Description
Fly Type: This is a versatile streamer and attractor pattern that can be fished in various ways to imitate a baitfish or a large insect.
Best Suited For: An exceptional fly for targeting large, aggressive trout, bass, pike, and other predatory species. The black color can trigger a strong, territorial strike from fish.
Best Time to Fish: The black color is most effective in low-light conditions, such as overcast days, dawn, dusk, or even at night. It's also an excellent choice for fishing in murky or stained water where a strong silhouette is needed to attract a fish's attention.
Water Type: A classic freshwater fly, though similar patterns are used for saltwater species like striped bass.
Best Location: This fly works great in both rivers and lakes. In rivers, fish it in deep pools and under cutbanks. In lakes, target drop-offs and other submerged structures where predatory fish lie in wait.
Other Value: The key feature of this fly is its clipped deer-hair head, which gives it a bulky, buggy profile and a lively action in the water. The black color creates a powerful silhouette against the sky, making the fly stand out to fish looking up from below. The best way to fish it is with an active, strip-and-pause retrieve to mimic a struggling baitfish.