3 Best Smallmouth Bass Flies

Hey there my fellow fishers and welcome to my post where we will check out my three Smallmouth Bass flies to drag em to the surface with this year. Smallmouth Bass fishing is an extremely popular pastime with many chasing them using fly fishing techniques especially if working in shallow waters.

However if you are new to fly fishing for Smallmouth, then choosing the right fly can be a bit daunting.  So to help you out, I have had a good look around and come up with three good options below. 

Let’s check them out. 

I will review these in more detail below however if you just want to get moving without all the carry-on, my recommended products are listed here for your convenience: 

	Smallmouth Bass Fly	Price	Get it
	YZD Bass Popper Fly Dry Fly Fishing Flies	$	CURRENT PRICE
	BASSDASH Fly Fishing Flies	$$	CURRENT PRICE
	Wild Water Top Water Deer Hair Fly Assortment	$$$	CURRENT PRICE

Smallmouth Bass flies are lures specifically designed to mimic the fish’s prey that are bounced on the surface to mirror the behaviours of insects and some small animals (such as mice and frogs) that these species like to chase.  Their use requires specialized fly fishing rigs however for effective Smallmouth Bass fly fishing, there are various types of flies are available.

The following factors should be considered when looking for a good fly for catching Smallmouth Bass.

1. Type
2. Materials used
3. Design
4. Additions

Type

There are a number of fly types effective for catching Smallmouth Bass as follows:

1. Dry fly: This type of fly is typically fished on or near the water’s surface. Adult or emerging insects such as mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, midges, grasshoppers, and damselflies are imitated by dry flies.
2. Wet fly: The second group of smallmouth bass flies is fished just below the water’s surface. Their goal is to imitate prey such as aquatic insects in their pupal and nymph stages, scuds (freshwater shrimp), fish eggs, worms, and crayfish.
3. Streamer: A streamer is a larger wet fly that looks like baitfish, leeches, crayfish, and other small animals. Streamer strikes tend to be territorial or predatory and usually violent. When Smallmouth hit a streamer, they do it hard.
4. Popper: These flies have blunt or scooped heads and are fished on the water’s surface with quick strips and twitches, imitating wounded baitfish, frogs, mice, and other small prey animals. These flies are popular with bass and other warm-water species.  Admittedly, these lures are not predominately used with for fly fishing, but they can still be effective here.

Materials used

Various materials are utilized to produce smallmouth bass flies. These depend on the type of prey the fly tries to imitate. Commonly used materials for smallmouth bass flies are plastics, feathers, animal fur, and chenille yarn.

Design

This feature again depends on the prey the fly tries to mimic to get the attention of the smallmouth bass. To resemble the segmented bodies of insects, fishing fly designs incorporate bits of feather and fur tied to the hook.

A dry fly’s essential components are a long and stiff tail, a body, a hackle (a flayed section of feathers depicting legs touching the water), and outstretched wings.

The hackle on a wet fly is sparse, and the wing is folded back over the body.

Soft tail and body material are sometimes wrapped around lead, making nymphs, streamers, and bucktails sink faster. They also have long, delicate wings, often made of marabou feathers, and give them the appearance of minnows.

Additions

Other potential additions at purchase include:

1. Storage box: You would need to have your flies organized and properly kept. The storage box helps you attain this goal.
2. Number of pieces: Some products offer six smallmouth flies while others provide you with more than 20 pieces.
3. Extra hooks: These are useful in case you would need to improvise or create a DIY fly.

So based on the information above and my own experience, I recommend the following options:

1. YZD Bass Popper Fly Dry Fly Fishing Flies

This first option consists of 10 poppers designed to mimic the prey of Smallies as they bounce across the water.  Their flat face causes a ‘disturbance’ on the water which can assist in enticing them out of cover in deeper water as well.  See its specifications below:

• Brand: YZD
• Type: Poppers
• Target species: Bass, panfish
• Dimension: 3 x 2.5 x 1 inches
• Weight per piece: 0.04 pounds

Other inclusions:

• Durable hooks
• Bright-colored poppers

Why have I chosen them?

The poppers produce the right sound to get the attention of smallmouth bass with a design that gives them the impression of an injured insect or small fish on the surface. These are suitable for Smallmouth and Largemouth alike.

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2. BASSDASH Fly Fishing Flies

This second option gives the angler various types of smallmouth bass flies with hooks of different sizes to match any kind of situation. The pack covers everything you will need to have a successful Smallmouth fishing experience with almost every potential bait option covered. See its specifications below:

• Brand: BASSDASH
• Type: Stonefly nymphs, Caddisfly dries, wet flies, Streamers, Caddis larva and pupa, Mayfly dries, and Terrestrial
• Target species: Bass, panfish, trout
• Dimension: Depends on the fly
• Weight per piece: 0.07 pounds

Other inclusions:

• Magnetic storage box
• Various hook sizes

Why have I chosen them?

You receive a generous amount of flies of various types upon purchase all of which are effective in luring Smallies out of their hiding place. The manufacturers include a magnetic, waterproof storage box to organize everything. This is a great option for those who like to fish in different locations and conditions.

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3. Wild Water Top Water Deer Hair Fly Assortment

These flies are perfect for both beginning and experienced anglers with a bright-colored appearance that attracts Smallmouth of all sizes. See its specifications below:

• Brand: Wild Water 
• Type: Popper and diver
• Target species: Bass, trout, pike
• Dimension: 4 x 1 x 8 inches
• Weight per piece: 0.26 pounds

Other inclusions:

• Ample storage box

Why have I chosen them?

The lures can accommodate three of your favorite fish in Bass, Trout and pike and made from sturdy plastic to last several flyfishing seasons. If you are just a novice, each box includes a color-printed card that gives you information about the flies removing any guesswork as well.

There you have it, my three best Smallmouth Bass flies to catch them with this year. I would be pleased to know how this article helped you, and as usual,  let me know of your experiences with them.

Also, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, concerns, corrections, or would like me to check anything else out for you.

Until next time.

Have fun

Paul