I took a look at my smallmouth bass flies the other day and wondered, “do I have too many patterns?”

The short answer is no, of course not! But at the same time, I’ve got fly boxes stuffed to the brim with a variety of smallie patterns, fit for pretty much every occasion. I feel like I’m constantly reorganizing, trying to create room for a hundred patterns in a single, easily accessible box. At some points, it’s hard to tell what fly is what since they all get jammed together in a tight space.

I then began to think about how I can simplify my smallmouth fly box. How many patterns do I actually need to catch fish? Which patterns are essential? Which flies can I leave out to fight another day?

Here’s how I am condensing my smallie pattern into a single, accessible, but ultimately effective fly box:

Simplifying Your Smallmouth Fly Box

Instead of lugging your entire collection of smallmouth flies, build a box with just enough variety to handle whatever the smallmouth throw at you. A handful of topwater, baitfish, crayfish patterns, and trusty Wooly Buggers will cover nearly every situation without turning your pack into a cluttered mess. The goal isn’t fewer flies- it’s carrying the ones you’ll actually fish so you can spend less time digging through boxes and more time watching smallmouth eat them.

Choosing Smallmouth Flies

Don’t get me wrong- I have enough flies to fish for a lifetime and love every single one of them. Several fly boxes are stuffed to the brim with different patterns, colors, and styles of flies that I have tied and purchased over the years. Some haven’t even seen the water, some are falling apart, and some I tied for that “what if” scenario that may never actually come to reality.

This post is not about tying or buying fewer flies. My collection of smallmouth flies brings me joy, appreciating all the little aspects that make those flies unique and effective. I think that at some point, all those flies will see the water one day and get inhaled by a hard fighting smallmouth.

What I do want to solve is thinking strategically about what I bring out in the water. I mostly wade fish, so accessibility is paramount. I’ve stuffed 4 or 5 boxes in my pack thinking I would use every single fly, only to actually fish 3 or 4 flies. The other boxes don’t get used and ultimately become a nuisance when trying to find the fly I actually want to tie on.

So here’s how I’ve been thinking about condensing my flies- enough variety to cover any situation while simple enough to easily grab any fly quickly and easily.

Topwater: Aggressive + Subtle

For topwater smallmouth bass flies, I like to break them down into two categories: aggressive, attention-getting surface flies, and subtle, more natural patterns.

Aggressive Topwater Flies

• Poppers
• Deer Hair Divers

Aggressive topwater smallmouth flies cause a ruckus at the surface. These flies are designed to spit water and make a disturbance, calling in aggressive fish to the top of the water column. These flies get attention and can trigger topwater blow-ups that will keep you coming back for more.

There are times when smallies need a little noise to piss them off enough to attack our flies and these aggressive style topwater flies do just that. A few strips of a popper or a Deer Hair Diver will undoubtedly grab attention and will elicit those strikes.

I have 1 or 2 of these patterns in my box at all times- they’re fun to fish and can be just what the smallie needs to take a bite.

Subtle Topwater Flies

• Ole’ Mr. Wigglies
• Gurglers
• Terrestrials

If I’m looking for a more natural topwater presentation, flies like the Ole’ Mr. Wiggly, Gurgler, or terrestrial patterns can do the job. These flies are meant to mimic natural prey that don’t cause a ton of commotion at the top. These flies draw sips from smallmouth and can be extremely effective when they want something easy to eat at the surface.

I will carry 1 or 2 of these patterns. If you like dry fly fishing for trout, this is pretty damn close to the same thing. Let these guys drift naturally through the current along the banks and watch that smallie rise to take a sip.

Baitfish: Attractor + Natural

For baitfish flies, I like to carry a couple different styles. Attractor baitfish flies are bigger, punchier, and demand attention from smallmouth bass. Natural baitfish flies mimic the native forage when fish are keyed in on what’s already swimming around. Having a combination of both covers all the situations you might face on the water.

To differentiate these two styles, I can do so in a couple different ways- size, color, and flash. The way I like to think about it is considering: does this fly look natural, or something juicy to eat? That will help you select what you bring out on the water.

With baitfish flies- fish what you have confidence in. Smallmouth are aggressive feeders that aren’t necessarily “picky”, so choose the patterns that feel right to you!

Attractor Baitfish Flies

• Kreelex
• Game Changers
• Roamers
• Sparkle Minnows

When I think of attractor baitfish flies, I think of larger, louder, flashier flies that announce their presence in the water. These patterns may or may not actually replicate the natural forage, but there’s little doubt that the fish will miss that there’s something in the water.

These flies attract attention in a few different ways, either through size/bulkiness, bold/bright colors, or flashiness. They’re not exact imitations of natural forage, but rather attention-seekers that make the fish think “Woah, that looks tasty” or even “that thing pisses me off, let me go attack it.”

I’ll carry 3-4 of these types of flies in my box, ready for those scenarios where the fish need a little encouragement to take a bite. These flies can draw aggressive strikes, so I wanna be sure I have a few options to give me the best chance of that happening!

Natural Baitfish Flies

• Clouser Minnows
• Murdich Minnows
• Zonkers
• Smaller Attractor Flies

These patterns mimic the real thing. They are meant to resemble the natural forage that smallies are consistently feeding on. They won’t grab the same amount of attention as larger, flashier flies, but fish are less likely to question if it’s real food or not.

I think it’s important to carry a handful of these types of flies. I’ve found that many times smallies just want a snack, something similar to what they’re used to feeding on. More aggressive style flies can turn them off when they’re in a lethargic mood. But these flies present an opportunity for an easier meal.

For more natural profiles, I also like to size down some of the “attractor” flies. More neutral colors to these flies also help with a more subtle appearance. Smaller, softer colored Roamers, Kreelexes, or Game-Changers have less of a punchy presentation and can be just what the smallies are looking for.

I’ll carry 4-6 of these natural patterns in my box, often prioritizing these over other styles of flies. They seem to be the most effective in the waters that I typically fish.

Bottom: Crayfish + Buggers

We’ve got the top and middle water columns covered, but now we need flies to bounce along the bottom. Smallmouth often hunker down towards the floor of the river or lake, scrounging for crayfish or other critters that hide in rocks or wood. We need flies to get there!

Crayfish Patterns

• Clawdads
• Tequeely

Flies that resemble crayfish are vital to smallmouth fishing. While they’re not the most exciting patterns to fish, as the saying goes “crayfish are always on the menu.” We need a handful of these flies to bounce along the bottom for when smallmouth are looking down for a meal.

I’ll carry 4-6 of these crayfish patterns. Because we’re fishing near the bottom, we’re more likely to lose a few to the elements and must have reserves!

Wooly Buggers

• Your Choice!

Yes, of course. No list of smallmouth flies is complete without a handful of Wooly Buggers. These flies mimic nothing but everything at the same time and can be fished however you’d like.

I find Wooly Buggers to be most effective when bounced along the bottom. They’re versatile enough to fish in basically any part of the water column, but I love using them when trying to get down deep.

In my box, I’ll have 4-6 Wooly Buggers in stock at all times. I’ll vary the colors a little bit, but generally speaking black and olive Buggers are hard to beat.

When in doubt, Wooly Buggers are out!

My Simplified Smallmouth Fly Box

If I am just going to carry a single box out on the water, I need enough flies to cover each situation I may encounter. Would I like to carry a hundred flies? Of course, but mobility and accessibility when wading must be preserved. It’s hard to fish with an entire fly shop in your pack!

Here’s what I carry (generally speaking):

• Topwater (3-4 total flies)
  • Deer Hair Diver, Popper, Mr. Wiggly
• Baitfish (4-6 total flies)
  • Roamers, Clousers, Kreelex
• Bottom Flies (5-6 total flies)
  • Clawdads, Tequeelies, Wooly Buggers

For colors, I’ll stick with confidence patterns on most of the flies- olives, blacks, and white/chartreuse baitfish flies. I’ll maybe switch some of these out if I know a certain fly out is effective on a certain body of water.

Of course I’ll switch these out from time to time, experimenting with different colors and styles. But this is the general pattern I try to follow for a simplified smallmouth fly box.

With these flies, I’m confident that I can catch fish in a variety of situations and can adapt to any of the elements on a given day.