2026 Fly Fishing Smallie Thread

[JG63]

Big 6” synthetic steamers weighted for neutral buoyancy can be thrown on a 6 weight and still handle the pre spawn bruisers

 

[Richbo69]

Awesome. Wished I coulda been out today but had other obligations.

 

[bdhoover77]

I thought the smallies might be active today. Nope…skunked again.

Maybe I suck at fly fishing.

 

[jifigz]

Bass are pretty active. They'll readily smack streamers right now. Water temp on Juniata near me is 53°.

 

[dc410]

Bass are pretty active. They'll readily smack streamers right now. Water temp on Juniata near me is 53°. View attachment 1641250192

Nice! What bug are you chucking there, Josh?

 

[jifigz]

Nice! What bug are you chucking there, Josh?

Not sure. Something I threw together at the vise. It's got bucktail, flashabou, an olive bunny zonker, and some cactus chenille and eyes. It didn't sink as well as I was hoping. I thought the saturated rabbit fur would help it sink. I had to add a BB split shot.

 

[Lhersh]

broke in the new 6 wt on the Stoga
water temp 58

 

[laurelhighlander]

This week action was on fire. Fish are shallow and chasing

 

[skiltonian]

Few from the Schuylkill, Chester Co.

 

[bdhoover77]

I’ve been skunked this spring on the MD streams when searching for smallies. I think my next time out I’m going to try one of the Susquehanna tribs to see if I have any better results (than nothing).

It’s also entirely possible (maybe even likely) that I am not very good at fishing for smallmouth!

 

[Cougarbaby]

Football season is in for you guys ,that's any SM over 15 inch for us

 

[Striperbobby]

Conestoga bass love Murdich minnows and surprise catch on a clawdad! Great day, seemed like they preferred big size 2 flies today. Water was low and clear and fish were super shallow and right up on the bank.

 

[Richbo69]

Only landed one today, but it was a slob. Hell of a fight! Water clear and temps were great. Sorry not a better pic.

 

[Richbo69]

My buddy took a pic so here is a better for size comparison. I’m guessing close to 20 based on my elbow to finger tips is 17”. I was happy regardless!

 

[Terry Murphy]

My buddy took a pic so here is a better for size comparison. I’m guessing close to 20 based on my elbow to finger tips is 17”. I was happy regardless! View attachment 1641250794

Nice fish and helluva beard .

 

[TheFarBankIsAlwaysBetter]

Last week my local creek finally had smallies moving back in.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Ahead of this front the Susquehanna had good flows AND visibility on Monday. I am thinking it's not going to be like that for long. I almost busted out the fly rod, but I did not. Fish were starting to be in the post-spawn main river spots, but a lot of small males. We did not fish banks or any likely spawning spots, so we saw no beds. Capt claimed they were done.

It was too damn hot to be out there after 10 AM. We only notched 22 fishes, but this is an annual tradition with my son. He caught a couple in the 18-inch range, so he was happy, and he had that Hardee's in Duncannon Boro experience for lunch 😉 If you are wondering, Yes, I was that handsome, maybe more so, at 18. I also sport the beard and that hat to avoid too much attention in Sheetz.

 

[poopdeck]

So what were you catching them on?

 

[Nymph-wristed]

So what were you catching them on?

Sorry, the boy caught the better fish on paddletail soft swimbaits. I cycled through it all from chatterbaits, to spinnerbaits, to creatures, to crankbaits. Most fish hit the finesse baits like paddletails and creatures. A couple short blow-ups on topwater that did not connect. Very tough day. Sunday, all the baits worked, of course....

 

[tjsingle]

I also sport the beard and that hat to avoid too much attention in Sheetz.

No SMB trip on the J or susky (Or Central PA trout run from SEPA) is complete without a stop to the good ole Duncannon Sheetz.