Here They Are… Six New Patterns
Plus Our Long-Time Favorites
Click image to enlarge.
Subsurface Flies: $3.40 each
MINIMUM ORDER = 10 FLIES
(ANY COMBINATION — SUBSURFACE OR TOPWATER FLIES)
All of these flies have caught thousands of fish — smallmouth as well as other fresh and salt water species. Based on their weights and sink rates, these patterns cover shallow, mid-depth and deeper water situations. The various colors are those Tim has found to be effective under the widest variety of conditions. And they are not cheaply constructed imports like the flies most shops offer. Tim’s professional American tiers turn out durable flies of the highest quality.
Tim’s HiTail Craw
Tim’s HiTail Craw
This fly is precisely designed to tempt wary or inactive smallmouth with a very slow-paced bottom presentation. Used properly, this fly can do what no other patterns do– it appears alive even when at rest!
We use an unusual hook and weight configuration that makes the fly almost always ride head-down and tail-up. Even if buffeting currents and rough substrates temporarily turn the fly on its side, the special piece of foam in the rear still keeps the tail riding high (hence its name).
The HiTail’s design keeps the small rabbit strip pincers facing up, the foam piece keeps the pincers splayed out, and the super-undulating rabbit fur is continuously waving in even the slightest current. Smallies cannot resist this!
Lefty’s Red & White (NEW)
Lefty’s Red & White
Years ago, this lightweight, long-profiled streamer only had a feather tail and no weight. That original version of Lefty’s pattern was good, but this improved version is truly great. The long gold Flashabou tail is absolutely dazzling and often causes fish to race several feet thru the water to strike the fly with extreme force. And by adding 1/80th ounce eyes we cause the fly to generate extra enticing flex, plus stay under the surface even when retrieved quickly on a floating line.
In clear to moderate clarity water, this enhanced Red & White is often amazing, because it’s so light you can fish it just inches below the surface and not hang up in shallow rocky water. But smallmouth from 10 to 20 inches will come up and nail it hard even from much deeper water. From mid-summer into mid-fall, the Red & White will often beat any other fly you can throw, especially on Eastern and Mid-South rivers. It’s particularly deadly fished fast and shallow on a slow-sinking line.
Holschlag Hackle Fly
— Featured in Eastern Fly Fishing Magazine —
Holschlag Hackle Fly
You can download and read the article here.
This pattern is regarded by many as the best crayfish pattern ever created. A signature fly of Tim’s for 20 years, the HHF is a bottom-bouncing pattern that’s a go-to fly whenever smallies are eating craws and when fish are inactive. Its bright yellow legs and orange eyes act as “supernormal stimuli” for smallies. This is a perfect pattern for doing the effective “Crayfish Hop” technique.
Now Available in 2 Weights
(Read more about fly weights.)
The standard 1/50th-ounce (with orange eyes) is the most versatile. The new, lighter 1/60th-ounce (with black eyes) is best for shallower and slack-water situations, where you want the fly to flutter to the bottom more slowly.
Click image to enlarge.
Specialty Minnows
There are lots of Clouser Minnow style streamers available, but we offer 4 specialty colors custom-created for smallmouth bass.
The larger Golden Minnow and Albino Minnow, both 3 1/2 inches long, have caught tremendous numbers of big smallmouth, in the Midwest, the North and elsewhere, since we introduced them many years ago.
Our slightly smaller new 3-inch models, the Ghost Minnow and the Chartreuse/Yellow Minnow, are expressly designed for the clearer waters of the East and Mid-South. These are among the most consistent subsurface patterns anywhere on clearer-flowing rivers. In fact, my Pennsylvania friend Todd Spacht has caught literally thousands of smallies on either the Chartreuse/Yellow or Ghost Minnow. His daily catch rates are often 50 fish or more on these two deadly flies.
Golden Minnow
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Ghost Minnow
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Chartreuse / Yellow Minnow
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Albino Minnow
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Cactus Bugger
Cactus Bugger
This mid-depth pattern, moderately weighted with lead wire, can be effectively fished either fast or slow. It’s quite versatile, easy to use and a very consistent producer.
The extremely bright, flashy body material, combined with its undulating rabbit-strip tail, makes it especially effective. Many of our customers overlook this deadly pattern, but those who use it are richly rewarded. Our Cactus Buggers have caught lake trout, big brookies, muskies, pike, walleyes, and lunker largemouth, not to mention thousands of smallmouth. All three are the same weight and size (3 inches long).
Of our 3 colors, frankly, I never know before trying each which color will be the hot one that day. So the smart thing to do is have all colors along and give each a try. No dice with chartreuse after 30 minutes? Then switch to white or black.
- White Cactus Bugger — The white-tailed Cactus Bugger is especially deadly in extra-clear water. The extremely bright, flashy body material also makes it very noticeable and good in lower visibility conditions.
- Chartreuse Cactus Bugger — With the same flashy Cactus Chenille body as the white bugger, plus a bright chartreuse rabbit-strip tail, this version is a hot fly for stained and lower-visibility water. Largemouth bass love it.
- Black Cactus Bugger (New) — All-black is often a killer in muddy or dark stained water, and also during midday on bright sunny days. Don’t hesitate to give it a try if other colors aren’t doing the job.
Holschlag Hare
Holschlag Hare
This is a mid-depth pattern with 1/50th or 1/40th-oz eyes. It’s an excellent search pattern for covering lots of water, but can also be allowed to sink deeper and twitched slower.
The rabbit-fur tail produces outstanding undulation, without the excessive fur that makes so many rabbit flies nearly impossible to cast when wet. A large deerhair head really pushes water, and its shape means the Hare darts extremely well with rod tip twitches. One of the most versatile and effective subsurface patterns ever.
The Holschlag Hare comes in four different colors and multiple weights:
- White Holschlag Hare in 1/50th and 1/40th weights
- Black Holschlag Hare in 1/50th and 1/40th weights
- Yellow Holschlag Hare
- Olive Holschlage Hare
More Subsurface Patterns
Here are more favorite flies. Thoroughly tested by the smallies themselves, these patterns catch plenty of fish, season after season.
Shenks Streamer
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Murdich Minnow
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Don’t forget your strike indicators!
Smallmouth Fly Angler Strike Indicators
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Not sure which flies to get?
Let Tim Holschlag customize a selection for you!
“Custom Dozen” Smallmouth Flies
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