Smallmouth Flies

GHM

GHM

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Sep 19, 2023
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Allegheny County, Plum
I’m putting together a streamer box for smallmouth. I am looking for unweighted patterns and have already come up with a crayfish pattern I’m happy with. Is size 8 good for smallmouth flies?
I think a top water pattern might not be bad to try if anyone has any recommendations.
When it comes to rods, what are good specs. Not in the market for one yet, just curious about length and weight.

Thanks for any help
Gavin
 
I shared this one a while back on the forum. Shenk’s White Minnow is a great unweighted Smallie pattern. Fish it however you want. It’ll catch fish.

IMG_9421.jpeg
 
I tie my smallmouth flies on hook sizes 12 to 2/0, generally speaking, depending on the pattern and the hooks I have available at the time. I don’t fish a lot of unweighted streamers so I cant really help you there. i will fish poppers, gurglers and hopper patterns on top and then pretty much fish the bottom or close to the bottom with weighted flies like crayfish, clousers, swimming nymphs, squirmy wormies, and mop flies. lot out there about rods but my favorites are a 9’ 8 Wt and a 8’6” 6wt. Good luck with you shopping.
 
GHM said:
I’m putting together a streamer box for smallmouth. I am looking for unweighted patterns and have already come up with a crayfish pattern I’m happy with. Is size 8 good for smallmouth flies?
Click to expand...
Maybe an unweighted lefty's deceiver? Other than that I cannot think of a subsurface fly that I would want to fish for smallmouth without at least a small amount of additional weight. Crayfish patterns would be THE fly I would not tie without weight.

Care to elaborate on why you are wanting to fish unweighted flies? Are you OK with using split shot on the leader?

Also size 8 is a fairly small smallmouth fly unless we're talking a long shank hook. I've caught decent smallmouth on things like Slate Drake nymphs and bigger Princes, and small buggers, but #6 through 1/0 are more typical sizes depending on hook style.
 
Gurglers (sizes 2-4 in black, yellow, or white) on top and buggers or crayfish (sizes 4-8 in black or olive) below. Unless you’re fishing in the spring, then I’d throw in a big light colored minnow pattern like a deceiver or something like that (that is easier and cheaper to tie/buy).

I also agree that if you’re going subsurface, you’ll want some weight. Something with dumbbell eyes that ride so the hook bends toward the surface to avoid snags.

Also my main bass rod is a 9 ft stiff 5wt. I have no problem throwing the flies above, unless they’re really heavy. A 6-8 wt would also be sufficient. But the fight in a 5 wt is more fun.
 
PennKev said:
Maybe an unweighted lefty's deceiver? Other than that I cannot think of a subsurface fly that I would want to fish for smallmouth without at least a small amount of additional weight. Crayfish patterns would be THE fly I would not tie without weight.

Care to elaborate on why you are wanting to fish unweighted flies? Are you OK with using split shot on the leader?

Also size 8 is a fairly small smallmouth fly unless we're talking a long shank hook. I've caught decent smallmouth on things like Slate Drake nymphs and bigger Princes, and small buggers, but #6 through 1/0 are more typical sizes depending on hook style.
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I assumed 8 was a little small. If I got 2 sizes of streamer hooks what would you go with?

When it comes to weighted streamers, it’s probably just a lack of experience. How do you find the right amount of weight? Do I use beads and wire, or do I use only one?

I think I want to tie some clousers, craws, a leech pattern, and some other minnow pattern.
 
GHM said:
I assumed 8 was a little small. If I got 2 sizes of streamer hooks what would you go with?

When it comes to weighted streamers, it’s probably just a lack of experience. How do you find the right amount of weight? Do I use beads and wire, or do I use only one?

I think I want to tie some clousers, craws, a leech pattern, and some other minnow pattern.
Click to expand...
It never hurts to have some wooly buggers in your arsenal. White, black and/or olive. They’re a very versatile fly for a variety of species.
 
Murdich Minnow and Clouser Crayfish were pretty good producers last summer / fall. When the water was low and clear I used the clouser crayfish as a dropper with an ole mr wiggly on the surface
 
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GHM said:
When it comes to weighted streamers, it’s probably just a lack of experience. How do you find the right amount of weight? Do I use beads and wire, or do I use only one?
Click to expand...

You just have to gain experience, but with that said, any weight is better than no weight on most smallmouth flies. You can use any combo of eyes, beads, and wire you need to get the fly to look right and fish best. A good starting point is the lead eyes marketed as "small", then add .025 or .030 lead wire to adjust overall weight. The extra small and medium sizes of lead eyes are handy too. A sparsely tied clouser doesn't need much weight at all to fish well, but it needs some. Densely tied, or larger streamers might benefit from having the weight concentrated in the eyes, so the medium size might be needed.

I would lean toward lighter rather than heavier at first. You can always add split shot and get decent results with most flies. Once you figure out which flies need more weight to work correctly, you can tie them heavier on the next go around. Maybe don't go crazy tying dozens of the same fly until you know what you want.
 
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GHM said:
Might you have a recipe?
Click to expand...
So i just kinda make it up as i go along but here's a try at how i tie them.

I use a tag of red yarn, then i use two different tones of some kind of poly material tied in bunches
one top and one bottom as you work your way up the hook. I might throw in a trace of angel hair.
After whip finish i trim the poly to a bait fish shape and trim the sides to the proper profile. Then glue
on some eyes and have at 'em.
 
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PennKev said:
You just have to gain experience, but with that said, any weight is better than no weight on most smallmouth flies. You can use any combo of eyes, beads, and wire you need to get the fly to look right and fish best. A good starting point is the lead eyes marketed as "small", then add .025 or .030 lead wire to adjust overall weight. The extra small and medium sizes of lead eyes are handy too. A sparsely tied clouser doesn't need much weight at all to fish well, but it needs some. Densely tied, or larger streamers might benefit from having the weight concentrated in the eyes, so the medium size might be needed.

I would lean toward lighter rather than heavier at first. You can always add split shot and get decent results with most flies. Once you figure out which flies need more weight to work correctly, you can tie them heavier on the next go around. Maybe don't go crazy tying dozens of the same fly until you know what you want.
Click to expand...
That’s very helpful. I agree with tying 2 or 3 and then trying a them. That’s generally what I do unless I’m tying dry’s for a hatch.
 
I’ve caught unknown numbers of stream smallmouth bass on size 12 nymphs with a green copper John being a go to. Small pin fish flies tied on a similar size hook as well. So a size 8 is not to small depending on the fly you are fishing. But yes, to small for mist streamers.

For big rivers I like lots of weight and usually use an intermediate sink shooting head to get my fly down in the current. As flows decrease with summer I can fish the bottom with nothing more then a weighted fly and a floating line.

Your best bet is a time honored and battle tested clouser minnow. One of the best and easiest to tie SMB fly ever made.
 
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Game changer smaller sizes or a DHMinn. The DHMinn needs a little weight to get it to sink or it will float.
 
Unweighted streamers work great for smallmouths. Gurglers are my favorite surface fly for smallies and the only one that I carry.
 
GHM said:
I’m putting together a streamer box for smallmouth. I am looking for unweighted patterns and have already come up with a crayfish pattern...
Click to expand...

I fish a few streams with a decent smallmouth population that are for the most part shallower than the big rivers. At those streams when not fishing on top, I am using an unweighted streamer or nymph of sorts which keeps me from getting snagged every other cast.

I also tend to fish these creeks with a 6wt and it's a lot easier to cast unweighted flies with a 6wt versus heavier flies. I also fish a short leader which helps a lot.

If I need a little bit of weight, I'll add some soft lead mashed around the head of the fly or at a blood knot and I also carry loose cone heads that I will thread onto my leader like a worm weight. I have a few tricks for pegging the cone head too if I find that necessary. Of course split shot is also an option.

As far as patterns go, I like unweighted woolly buggers, hellgrammite patterns like Harry Murray's version, Shenk Sculpins in black & white and just about any other unweighted streamer or nymph pattern.

If you want some kind of "head" on flies that traditionally use a cone head, bead or dumbbell eyes, just substitute plastic beads which come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

Good luck!!
 
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