Diver Style Fly

The Diver Style Fly, often credited to angler and designer Larry Dahlberg, is a versatile topwater and subsurface pattern that revolutionized fly fishing for bass and other predatory fish. Designed to imitate frogs, baitfish, or distressed prey, its defining feature is the deer hair head, which creates a distinctive diving and popping action when retrieved. Originally developed for targeting largemouth and smallmouth bass, it has since found favor in saltwater and warmwater fisheries for its uncanny ability to trigger aggressive strikes.

Use Wind to Your Advantage: On windy days, cast the Diver into the wind and allow it to drift naturally with occasional strips. The natural chop enhances the fly’s lifelike diving and surfacing motion, attracting fish in turbulent conditions.