Coachman

The Coachman Dry Fly is a classic attractor-style pattern that loosely imitates adult caddisflies or mayflies, but more importantly, it serves as a general-purpose dry fly meant to provoke a strike. With its peacock herl body, white wings (often duck or goose quill), and brown hackle, it presents a high-contrast, buggy silhouette that can resemble a wide range of surface insects or simply trigger a feeding response from opportunistic trout.

History:
The dry version of the Coachman evolved from the original Coachman Wet Fly, which dates back to the early 1800s and was tied by Tom Bosworth, coachman to King George IV. As dry fly fishing rose to prominence in the late 19th century, tiers adapted the wet version into a floating dry fly, typically using stiffer hackle and lighter wing materials. It became especially popular in the Catskills and is considered one of the first true attractor dry flies. While not a precise hatch-matcher, the Coachman Dry remains valued for its simplicity, heritage, and effectiveness—particularly in turbulent or fast-moving water.