Flies - What Are the Right Ones to Use?

Fly fishing flies are designed to look like insects, invertebrates, and other creatures appealing to fish. Flies are the connection between you and the fish.

There are different types of fishing flies to lure in different types of fish. It can get confusing, especially when you’re just starting out. Here is a guide to some of the most common flies used in fly fishing:

Dry Flies

Dry flies float on the water’s surface and often resemble adult insects like mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies. Dry flies are exciting flies to use because they allow you to see the fish rise and take the fly.

These flies come in unique colors and patterns that help attract fish to the surface. To get a fish to rise to a dry fly takes develop skill not only in fly selection, but also in delivery a drag free drift.

Nymphs

Nymphs are designed to resemble insects that are frequently seen underwater. Since these flies drift underwater, the fisher must sense a fish’s strike by watching its movement below the surface or drift with an indicator.

Nymphing is a popular technique that gives the fly fisher the greatest success to catch a fish.   The majority of fish feed below the surface.   The trick is to get the nymph into the fish’s strike zone, the depth at which they are feeding.

Streamers

Streamers are ideal when fishing for larger species. Streamers imitate crayfish, baitfish, and leeches, among others. These flies are effective for almost any type of fish, both cold water and warm water.   This is a more active type of fly fishing because the flies are stripped in to imitate the baitfish’s movement.

Saltwater Flies

True to their name, saltwater flies are used for fly fishing in marine environments. These are flies are designed to imitate saltwater species such as minnows, shrimp, and small crabs to name a few.

Fly Quality

Often overlooked is the quality of the fly.   There are a lot of producers out there.   Generally speaking, you get what you pay for.   At RiverBum, we pride ourselves in fly quality.   Our flies are all tied on top quality hooks like Daiichi and Gamakatsu.   Cheap flies have cheap hooks which leads to bent hooks and missed fish.  Don’t lose a fish of a lifetime on a cheap fly.  Insist on quality, insist on RiverBum Flies.

We offer great advice, service and super fast shipping.   Have a question, feel free to call or write.   We will make sure we put you into the right gear.

That’s it for now my fishy friends.    Remember, we have this one earth.  Take care of her.  Pack it, Pack it out, and leave no trace.

Tight Lines and Screaming Drags

Dave