How To Choose The Perfect Fly

Advice For Beginners

One of my frequent discussions with my fly fishing partner, Bob, concerns deciding which fly to use to increase one's odds of catching a fish. Whenever we go trout fishing, Bob is constantly changing flies. He is a “match the hatch” believer. I, on the other hand, tend to fill my fly box with pre-selected flies and flog the water with a fly until I am convinced it is hopeless, then cast it one more time before changing it out. I always tell him that you can catch more fish with your line in the water than with the tippet in your hand. I am not sure if either philosophy is right or wrong. But I do observe it dramatically impacts how you approach the sport.

Assuming that my position of “shots on goal” is the most sensible, I decided to explore the expert opinions around what flies make the most sense to have in your fly box. Not surprisingly, the choice depends on the fish species you are targeting.

In defense of Bob’s argument, the experts claim fly selection is about catching fish by understanding fish behavior, habitat, and food sources. Even though I understand their point, I will confess that it feels like a lot of work.

When pre-loading your fly box, you need to consider three general categories of flies, each with a different purpose: dry flies, nymphs, and streamers.

Most fly fishermen, myself included, favor dry flies whenever fish feed on the surface. My absolute favorite is a hopper. It is easy to see, and there is nothing like the excitement of a fish aggressively attacking it from below. I used to reserve a hopper-dropper rig for trout. One day, fishing for smallmouth bass, I tied a hopper on and floated it down a set of riffles. WHAM! A “smallie” nailed it hard. My heart was racing, and I enjoyed one of my best fights, pulling that fish out of fast-moving water. It felt almost as good as hooking up with a brown trout.

Nymphs imitate the immature stages of insects and are designed to be fished below the water’s surface. Fish spend up to 90% of their time feeding underwater, so nymphs are very effective. They work well in all seasons and can be used when you don’t see any surface activity. I tend to use a hopper as an indicator when fishing with nymphs. Lately, though, I have been falling in love with the Oros strike indicator. It is also easy to see but has the added benefit of being easier to adjust the depth of the nymph in the water column than the hopper-dropper rig.

Streamers mimic baitfish, leeches, or other prey. They require stripping the line to simulate the movement and trigger an attack. Streamers are especially effective for larger fish and work well in murky water, fast currents, or when fish are less selective about their food. I always have streamers of different sizes in my fly box because it is one of the first patterns I learned to tie. My streamers aren’t beautiful. But they can be effective. One time, I was on a spring canoe fishing trip with the Queen City Anglers Guild, and I selected the first woolly bugger I had ever tied to fish with. Bob had told me that catching a fish on a fly you hand-tied took your enjoyment of the sport to another level. When I pulled the fly from my box, it got a lot of laughs. The consensus was that it was among the ugliest files ever. They were right, of course. But I felt vindicated because it caught more bass than anything they pitched. Candidly, though, I failed to get the extra thrill from catching a fish on a fly I tied. To me, it felt just like seeing it on a fly shop purchased fly. Now, I continue to tie flies because it is more cost-effective.

The other thing that impacts which fly to select is weather. Overcast days are excellent for streamers and attractor flies, while sunny days may favor dry flies, especially in calm waters. Attractor flies don’t necessarily mimic any specific insect but are designed to attract attention through color, flash, or size. These are good when fish aren’t feeding on anything specific or when visibility is low. For example, water is often murky after a rainstorm, making streamers or more significant attractors effective. I think of them as the “jazz hands” of the fly world. They are so annoying fish are compelled to attack them.

In my fly box, you can almost always find:

• Woolly Bugger. It mimics a leech or a small bait fish. I fish it with short, jerky strips to imitate struggling prey.

• Pheasant Tail Nymph. Its small size makes it practical for fish feeding beneath the surface, especially when other flies are ignored.

• Adams Dry Fly. Experts say it is one of the most effective general-purpose dry flies. It mimics a wide variety of adult insects, including mayflies. I use it when I see fish rising to feed.

• Prince Nymph. It’s great when fish are picky because it does an excellent job of suggesting movement and life even in deeper waters.

• Clouser Minnow. This fly is perfect for fishing in deeper or faster-moving waters. And I know how to tie it.

• Zebra Midge. This fly mimics tiny midges and larvae, which fish feed on year-round. It’s particularly effective in cold weather when other insects are less active. I just bought a pack of 40 in different colors.

• Poppers. They create noise and disturbance that attracts bass in shallows and around vegetation. I always have multiple sizes in the box.

• San Juan Worm. Everybody needs a fly to select when nothing else is working. This is as close to spin casting with a live worm as I get.

After researching the subject, I am still deciding if I am right or Bob is. I just don’t think fish are as discerning as he does. If they are hungry, they will eat. You simply have to tie on something appealing. I have had Guides who, on a slow day, will encourage you to tie on an exotic fly based on the theory that if the fish haven’t seen it before, you might get lucky, and they will be interested.

While there may be no such thing as a Universal fly, there is one that might come close. I remember stopping into Norm Zeigler’s Fly Shop in Sanibel, looking for a fly that would be effective for fishing the water in Ding Darling. He introduced me to the Schminnow fly. Norm claimed it was the only fly I would ever need. He said it has a subtle lifelike movement in the water that mimics a small baitfish or shrimp. It can be used in either fresh or saltwater. It has good visibility in murky water and can be fished like a nymph, so you get it to the optimal strike zone. How he described it made me think Norm was a Schminnow sales representative. I bought a few on his recommendation and only later learned that Norm Zeigler had invented the Schminnow fly. Norm subsequently passed away in 2024 from complications of Parkinson’s disease, just like my Dad did. In remembrance of them both, I always have a few Schminnow flies in my saltwater fly box to remind me of Norm and my father.

Despite all my research, I am pretty confident Bob will continue to try to match the hatch. And, I know I will continue making my best guess on which fly to tie on and taking as many shots on goal as my arm allows. But the wonderful thing is that whether the approach is right or wrong doesn't matter. The only thing that truly matters is we enjoy a day of fly fishing with each other. Tight lines, Bob. I am looking forward to our next fly-fishing adventure.