Best Flies For Effective Fly Fishing

It does not matter if you are going fishing for the first time or you already have some experience in fishing. Choosing the right fly for fishing is very important, either it can make your experience a lot better or worse.

So, stock your fly box with a variety of flies so that you don’t go home empty-handed.

There is no perfect fly for effective fishing. you may consider these following factors to choose a better fly

Types of flies for fly fishing:

1: Dry Flies: used on or at the surface mostly in freshwaters

2: Wet flies: used below the surface

3: Streamers: widely used larger wet flies

4: Poppers: used on the surface of the water

5: Saltwater Flies: used for marine species

6: Emergers: used at the bottom of the water

7: Nymphs: used under the water

Here is our list of the best 15 flies for fishing:

(Note: order does not matter in this list, You should choose the fly pattern which works best for your situation)

1: Wooly Bugger:

Wooly bugger flies are the most popular and commonly used fish flies. It works with almost any species of fish.

Wooly buggers are mostly used in cold and high waters because it is a streamer. It is easy to use even if you are a noobie, you will have no problem to tie and fish with a wooly bugger.

It can be more effective in the mid-level depth of water.

Whilst wooly buggers are mostly used in freshwaters, lakes, and rivers nevertheless it can be serviceable in salt waters too.

Since it is a high-calorie meal, it attracts trouts easily compared to a little mayfly. It is preferred in size 2-10.

Wooly buggers are mostly used in olive, brown, and black colors.

2: Deer Hair Sedge:

Deer hair sedge is mostly used for sea bass or tout however it can also be used with panfish and smallmouths. It is a type of saltwater fly. It has brown or black hair on top and light pale color hair below made into the form of a fish fry.

Deer hair sedge works best in calmer waters. It is used below the surface, deep in the water as it is a saltwater fly. The preferable sizes for this pattern are size 10-16 but it can work even in size 4 too.

3: Pheasant Tail nymph:

Pheasant Tail nymph pattern was first tied by Frank Sawyer. It is one of the most magnificent and all-around fertile subsurface attractor patterns. It is a go-to pattern since it is very easy to tie and easy to use. It is highly useful in streams and lakes, making it valuable for addition to your fly box.

A beadhead can be added to the pattern to add in a little bit of weight to make your nymph go fast and deep into the water.

4: Blue Winged Olive Fishing Fly:

The blue winged olives are small, subsurface larvae imitators that imitate one of the most common insects of the water.

It is a traditional mayfly style fly with the most basic pattern.

Blue Winged Olive is a type of dry fly that is highly capable yet simple to use. During the time of autumn (September to November), when waters reach 50 degrees, you should always try to include a Blue winged olive in your dry fly box. These flies can be more effective mostly in the mornings on a cloudy day with slower currents along banks.

Its size ranges from size 14 to 24.

5: Elk Hair Caddis Fly:

It is a kind of dry fly generally used for trout fishing. Elk hair caddis is one of the unique yet versatile patterns.

The Elk Hair Caddis is not restricted to trout fishing only, this fly can also be effective if we use it when fishing for steelhead.

Elk Hair Caddis ranges from size 12-20. Its top colors are gray, olive, and tan.

6: Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymphs:

This pattern is a type of nymph pattern.

Hare’s Ear Nymph is usually used below the surface because it is a wet fly. It is a little old pattern but it can imitate various food sources that are discovered in waters.

As the name suggests, Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph pattern is made by using the hare’s soft hair and firm bristles, the hair and bristles are folded on the shank of the hook and held with a gold wire.

A gold bead head can be added to this pattern to make it more stable in the waters and for the tail, a strand of pheasant feather is added to this pattern. It can be found in size 10-18. Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph pattern is ordinarily tied on size 10-16 nymph hooks. Overall this nymph pattern can be a good choice for your fly box as it can imitate all kinds of nymphs as well as other aquatic insects of the water.

7: San Juan Worm Fishing Fly:

It is a rare type of pattern which consists of a piece of chenille tied on a hook with yarn extended out on both ends (Front and Back) giving it the look of an aquatic worm. San Juan Worm is one of the beginner-friendly patterns.

San Juan Worm is preferred to fish during heavy spring rains. Trouts can be easily caught with San Juan Worm because it imitates a worm.

Worms are effortless prey and they also provide a great amount of energy protein as they manage to become slow and waterlogged in the water.

Saun Juan worm is about 2 inches in length. Its preferable colors are red and maroon and preferable sizes are 8-12.

San Juan Worm is mostly used near the bottom of the waters in rivers.

This small worm has won its place in fly boxes all over the world since the period of 1960s and 1970s.

Saun Juan worm is specially adapted to silty rivers, streams, and lakes but it can be used in other locations too.