Smallie Chasers.

[thebassman]

I was wondering how many of you guys chase smallies on the fly. This is something that I am getting into like crazy. I am trying to step away from the spinning gear and go to flies only. I am also trying to tie some of my own up. I visit riversmallies.com alot, but found this site while trying to get info on fly fishing here in PA.

 

[Fishidiot]

Welcome to the best PA fly fishing website and forum. As one might expect for PA, this site is dominated by trout (and steelhead) guys and forum topics reflect that - especially the stream reports. Nevertheless, there's a few of us hard core bass folks. I try to post reports on bass rivers from time to time. Browse through, if you haven't already, this warmwater forum and there's a lot of good info, esp on flies for smallies as well as some stuff on carp, muskies, sunnies etc. Typically, the threads about bass fishing revolve around straightforward stuff and only attract a handful of replies. By comparison, the trout related threads often take off on philosphical tangents sometimes with dozens or even hundreds of replies. It's a good crowd here and although the trout guys have got some opinions, they're respectful about it. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

 

[FishOnCamp]

Smallmouth on a fly is a great way to spend a hot summer evening. I mainly fish topwater but clousers and buggers will always catch fish. Lots of fun and good casting practice.

 

[greenghost]

thebassman,
Welcome. I LOVE fishing for smallies with a flyrod. When June rolls around, I find myself wet wading all the streams that I was fishing for stocked trout just a couple months earlier. Smallies are THE wild fish of SW PA. I mainly fish the lower Yough -- only 30 minutes from my house -- Slippery Rock and Neshannock. I don't tie my own bugs and flies and since they're usually made out of foam, cork, lead, bucktail and marabou, they are very durable and last a long time.
My smallie patterns are few. They are: skipping minnow, assorted Gaines cork poppers, foam poppers and rubber ants, assorted sizes and various colors and sizes of Clousers and wooly buggers, foam crayfish imitations (FFP versions which are killers). I also carry an assortment of white millers in August for the white fly hatch -- PRIMO time to be on a stream for smallies. Since most of the waters I fish -- with the exception of the Yough -- are relatively shallow I almost always use a floating line. I generally fish a 6 weight, unless the waters are very low, then I'll basically use trout size flies on my 5 weight. I know I just threw a bunch of general info at you. Stuff you may have already known. If you have any specific questions, I might be able to help. Feel free to PM me.

 

[ErnieBall]

greenghost: what part of SRC do you hit for smallies?

 

[greenghost]

Ernie,
I fish from Wurtemburg all the way up toward Rt 79. There are so many miles of that stream, so many different personalities. I do have my personal favorite stretches. IMO, you're better off fishing the areas that aren't hit by other anglers. For example, I think the areas around Heinz Camp and RosePoint are hit too hard by both hard core anglers and campers. The bass are there but they are tough. The best time to explore is white fly time when fish are very cooperative. Also, spin guys take their share out of the stream. I would love to see Catch and Release areas for bass and I think Slippery Rock would be a good stream to try such regs.

 

[flipnfly]

few questions for bass
1. what length and type of leader is used? is there a special taper
2. which do you prefer more floating or sinking lines
3. clousers and buggers are good any other flies that a sworn by as a smallie angler?


im just curious because i know a really good spot on the yough ive caught alot of bass there in high numbers per session bait fishing and am anxious to try flies

 

[Fishidiot]

flipn,
For most of my FFing for bass I use a leader of about 7-9 feet with about three sections of taper - usually the tippet is 8-11lb test line. There is rarely a need for fine tippets when bassing. I use only floating lines for bass. In the event I feel the need to fish deep (usually this is during the colder months) I'll use a lead core sink tip which will pull the floating line down. In addition to Clousers and buggers, get some basic poppers. The colors don't matter much (I like yellow and red/white) but they should cast well. Although big flies work well on bass, large poppers can be difficult to cast so I recommend streamlined "pencil" type poppers. Deer hair bass bugs look nice but are troublesome to tie and expensive to buy - stick with foam of balsa poppers. Some nymphs will round out your bass flies. If you go down a few topics on this warmwater forum you can check out many of my preferred flies in the thread "fly box sneak peek."

 

[afishinado]

I would like to add, that I have nothing to add to Fishidiot's post. If you follow what he says, and the fish are there, you will tie into more than a few. SM are a blast on a fly rod!.......good luck.

 

[flipnfly]

thanks for the help im kind of excited fo try it do you guys think an 8 weight is too heavy for bass

 

[Fishidiot]

An 8WT is fine for bass - esp if you're gonna be fishing larger rivers.

 

[FishOnCamp]

As mentioned earlier Gaines poppers and sliders work well. If you want to tie your own with craft foam, do a search on Gurgle Poppers.

 

[greenghost]

An 8 wgt is good for largemouth where you need the muscle to toss larger bugs and yank fish out of weeds and pads.

Might be a bit too heavy for smallies, depending on the water.
I generally use a 9 ft 6 wgt for smallies.

Don't get me wrong, of course you can use an 8 wgt for smallies, imo, it's just more fun playing the fish with smaller rods.

 

[ryguyfi]

I've got a 8'6" 5wt that I've caught plenty of smallies on the SRC. With a heavier rod and line you can cast farther, but it's not necessary, plus more fun to fight the fish.

 

[brain]

smallmouth on a fly is insanely fun.
top middle or bottom it's all good.
and in most creeks you might not be entirely sure just what your fighting till you see it.
during the summer you can fish a whole day and only see a few other anglers.
floating the meduim sized creeks is just plain fun.

oh man i need a cold shower.

 

[flipnfly]

i have a 4 wt a 6 wt with a sinking tip line an old 7 wt that i have a 5 wt line on its actually a really old line ive had it for 15 years an an 8 weight thats i think 9 foot that was meant for steelhead but i never went i guess imma hafta buy a sinktip for it

 

[Imgonnamissher]

Smallies on the fly on my favorite kind of fishing. Rod-wise, I like to use a 6 for larger streams and ponds, but there are a lot of waters up here in Maine where the smallies are so numerous they are stunted. Those waters are perfect for a 3 or 4 weight. That's also why I like the foam poppers like small gartside gurglers (size 8-10) and Lefty's Bugs. They're easier to cast on light lines. Not gonna hit any major distances, but for the stunted, hungry bass, I'd swear they'd try to eat me if I fell in anyway, so distance isn't really a factor here. Still, can't wait to get down there this Summer for the PA smallies and start fishing for largemouth too.

 

[PaulW]

I used to do it alot back in California. Really a blast, as the stream Smallies are super aggressive and fight like crazy in that current. I found most days all I needed was a small chart/white Clouser fished on a 5 weight rod and a little sinktip line....tons of fun!

Paul W

 

[wetflyguy]

I like a 9' 6wt. for river smallies.
I fish the lehigh and the schuylkill most.
Buggersin olive and brown,
clausers also do the job.

 

[Fishidiot]

Paul,
Welcome to the site. We've got a couple frequent posters who live in FL. While I honestly think FL is the best state in the nation for fishing - if I moved there I'd sure miss smallies and trout. On second thought, maybe I'd be too distracted by the tarpon, bones, jacks, permit, largemouth bass, snook, reds, pomps, snappers, specs, dolphin, sails, macks, grouper, bream, sharks, cudas, tripletail.....Gosh my head's startin to spin. 🙂

Ya gotta love FL. If you plan on fishing up here in PA look some of us up.
BTW: Nice photos on your site, esp that red in your avatar.