Large Mouth Bass Go For Flies
July 1st, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments »Fishing for bass can provide some of the most exciting fly fishing in the country. The largemouth bass is probably the most popular game fish in America. The widespread availability of bass make it very popular for sport fishing. Largemouth bass can be found from southern Canada to South America. Smallmouth bass are also excellent for fly fishing, but they prefer slightly cooler waters and are not widespread as the largemouth variety.
Generally, the warmer the water, the larger the bass will grow. For example, a four or five pound bass may be large for a northern lake, but warmer southern waters regularly produce fish weighing 10 pounds or more. The temperature of the water is a key factor in the food available for bass to eat.
Just after spawning is usually the best time to catch bass. This will also depend on water temperatures. For largemouth bass, spawning takes place when the water temperatures reached the low to mid-60s. In a cold climate state like Michigan, bass may spawn in June, while a warmer state like Lousiana spawning may start in February.
The behavior of the largemouth bass is also influenced considerably by the temperature at the top of the water. On hot summer days, they usually feed during the early morning hours and then again during the last few hours of daylight, when the sun isn’t as bright and the water temperature is cooler. Bass are generally found in areas of the water that have a lot of vegetation and cover. They spend a lot of time near the water’s edge among the grasses, reeds, and other plants.
Artificial lures such as bugs and poppers are frequently used for largemouth bass. Surface lures, including poppers, should be retrieved quickly on top of the water. Other good fly patterns for largemouth bass or the Muddler Minnow and the Wooly Worm. There are some fly fishermen that prefer to use streamers and bucktail.
When fly fishing for bass, the fly is worked differently than it is for trout. Poppers are worked not only for their appearance but also for their sound. Generally, when a fly is cast for bass it should be allowed to remain unmoving for a longer period of time than for trout. It is estimated that 60% of bass strikes are made on a still fly. Bass tend to inspect your fly for some time before making the decision whether to take it or not.
At times, fly fishermen like to tease the bass with repeated casts over the area where they think he’s hiding. Teasing can sometimes be a very effective method in bringing a lazy fish up for a strike when nothing else seems to work.
The sport of fly fishing for large mouth bass can be difficult but the rewards for success is well worth the effort. Try it!