Fly Fishing - Small Mouth & Large Mouth Bass: Flies That Work

joey · Location: Colorado

I am headed back to Maine over the fourth of July and although my time is limited I am going to do a little fishing on the lake where I will be staying. The lake holds some very large small mouth and large mouth bass. I have never really targeted bass before but have caught them on woolly buggers and muddler minnows off the dock. This year I would like to target these fish and see how I do. What patterns would you reccomend I try? I would really like to try and catch them on top water but any suggestions on fly patterns will be greatly appreciated.

ChrisR · Location: Southeast Massachusetts

Joey, slump busters work great for bass. If you get up to Mike's shop he has something similar that is orange and chartruese. I forget the name but it is a special locally tied and created pattern. Killer fly for just about everything. It really stands out in even murky water. For top water I have seen some nice spun deer hair flies that should work great. One I saw resembles a frog. Beans may have those in stock.

ChrisR · Location: Southeast Massachusetts

Oh yeah. Fishing a trib for stripers I had the smallies crushing a blue and silver mushmouth. It's a salt water fly by design but you never know.

AvidDavid · Location: Long Island, NY

Joey:

I have had pretty good success using poppers with rubber legs. Hula poppers work but even cheaper poppers with hackle on the hook instead of the "trademark" hula skirt that you can get at Walmart work. (I submitted a fishtale last September with a picture, but it's still in the "queue")

The simple solution:

1. Cast the popper next to the lily pads.
2. W A I T until the rings from it hitting the water dissappear.
3. Twitch it once to make it "pop."
4. W A I T until the rings from its "pop" dissappear.
5... repeat 3 and 4.

Usually the action happens at step 2 or Step 4 (the first time). Get out the 8 weight to throw these big poppers around. It is a HOOT!

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