Top Hit List:
Here's a list of popular smallmouth flies that will give you a great place to start. If you have these flies on nearly any waters in the US and Canada, you can catch fish on proven patterns.

• Poppers - OK, We’ll cheat here and slip in a few extra to cover different type poppers. You should have three different kinds, at least: flat and cupped faced - hard-bodies and deer hair.
• Flat faced popping bugs: like the Gerbubble Bug - two to four opposing saddle hackle tail feathers and soft marabou hackle spun just behind the rear body. Or try Lefty's Bug - Flat faced with squirrel tail, some derivations use a tandem double tail design for stability. Foam Poppers are rapidly gaining popularity as the popper for durability, castability, and bass catching ability!
• Largemouth Bass Bug - This one has a cupped face, squirrel or feather tail, and rubber legs. It's the legs that really get 'em.
• Deer Hair Bug - Dress them with floatant liberally or they’ll sink. Not my favorite, but in clear water situations they can out perform hard bodies. Use them especially off docks or when sound is a big factor. These land without a lot of fanfare and can save the day. They get soggy real quick and must be continually dressed. I get impatient with these and should spend more time trying them since they are very effective.
• Hard-bodied slider - Flies like the Water Wiggle Bug and other such "anteater" or "flatfish" looking designs dive upon stripping and slowly rise back to the surface.
• Dahlberg Diver - Use it as a chugger/diver when the fish won't take a dry floater. Once it gets soaking wet, you can use it as a streamer.
• Wholly Bugger - Should you ever go anywhere without this fly? Always have these in a couple sizes (#4-8) in colors brown, olive and black. These simulate leeches and crayfish well. Learn more
• Red and White Hackle Fly - (Also the Homer Rhodes Tarpon Fly, seen above) Is an old design that still produces very well in all types of water. It's a relatively easy tie, but stay close to the suggested colors. Don't be surprised if a northern pike takes a few of these from you. Learn more
• Lefty's Deceiver type flies sporting slim bodied designs are great streamers. There are hundreds from which to choose. We especially like crayfish colors and other natural minnow colors with silver, gold, and/or flash. Largemouth like gaudy colors. Learn more
• Stone Fly Nymph and other larger designs like a strymph or hellgrammite imitation are very effective. Here, big and ugly is the key, especially in colored water. A big blob of fishy looking feathers and hair, floated through a run can produce numbers of fish, where other patterns will take only one or two of the more aggressive fish.Learn more...
• Clouser Minnow - wherever you go in freshwater or saltwater, bring some Clouser jigs...I mean flies. Learn the Clouser