Of course, you are right. Everyone should read for pleasure and interest. That would of course make one more fluent.
However, to get to that point, one must read.
If you have access to all the phonics rules you can read anything.
As you read more, the need for the basic phonics diminishes.
That's why I did them in "cheat sheet" form.
As you begin to remember the most commonly used phonics rules, there is no need to remember the more obscure ones unless you have a good memory, and want to.
That's why the "cheat sheet". When you do encounter that odd or new word, you can figure it out.
Just guessing at words, as the "educators" of today want you to do can lead to disaster in the wrong circumstances.
IMHO, a good dictionary to have is a 1934 or earlier Webster's Collegiate. They can be had for a dollar or so at flea markets, etc.
Age 3 to 9 are the most important for learning reading.
From 7 or so and up to 27 or so, I read around 100 to 200 books a year, including, around 12 years old, the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran.
If you read the type of books I do, you always have a dictionary handy.
With the history and genealogy research I'm into now, I have a collection of dictionaries going back to the 1700s and books explaining the use and meaning of words back to the 800s.
I have no problem with using phonics rules. And I love that you made that cheat sheet! One of my sons learned from phonics rules and drills. It certainly didn’t hurt him.
But the others learned from just sight reading, cracking the code, and did fine as well. You are right that those early years are very important to be read to and read themselves A LOT. But I did learn that the kids who for one reason or another were not motivated to learn to read until much older still did well, very well. I know one with a PhD who teaches now at a college.