout, steelhead trout, dolly varden and most types of salmon.

Coho

This fly is an attractor fly and doesn't exactly live up to it's name. The coho fly is famous for luring Alaska's shy red salmon, not their silver cousins. Coho flies come in a variety of colors from green to red and may appear to resemble sea life that red salmon feed on like shrimp and sand lance.

Elk Hair Caddis

A popular dry fly pattern, the Elk Hair Caddis is very effective for catching rainbow trout along Alaska's rivers. Generally yellow or dark green in color, the Elk Hair Caddis is known for attracting rainbows and other types of trout.

Whether you purchase your flies at a shop or you tie your flies with your own hands, when you use the fly patterns above you'll have great success fly fishing Alaska's waters. Happy Fishing!