My favorite things about Pat Dorsey flies are that they are generally very simple to tie and they work exceptionally well. I have incorporated those strategies into my fly tying over the past couple decades, after chasing the illusive, you got to have it, hot fly of the week syndrome promoted by many in the industry for much of my youth.
Pat Dorsey is a Colorado fly fishing guide, commercial fly tyer, and author of quite a few fly fishing books. He is a long-time acquaintance and his flies include staple patterns of the South Platte River, usually featuring his signature “Mercury Bead head” added to the pattern, with other small improvements. These flies will catch fish and the Mercury Bead seems to improve the flies from their original versions. While Pat’s flies are not something I tie or use regularly, you have to admire them. Or at least I do, as I was a commercial fly tyer in high school and the patterns are generally fast to tie and more effective than most.
However, a lot of my friends do use these files regularly and Pat’s improved versions of the black beauty, buckskin, brassie, and other South Platte favorites such as the Mercury RS2, and his version of Andy Kim’s Yong Special, the Top Secret Midge, all catch a lot of fish and are flies that I have experimented with over the years. I post some pictures here from Pat’s great books, which are educational in how simple flies can be to still be very successful. He has proven to be a guide who knows how to educate his clients both in fishing and fly tying, and is never one to hold back on any of his secrets to success.
While I mostly fish the RS2 combined with a couple of other upper flies such as the Yong Special or a Pheasant Tail, I enjoy reading all of Pat’s books, fishing reports, and social media posts as they give great insights into what is happening with many of our favorite home waters. His boxes are unbelievable, or did I mention that already? I have however taken up using his Mercury bead on my new favorite fly, the Calgon.
Photos from Pat’s Facebook posts, the boxes are miraculous:
And, his crowded yet meticulously organized fly boxes are works of art in themselves. Pat can be contacted through our favorite and most completed Denver area fly shop, The Blue Quill Angler, in Evergreen, in which he is a partner.
From Pat’s Tailwater book, pick up a copy. 
Dorsey Fly Pattern Recipes
Pale Olive Midge Larva
- Hook: #16-20 Tiemco 2487
- Thread: Light Cahill 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Underbody: Light Cahill 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Body: Clear Micro Tubing
- Head: Light Cahill 8/0 Uni-Thread
Bead Head Red Larva
- Hook: #18-22 200 R
- Bead: Red glass (extra small)
- Thread: Red 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Underbody: Red 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Body: Red Micro Tubing
Mercury Midge
- Hook: #18-24 Tiemco 2487
- Bead: Clear silver-lined glass bead (extra small)
- Thread: White 6/0 Danville
- Rib: Copper Ultra Wire (extra small)
- Abdomen: White 6/0 Danville
- Collar: White 6/0 Danville
- Notes: Color variations include black, brown, olive, and gray
Mercury Blood Midge
- Hook: #18-22 Tiemco 200 R
- Bead: Clear silver-lined glass bead (extra small)
- Thread: Red 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Rib: Gold Ultra Wire (extra small)
- Abdomen: Red 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Thorax: Peacock herl
Top Secret Midge
- Hook: #18-26 Tiemco 2488
- Thread: Dark brown 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Rib: White 6/O Uni-Thread
- Wing: Glamour Madeira –
Madeira No 12 Glamour Machine Embroidery Thread - Thorax: Rust brown Superfine dubbing
Mercury Flashback Black Beauty
- Hook: #18-24 Tiemco 2488
- Bead: Clear silver-lined glass bead (extra small)
- Thread: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Flashback: Pearl Mylar Tinsel (small)
- Rib: Copper Ultra Wire (extra small)
- Abdomen: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Collar: Black Superfine dubbing
Hi-Vis Griffith Gnat
- Hook: #18-26 Tiemco 101
- Thread: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Abdomen: Peacock herl
- Post: Cerise McFlylon
- Hackle: Grizzly rooster
Sparkle Wing R S 2
- Hook: #16-24 Tiemco 101
- Thread: Gray 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Tail: Medium dun rooster hackle fibers
- Abdomen: Adams gray Superfine dubbing
- Wing: Pearl braid
- Thorax: Adams gray Superfine dubbing
Mercury Flashback RS 2
- Hook: #16-24 Tiemco 101
- Thread: Gray 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Tail: Gray saddle hackle fibers
- Flashback: Pearl Mylar tinsel (small)
- Abdomen: Gray Superfine dubbing
- Wing: Glamour Madeira
- Thorax: Gray Superfine dubbing
- Notes: Color variations include olive, brown, black and PMD
Mercury Flashback Pheasant Tail
- Hook: #16-22 Tiemco 101
- Bead: Clear silver-lined glass bead (extra small)
- Thread: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Tail: Natural pheasant tail fibers
- Rib: Gold Ultra Wire (extra small)
- Abdomen: Natural pheasant tail fibers
- Thorax: Peacock herl
- Flashback: Pearl Mylar Tinsel (small)
- Legs: Natural pheasant tail fibers
- Notes: Color variations include red, black, olive and ginger
Hi-Vis Baetis
- Hook: #16-24 Tiemco 101
- Thread: Light Cahill 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Tail: Dun saddle hackle fibers
- Abdomen: Blue Winged Olive Superfine dubbing
- Post: Cerise McFlylon
- Hackle: Dun rooster, tied parachute style
- Notes: Color variations include PMD, red quill, and Trico
Buckskin
- Hook: #16-20 Tiemco 100
- Thread: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Tail: Brown hen hackle 2/3 shank length long
- Abdomen: Chamois strip
- Head: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Bead Head Breadcrust
Mercury Cased Caddis
- Hook: #16-18 Tiemco 200 R
- Bead: Clear silver-line glass bead (small)
- Thread: Tan 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Abdomen: Natural Hare’s Ear Dubbing and chartreuse Ice Dubbing
- Thorax: Black Hare’s Ear dubbing
- Notes: Tungsten version swaps a black tungsten bead for black Hare’s Ear dubbing
Bead Head Breadcrust
- Hook: #10-18 Tiemco 5262
- Bead: Gold brass or tungsten to match hook size
- Thread: Brown 6/0 Uni-Thread (8/0 for #18)
- Underbody: Brown yarn
- Abdomen: Red phase ruffed grouse quill
- Collar: Grizzly hen
- Bead guidelines: 5/32” for size 10, 1/8” for sizes 12-14 and 3/32” for sizes 16-18
Puterbaugh Caddis
- Originator: Don Puterbaugh
- Tier: Pat Dorsey
- Hook: #14-18 Tiemco 100
- Thread: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
- Abdomen: 1.5-2mm closed cell foam
- Wing: Natural elk
- Hackle: Brown rooster
- Hook: #10-18 Tiemco 2457 or Timeco 2487
- Thread: Orange 6/0 Danville
- Tail: Orange Antron
- Rib: 5X tippet
- Shell Back: ZipLoc Bag strip
- Abdomen: Shrimp pink UV Ice Dub
- Antennae: Orange Antron
- Notes: Pull legs down with a needle or gun brush. Trim to desired length. Color variations include olive, dark olive, tan, and pink
