Warm Water Fly Fishing

[ozark trout fisher]

My favorite trout creeks are warm and low right now, so I've been perfecting my warmwater fly fishing skills a bit over the last couple days. It's easy to forget how much fun it is to fish for bass and bluegill on a fly rod. I've haven't really fly fished for bass much lately as I have been busy fly fishing for trout and smallie fishing with the spinning rod, but I'm really enjoying it.

I guess I like it because it's simple. You don't have to worry about 7x tippets and #20 flies like you might on trout waters this time of year. I think I've found the system that works about perfect this time of year. I start out fishing at about 7 PM, just as the heat starts to let up. When I'm starting for the evening, I'll tie on a #12 Soft Hackle on a 12-14 foot 5x tippet (the long tippet isn't so much to avoid scaring fish as it is to allow myself to fish a little deeper). I'll fish that until the light really starts to come off the water, catching a bunch of eager little bluegill and a few small bass. Then when the light is coming off the water, the Soft Hackle comes off and I tie on a #4 Muddler Minnow with a big, black, bushy marabou tail, greasing it so it will stay on top. I let it sit there 15 or 20 seconds, and as often as not, a nice bass will come up and grab it. A lot of the times I'll mess up and strike too soon or too hard, but sometimes I time it right and hook up. Now the ponds that I fish aren't particularly fertile, so it's likely to only be a 12 or 14 inch fish, but it will be fun and a real handful on the 5 weight. If I don't get a take after letting it sit a while, I'll slowly wake it across the water until the fly is at my feet. I'll do this until about 30 minutes after the last light leaves the water, and head home. It's not difficult and it's a lot of fun.

Anyone else going after bass (or bluegill) on a fly rod now?

[flytyer57]

I don't live far from either the Norfork or the White, but I too decided to do a little warm water fly fishing for bluegill tonight.

I went to the Pigeon creek arm of Lake Norfork at around 6:30 and tied on a size 12 "Predator" style fly and started catching good sized bluegills.

These were caught on my 5wt, with 3x tippet. Had a lot of fun just chasing 'gills for a couple of hours.

Sorry the fly pic turned out so blurry. Kinda hard doing macro with shaky hands.

[troutfiend1985]

Nice 'gills there flytyer. My favorite warm water fly has to be a red fox squirrel nymph size 8 to 12 with a gold bead and rubber legs. The panfish in the ponds I fish love them. Either that or a size 10 peacock soft hackle. It seems with the cloudy water of KC ponds that size matters. The bigger the better within reason.

However, during the evening and on cloudy days an Adams is effective.

Cheers

[stlfisher]

I fly fish for bass and bluegill all the time with my fly rod. For Bluegill I have had great luck with almost any dry fly and small hoppers. I use a lot of rubber legged nymph's under an indicator as well. I usually throw a rubber leg Copper John as it is pretty durable and the rubber leg's, at times, make all the difference. Catch a ton on beat up Pheasant Tails and such as well. I actually caught a few channel cat this year on size 12 Pheasant Tail. Boy was that a surprise and man are they fun on a fly rod.

For bass I throw large Bugger's and poppers mostly. Tied into a really nice LM on a 6 weight early this year that got the best of me, but sure was fun while it lasted. I throw large hoppers for them with success as well. I even dress an unweighted brown bugger,throw it near cover, and then just shake the hell out of it. I get angry strikes on those. Sneaky Petes, Clousers, Muddlers, and most streamers will all catch bass. I will catch 12 inch bass on a fly rod and be a happy man all day. My buddy drifts jig's under and indicator for Smallies. Now he just needs to take me to his secret spot.

Pretty much if it swims I will try to catch it on a fly rod.

[back2roots]

Thanks for the posts guys! When we get out of these 100+ temps....gonna try the fly on some bass / crappie or whatever bites it here in H'ville.

Talk to you soon,

Bill

[Flysmallie]

You mean you can trout fish with a fly rod? I'll keep that in mind.

Until then I will continue to bass fish with a fly rod. And don't even get me started on bluegill. It doesn't get any easier or fun than that.

[ozark trout fisher]

I don't live far from either the Norfork or the White, but I too decided to do a little warm water fly fishing for bluegill tonight.

I went to the Pigeon creek arm of Lake Norfork at around 6:30 and tied on a size 12 "Predator" style fly and started catching good sized bluegills.

These were caught on my 5wt, with 3x tippet. Had a lot of fun just chasing 'gills for a couple of hours.

Sorry the fly pic turned out so blurry. Kinda hard doing macro with shaky hands.

Nice looking bluegills. Those things fight pretty hard for their size don't they? Sometimes I'll think I have a nice bass and end up netting a 7" gill.

stlfisher, I also like to throw a hopper for the bluegill sometimes. They seem to go crazy over those, especially right when the light is coming off the water. I'm partial to a #8 Dave's Hopper, kind of big for bluegill but it works really well. Sometimes you'll pick up a bass on it too.

[flytyer57]

Nice looking bluegills. Those things fight pretty hard for their size don't they? Sometimes I'll think I have a nice bass and end up netting a 7" gill.

stlfisher, I also like to throw a hopper for the bluegill sometimes. They seem to go crazy over those, especially right when the light is coming off the water. I'm partial to a #8 Dave's Hopper, kind of big for bluegill but it works really well. Sometimes you'll pick up a bass on it too.

A nice size gill on a 5wt is always fun. I'd like to get a 3wt for them. That would be a lot more fun.

I have a spinning rod that is a "Micro Light" spooled with 2 pound test. Once in a while, I drag that out and have a lot of fun. That rods tip bends over from the weight of a small Thill Mini Shy Bite float. The rod is 4 1/2 feet long and the tip is only .034 inches. Its rated for 1-4 pound test and lure weight 1/80th to 1/16th ounce. I caught a 14" bass with that one time and that was a major fun event.

If I can find a fly rod like that... Maybe a 1wt?????

[Trout Commander]

http://www.templeforkflyrods.com/products/rods/finesse.html

6' 9" 1wt 4pc that only weighs 2.4oz - $179 with lifetime no-fault warranty.

I've fondled the 3 wt and even it seems like it would be an absolute blast for gills. I can't imagine the 1wt!

[fishinwrench]

The 2-3 wt's would be fun for gills but the slightest breeze will put you out of commission, and flys with hackle and long rubber legs push quite a bit of air. To avoid the frustration of being undergunned I need a 5wt. for gills. Most of my bluegill flys are #12-#8 and are tyed with some bulk and lots of dangly parts. I bought a 3wt. specifically for bluegill but soon learned that it just couldn't cut it under most conditions.

Warmwater flyfishing is getting more and more popular, and I think that's cool.