Few things are better than river smallmouth—floating down a slow-moving river in summer, casting to likely hides, and waiting for a fiesty bronzeback to dart out after your offering. Luckily for anglers across the country, these fish, once native to the Midwest and parts of the Great Lakes, can now be found throughout the country, even as far as Hawaii. Regardless of where you target smallies, here are five proven fly patterns to up your success rate.
1. Game Changer
Game Changer
Invented by Blane Chocklett, the Game Changer is an articulated baitfish fly pattern that has fooled many smallmouth bass. It relies on a body tied on shanks for a realistic swimming action that bass can’t seem to resist. Its original form consists of a synthetic fiber body that adds bulk to the fly; however, several other adaptations have been added since. Both Micro Changers and Feather Changers are equally effective on smallmouth bass. Fish them with a steady retrieve, or quick, short pauses. The magic in the Game Changer is that, however you fish it, it has lifelike movement.
2. Sneaky Pete
Sneaky Pete
The Sneaky Pete is a timeless classic for good reason; it catches fish. This topwater fly is designed to slide rather than pop. It does so with a cone-shaped head that makes a subtle commotion on the surface. While there are times that the aggressive chugging sound of a popper may be the ticket, more often than not, the subtlety of the Sneaky Pete will do the trick. Long slides with pauses in between will draw strikes even on the wariest summer bass.
3. Murdich Minnow
Murdich Minnow
The Murdich Minnow is one of the simplest yet most effective smallmouth bass patterns in existence. It’s a quick tie, requiring only a handful of materials and a single hook, unlike many of the more complicated streamers you’ll find in a fly shop. The reason this fly is so effective is its versatility on the water. It’s designed as a baitfish pattern, and can be stripped as fast or as slow as you need. One of the go-to retrieves is hard strips with pauses in between. Many times, smallmouth will grab it on the pause, especially during warmer months when they are less likely to chase down a fast-moving fly.
4. Clouser Minnow
Clouser Minnow
A smallmouth bass fly list wouldn’t be complete without the Clouser Minnow. Bob Clouser originally developed this fly on the Susquehanna River for smallmouth bass. Since its introduction, the Clouser Minnow has been one of the most successful streamer patterns ever made. If there’s a predatory fish, chances are it’s been caught with a Clouser. The simple yet lethal design makes it an incredibly effective and versatile smallmouth fly. Strip it, drift it, or crawl it on the bottom—this pattern does it all.
5. Schultzy’s Swingin’ D
Schultzy’s Swingin’ D
Smallmouth bass love the twitching action of jerk baits, but imitating that on the fly was tricky until Mike Schultz changed that all. His Swingin’ D fly is an articulated streamer pattern designed specifically for an aggressive side-to-side action. In addition, the floating head pair creates a suspending action in the water. For fly anglers looking to tap into conventional gear tactics, this fly is one of the best smallmouth bugs out there.
Check out the latest episode of Fly Shop Tour, where we put some of these flies to work!
