How to Properly Fish A Royal Coachman

The royal coachman is a fly pattern that should be familiar to all fly fishermen. It is a classic dry fly pattern developed to catch trout in swift moving streams. The royal coachman was developed as an attractor pattern. Attractor patterns are not designed to match any specific fly hatch, they are simply patterns that generally look like an insect and float high on the water. To meet with success with the royal coachman you should understand how to properly fish it.

A royal coachman is a high floating, attractor fly pattern with a peacock body and large wings. The fly is heavily hackled to prevent it from sinking which makes it ideal for fishing fast water. Fast moving water like riffles and runs are perfect places to fish a royal coachman. Trout that inhabit this type of water have the tendency to strike quickly and aggressively at anything that looks like an insect. The fact that a royal coachman floats so high and well makes it very visible to trout in fast water. A royal coachman also roughly resembles a large mayfly, so it is easy for trout to mistake it as food.

Fishing a royal coachman in fast water is not like fishing to rising fish in a flat pool. You should still try to get a drag free drift, but that is not as important as it is when fishing a flat pool. Also, since the fly is an attractor pattern you should stay on the move. You don't necessarily need to see rising fish for the coachman to be effective. Simply make a few casts to a location and if you catch nothing take a few steps and try another location.

When fishing a royal coachman in fast water try to target slower moving pockets and current seams. Cover each area effectively and if you don't meet with success move to the next spot. Strikes to a coachman pattern are often very quick, so be ready at all times.

One final tip on how to fish a royal coachman is to add a dropper fly off the back of the coachman. Simply tie a small piece of leader to the bend of the hook of the coachman and tie on a small nymph pattern. Sometimes fish will be attracted to the coachman but decide not to eat it at the last second. However, often times those fish will eat the fly that is below the surface and since the royal coachman is such a high floating pattern it will act like a strike indicator for the dropper.

A royal coachman is a very effective attractor pattern. It attracts fish during non-hatch periods and will help you catch many fish out of the hard to fish fast water. Just follow the tips I've given you and make sure the next time you go fly fishing to tie on a royal coachman.