Headed to Manitoba for Smallmouth fly fishing

[35 whelen]

Headed to Manitoba spend a week fly fishing for Smallmouth on the Winnipeg River any suggestion on flies never really been into the fly fishing for them thanks

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[scel]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Headed to Manitoba spend a week fly fishing for Smallmouth on the Winnipeg River any suggestion on flies never really been into the fly fishing for them thanks

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Oh man. Fly fishing for smallies is awesome.

My personal #1 fly for smallies is an olive-n-white or black-n-white clouser minnow. I like the clouser because it can be worked with many different lines and depths. Sz2-6 are go-to sizes

You might be a little early for topwater but I would want a few for early morning and late night. Yellow-n-green or yellow-n-black poppers in sz4-6 are my first topwater choice, but smallies can key on in local bug life. Large mayflies like hexes and march browns can make up a good portion of their diets. Gurglers and big foam bugs can also produce.

Zonkers are also a favourite. They are not very popular here out west, but the minnow-like or leech-like motion can make it very deadly. I usually fish sz4-6.


And of course, woolly buggers! Black, olive, and brown are staples in my box.

If there is a heavy reliance on insect food (hellgramites, crayfish, and dragonfly nymphs, for example) means buggers will have a more important role in your fly box. On the lake and rivers that I fish, you can tell when the primary food source turns from insect forage to minnows. Fast stripped clousers become the only thing that will work. I am still 2 months away from my trip to smallmouth-land.

[35 whelen]

Thank you yes I can't wait

Originally Posted by scel

Oh man. Fly fishing for smallies is awesome.

My personal #1 fly for smallies is an olive-n-white or black-n-white clouser minnow. I like the clouser because it can be worked with many different lines and depths. Sz2-6 are go-to sizes

You might be a little early for topwater but I would want a few for early morning and late night. Yellow-n-green or yellow-n-black poppers in sz4-6 are my first topwater choice, but smallies can key on in local bug life. Large mayflies like hexes and march browns can make up a good portion of their diets. Gurglers and big foam bugs can also produce.

Zonkers are also a favourite. They are not very popular here out west, but the minnow-like or leech-like motion can make it very deadly. I usually fish sz4-6.


And of course, woolly buggers! Black, olive, and brown are staples in my box.

If there is a heavy reliance on insect food (hellgramites, crayfish, and dragonfly nymphs, for example) means buggers will have a more important role in your fly box. On the lake and rivers that I fish, you can tell when the primary food source turns from insect forage to minnows. Fast stripped clousers become the only thing that will work. I am still 2 months away from my trip to smallmouth-land.

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