Fly Fishing For Smallmouth

[stlfisher]

I have been fly fishing for smallmouth a bit this summer with moderate success, but I could be doing much better. I have a few questions for those that chase these guys with a fly rod.

I am fishing small water, that is for the most part only wadeable. Stealth has been important and the fish are very spooky. For the most part I have been stripping slumpbusters, buggers, and other various streamers. I have tried a few hopper patterns and caught some giant gogge eye, but no smallies on top yet. The fish really don't want to chase much at all. If you get one fish out of a hole the rest are spooked and game over. The fish I have seen are hugging the bottom. The ones I have caught have been slowly stripping (almost jigging). I have been fishing mostly upstream or up and across for stealth as oppossed to downstream.

I am considering drifting big nymph's in size 8 or so under an indicator or buying a sinking tip section and try just dragging flies on the bottom?

My set up for now is a 9ft 5wt with a 9ft leader tapered to 3x or 4x. I am considering a 7 weight to throw heavier flies as I move into next year, but with summer vacations coming up I am gonna need to wait a bit

Any thoughts on nymphing for smallmouth or other tatics/advice you think might work? First year I have really chased them and I am hooked. I realize spinning or baitcasting gear would be easier and more effective, but I enjoy the challenge and fight they bring on a fly rod.

[Chris Barclay]

Excellent questions that I have been wanting to ask myself. I look forward to the answers.

[Gavin]

My link

This came up awhile back...Your missing out if your not fishing Sneaky Pete's or Poppers this time of year...The #2 & #4 Sneaky Petes should work just fine on a 9' 5wt. The Pete is incredibly effective on smooth water with current, but its absolutely worthless if the rubber legs get fouled on the hook...check often. Have fun.

[Chris Barclay]

Thanks for the link, Gavin. Good stuff.

[stlfisher]

Looks like I will have to pick up some sneaky pete's. I haven't tried any since I haven't seen any surface action. I think I'll have to give it go.

[Guest]

Decievers and and weighted/unweighted hackle streamers work great. Let them slowly drift into the heads of pools using the current to swing it into shallow water. They also work great when stripped quickly. I love those sneaky petes too, the bigger the better.

[Danoinark]

You just have to fish on the bottom no matter what you are using, except for a pete as Gavin says.

[Arofishing]

When I go out my biggest problem is keeping away from the panfish. While smally fishing has slowed down considerably for me the last couple of weeks, my friend and I have both had success with sinking stuff like olive buggers and other big types of streamers.

[Flysmallie]

You have to try it on top. No better (more fun) way to do it. Poppers work, but like Gavin suggests with the sneaky pete, a fly that pushes and dives and glides across the surface is usually best.

There are a lot of different things you can do, just like you can in gear fishing. If you have to go subsurface I usually try to find a fly that will suspend a little when you stop it. Heavily weighted flies often produce that jigging action that you talk about, but that may not be what they want.

[stlfisher]

Looks like another vote for a pete. I do have a few poppers, but have been reluctant to tie one on in the heat. I will have to try it next time.

Do any of you ever use a sinking line or a sink tip for smallie fishing in bigger water?