All smallmouth bass fly fishermen need minnow patterns. Todd’s Wiggle Minnow is one of the best. This is a floating/diving shad pattern, that mimics the smaller shad you often see in the lakes. It is also very effective as a river fly. This one is a smaller version made on a #6 hook, perfect for most smallmouth bass fishing conditions.

I like fishing this fly on a floating fly line. Guide Josh Pfeiffer showed me a trick that works when using this fly. Work the fly in the water by pulling long slow strips, then stop. The Wiggle Minnow dives just below the surface, and wiggles, much like a Rapala. When you stop the strip, the fly floats back to the surface. Then, do it again and again. That tears smallies up.

Many fishermen use this fly with a sink tip line, to get the fly deeper. This is a great idea. I’m not a big fan of sinking fly lines but I’ve done this and it works.

This fly is not only deadly for smallmouth bass. You can catch many other species too, like largemouth bass, trout, white bass and stripers. I never go fly fishing in warmwater situations, without this fly in my box.

Byron

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Little River Outfitters is a fly shop and mail order company located in Townsend, Tennessee, a gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We have been family owned since 1994.