Warm Stillwater Fishing

[ginkyhackle]

I fished a large warmwater lake today with a decent amount of success. Nearly landed a very large largemouth bass that took a hopper, but it threw the fly as I was reaching down to sntach him. In about two hours I caught a a few dozen bluegills and a bunch of bass in the 10 - 12" range. It was a very pleasant morning.

I find that the main difference that distinguishes fishing stillwaters, from say, rivers, relates to the movement of the water and the action of the fly. In most lakes and ponds, fly anglers cannot rely on drift, which is one of the hallmarks of river and stream fishing. The fly angler on a lake or pond really needs to create action, to simulate naturalistic insect behavior without using currents as a tool.

I find that large surface flies from hoppers to deerhair divers seem to be infinately more effective on lakes than on rivers and streams. I tend to be far more confindent in big, gaudy bugs when I'm fishing a lake.

Have other folks found strategies that work for them on stillwaters? What about stillwater fishing for species for big toothy fish like pike? What has worked for you in this challenging environment?

 

[buckbarrett]

Its not a challenging effort at all on slow water on a pond or lake. A popper will always do well with a little twitch. If you need to go down with a lure, use a muddler minnow pattern or one of many streamers.

 

[Fredrick]

I think it all depends on the lake. Some places I go I can see the bass spook before they even get in casting range (And I am good at stalking fish I can catch fish on valley with ease) . There isn't alot many lakes and ponds to fish in my area so I don't have alot of time in with the fly rod. But my expierence has taught me yellow poppers and clousers of any color. Black conehead wooly buggers . I haven't caught any pike yet and I don't know anywhere close that has any some i'm kinda a** out until I do :-(

 

[ginkyhackle]

So, this year nymphing has hooked me a very large number of large and small mouth. Some of these fish have been big. Unfortunately the ones in the 3 pound range have tended to throw my size 14 nymphs close to the bank. I think this comes from my somewhat timid hook setting and the small size of the nymph.

I've noticed that some very plump dragonfly nymphs populate the lakes I fish. I'm going to seriously devote myself to imitating them in a size 8-10 nymph. I really don't like the dragonfly nymphs imitations I've seen on the web or in magasines. Has anyone experimented with a dragonfly pattern?

Incidently, smaller 7-10" trout seem to love green caddis larvae. I've hooked a zillion like the one below on a green caddis I tie with bright green body glass and peacock herl.

 

Ginkyhackle writes: "Incidently, smaller 7-10" trout seem to love green caddis larvae. I've hooked a zillion like the one below on a green caddis I tie with bright green body glass and peacock herl".
Uhhhhhh, okie-smokie-dokie.........being the "curious type", Gink, I HAVE to ask this......... "Just what strain of "7-10 inch TROUT", you've "caught a zillion of", are we talking about here? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[ginkyhackle]

BASS -- oops. The end of summer seems to be triggering my reoccuring case of retardation. BASS, I meant. Unless I can pass these guys off as seasick and deformed trout!

 

[tomgamber]

I spend an hour at Raystown one day catching big smallies on beadhead caddis pupae under and indicator. Not surprising.

 

Ginky;
Don't feel too bad about your picture of a nice; "Smallmouth Rainbow"!
Not long ago, while fishing the lake across the street from my house, I ran into a nice enough chap that had a 5 gallon bucket half full of fish. I complimented his catch success, to which he replied; "Thanks!! I fish this lake a LOT and I've NEVER HAD such great luck!"
As is the custom, at this point I asked him, "What kind of bait are you taking these fish on??"
To which, he proudly proclaimed.............. "I've tried a ton of different things, here, today but when I switched to Berkley Power Bait, the cheddar cheese one............ these crazy "Yellow Barred BASS", seemed to just go NUTS over it!"
Like, I said, "he was a nice chap" so I didn't make any remarks to the obvious facts that his "Yellow Barred bass", struck an uncanny resemblance to Yellow Perch!?!!"

 

[schrec]

For me, fly fishing on a lake for largemouth bass is a hazy state of mind. It's a slowed-down, relaxed process: trout fishing on ludes.
If trout is Izaak Walton then bass is Huckleberry Finn. If trout is Shubert then bass is Grateful Dead.

My favorite method is to wet wade in lily pads working the edges and pockets with popping bugs. I cast let the bug settle for awhile. Give it a tiny twitch and WHAM! That's all it usually takes. Sometimes it may take more than one twitch. At times, it can be difficult pulling them out of the pads if they bury themselves. That's where the wet wading comes in handy. I've actually gone diving for wrapped-up bass before. On a hazy, hot summer evening it's cool thing to do. ;-)

rising fish always
schrec

 

[dave1066]

Fred,

I've seen you fish... you're not that sneeky! It doesn't count if the fish just get used to your ugly mug standing on their front porch!

 

[Fredrick]

I've seen you fish... you're not that sneeky! It doesn't count if the fish just get used to your ugly mug standing on their front porch!

That was then and this is now back then I was just happy to keep my fly out of the tree . You see me now and you would think I was a guide :-D