SMALLMOUTH BASS ON THE FLY

###

What do you get when you cross a smallmouth bass with a Cessna aircraft? One incredible fly fishing trip! August of 2008 brought Mike from Cessna Aircraft to the Northwoods of Wisconsin in search of smallmouth bass with his fly rod, and the action that ensued made this one of those days that make us understand the uniqueness of fly fishing.

First off, the weather was pretty warm, actually it was nearing hot, and we were looking to catch bass on the surface, with various fly patterns including poppers, mayfly imitations and grasshopper imitations. The previous evening brought rain showers with pretty good wind…and when we took to the water, it was flat calm. It was overcast, and that may well have been what saved the day.

On this overcast day, we began by getting a feel for where the bass were staging, and from experience, I was pretty sure that they were holding within 1-2 feet of shore. The embankment is very steep and continues underwater, making it over 20 ft deep just 15 feet from shore. Within the first 10 minutes Mike had his first smallmouth on the line, which had eaten his dark green popper. The next hour or so was filled with many bass, hitting right next to shore, and obviously preferring the dark green popper.

As the day progressed, still without wind, we began to notice a shift in the bass' behavior. We needed to change it up, so we brought out the mayfly and grasshopper imitations and started working them as we did the poppers. With these imitations, however, the bass weren't hitting until they were over at least 10 feet of water. When they hit, though, they did so with intensity.

This particular stretch of river is part of a reservoir, and gets as deep as 65 feet, with many rock piles and islands scattered about. The downed timber was holding the vast majority of the smallies, while, surprisingly, the rocks were virtually void of fish. One of my very favorite locations to catch nice smallmouth when they are relating to downed trees and shoreline cover is to fish near beaver lodges, and this stretch has just one. In a very narrow passage on the river, about 12 feet wide, and with many overhanging tree branches, Mike had his work cut out for him to place the fly just right by the beaver lodge.

His first attempt was close, but not quite where it needed to be. His second cast hit its mark, and just as the fly hit the water, a 19 inch smallmouth hammered Mike's fly. What a battle! I watched as the bass did numerous acrobatic jumps, pulled like a train towards the bottom, only to be catapulting itself right out of the water again! It was the pinnacle of the day, and one with a lesson. Be flexible, and pay attention to what is happening under the water, and above the water!

On this trip, we expected to find the fish close to shore, which they were. However, they were not where we had originally expected. Smallmouth bass love rocks, and more often than not they are holding right next to large rocks looking for an easy meal from a critter falling in the water, or from a crayfish that is undoubtedly living under that rock. We started looking for them by the rocks. They were not there, so we began targeting the downed trees, and that was where we found them. Keying in on this sort of structure allowed us to have a very exciting and successful day on the water, catching well over 40 smallmouth bass, a couple of largemouth bass and a northern pike thrown in for variety!

Should you desire to head out after smallmouth bass with a fly rod, make sure you have a fly rod and reel outfit that is ready for bass. In most instances, such as an overcast day, you won't need to cast more than 30-50 feet of line, so using a rod that generates high line speeds is not necessary. A moderate to moderate/fast action rod of 6,7 or 8 weight in lengths from 8'6" to 9'0" will be just what you need. Match that rod with a lightweight reel and matching line, and you will be well on your way!

One of my favorite combinations for fly fishing any bass specie is my Diamondback Flawless Saltwater 9'0" 6 weight rod matched with a Climax V1 reel in 7 weight, spooled with Cortland Precision 6.5 weight forward floating fly line. I use a Climax fluorocarbon leader and tippet, and find that this setup is just right to accurately and delicately land a grasshopper imitation within inches of the shore from close range, but has the punch to defeat high winds when necessary, and still get that fly in the strike zone. This entire setup can be done very inexpensively, and will guarantee that you will have a setup that will last you for a lifetime, and will accommodate nearly any fly fishing endeavor that you will attempt. For any inland lake fly fishing experience, this setup is in my boat. It handles everything from bluegills up to northern pike, and is easy to learn with for those with less experience fly fishing, and challenges those that are more seasoned to achieve a level they previously thought untouchable.

Also, you can hire a guide who fly fishes, like myself, and get a firsthand feel for one of these setups before you spend the money on one for yourself. It is very important to know how the rod feels, and how it works, and an experienced fly angler can help you to know what to look for. Buying a very inexpensive fly rod to try is not the way to determine if you will like fly fishing. It doesn't cost much more to get a setup that will make fly fishing enjoyable and last you a lifetime!

Fishing, anytime, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors. Enjoying the outdoors with a fly rod, and doing "hand-to-hand" combat with bass is a rush!

Keep your loops tight, and may your back-casts be clean without wind knots!

###

Back