2026 Fly Fishing Smallie Thread

[barrybarry]

With the river flooding, the bass are all at the bank or in the small feeder streams. Very slow bite. They're still a little cold. Should pick up in a week or so. I've had several on Ned rigs spinning. This was the only one active enough to take a moving presentation.

 

[bdhoover77]

I’ve been tying some flies for spring smallmouth and getting my gear ready. I had thought about taking today off and hitting a Maryland river, but I decided to wait another week or two. The weather is supposed to get colder over the next week, so that might put off the pre-spawn bite a while. Regardless, I am anxious to get out soon.

 

[Streammagic237]

Really ready to get after them but , don't want to do the drive to my fave smallie water till it warms a bit , GREAT fish !

 

[Olddominionsmoke]

This year I plan on hitting bass hard, I can’t wait. I have only gone bass fishing a handful of times, mainly have a just stuck to trout.

I live 20 minutes from the Susquehanna in Cumberland County, so it’s an easy trip out there. Been tying mostly bass flies this winter in preparation.

 

[Lhersh]

Spent 2hrs on the Conestoga today- water temp was 55, had only one hit. Slightly surprised it wasn’t better

 

[dc410]

Spent 2hrs on the Conestoga today- water temp was 55, had only one hit. Slightly surprised it wasn’t better

Not quite time yet! 😉

 

[dudemanspecial]

I thought this was a fly fishing site😳

It's all good.....people post about euronymphing all the time too.

 

[barrybarry]

Fly line, Fly rod, It kind of looks like fly fishing to me

 

[dc410]

Fly line, Fly rod, It kind of looks like fly fishing to me

Nice fish!

 

[poopdeck]

I fly and spin fish. I don’t care how you caught it or where you post it. I’ve only started to think about going out fishing so good for you for getting out with the fly rod to boot. He looks like he isn't starving after a cold winter.

 

[scottrum]

Got my pre spawn fish out of the way yesterday. Shermans Creek near the mouth on my fire tiger articulate bait fish. It was a good feeling. Now the cold is back and will slow things down.

 

[riverwhy]

Got my pre spawn fish out of the way yesterday. Shermans Creek near the mouth on my fire tiger articulate bait fish. It was a good feeling. Now the cold is back and will slow things down.

That image really has me rethinking the size of the flies I use for Smallies. That looks like a big hunk of meat for cold water!

 

[barrybarry]

Elephants eat peanuts.

 

[jifigz]

Disclaimer: These were caught on a spinning rod, but this is an update.

Juniata Temp in Mifflin County: 43°. Fish moving close to shore in shoreline slack spots. Look for slow current. River still quite stained. Fish are willing to hammer baits though. Only going to get better and more aggressive as the water temp increases a little. When it hits 50°, they'll seriously be munching. Streamers on a floating line would be very

Pictures won't load for some reason. Whoops.

 

[Andrwhite610]

That image really has me rethinking the size of the flies I use for Smallies. That looks like a big hunk of meat for cold water!

Gear anglers often use massive 6” glide baits for smallies so I don’t think you could go too big.

 

[Shawn_H]

Not asking for anyone’s honey hole or secret spot. But I got into going after smallies last summer - trying to stay closer to home to maximize fishing opportunities and cut down the miles on my truck (it was getting out of hand). I am in southwestern PA - Greensburg/Delmont more or less. All of the decent areas that I have found close to me are tailwaters - and right now they are putting out some serious water. Has anyone had much luck in this area on smaller creeks? I’m hoping to get a raft eventually but right now I’m wading. And when the river that I fished in July at 300CFS is running 3000CFS I’m pretty sure it’s futile to try and go wade it.

 

[bingsbaits]

Waiting patiently for the Steelheaders/Steelhead to exit and the Lake Erie Smallies to enter the tribs. Some beautiful fish. Not this years pic.

 

[barrybarry]

Pretty slow bite on the Susquehanna today. The water was high, muddy, and cold. This guy came up and busted a stone fly on the surface. I threw a black woolly bugger in his direction and he hit it. It was the only active fish that I saw.

 

[Terry Murphy]

Got my first smallmouth but couldn’t keep the Waldo’s off the pink clousers.

 

[TimMurphy]

Got my first smallmouth but couldn’t keep the Waldo’s off the pink clousers.View attachment 1641249830View attachment 1641249831

Dear Terry,

I miss the Waldo's we used to catch in the river around Binghamton. Do you remember fishing around Murphy's Island at the dead end? You could catch a walleye on every cast in the Spring when the water wasn't up in the trees.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂