In his article, "The Few and the Many", Paul Schullery writes “of the question many of us silently ask ourselves each spring, as our vest settles heavily (oof!) onto our shoulders: Do I really need this many flies?” (American Angler, July/August 2008). Fly fishermen love flies. There is something delightful about opening a fly box filled with an assortment of colorful, fanciful, insect-like lures. However, an angler can fish successfully all summer with only three basic flies.
The Popper
Poppers are surface lures, somewhat conical in shape, with a flat or concave surface on the “mouth” end. Retrieving the popper with a series of quick, erratic pulls causes the fly to “pop” along the water. The small splashes and quick motion, intended to mimic insects or frogs struggling toward the shore, attract the attention of bluegill and bass. Upon arriving at the water, a popper is a good choice for the first casts. If fish are in the mood to bite, they will almost always strike a popper.
The Muddler Minnow
When fish aren’t hitting poppers on the surface, it’s a good idea to tie on a Muddler Minnow. Although this fly doesn’t look quite like a minnow or an insect, fish go for it. Retrieving the Muddler with long, steady pulls can bring on attacks from fish lurking under weeds and rocks.
The Wooly Bugger
Every fly fisher’s box contains at least a few Wooly Buggers. Again, this fly doesn’t mimic anything specific. It’s just a fuzzy, bug-like thing that apparently looks appetizing to fish. The Wooly Bugger can be fished in a number of ways. However, when the fish are disdaining poppers and ignoring Muddler Minnows, a Wooly Bugger, rigged with an indicator and retrieved slowly, may bring on the strikes.
Colors and Sizes
Stocking the fly box with variations of these three flies, in different sizes and colors, will prepare the angler for almost any freshwater fishing conditions. Bright colors tend to work well in daylight conditions, while black often produces more results at night. Black and olive are popular for Wooly Buggers. Largemouth bass can swallow amazingly large bait, so it makes sense to fish for these with larger lures.
When All Else Fails, Try Something New
Although these three tried and true flies may be all the angler really needs, it’s fun to have one or two new patterns in the fly box. Sometimes, due to weather conditions, time of day, or the sheer unpredictability of the fishy mind, nothing seems to tempt the swimming prey to bite. In such a situation, the fisherman may as well tie on that foam dragonfly or eye-catching streamer and give it a go. It may achieve surprising results, and the element of surprise is part of the pleasure of fly fishing.
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