Chasing Smallies

[Phil Lilley]

This is why I created this new forum... I think the #1 topic on OAF is smallmouth bass, which I'm pretty proud of.

I, along with many others, appreciate Ron, Al, Joe and many other people here that share so much of their experiences and knowledge for others to glean from.

Hope this move helps spread the passion for smallmouth bass and the fisheries we are blessed with here in the Ozarks.

[fishinwrench]

Well 'wrench, they look way cooler to my eyes also!!! As you love to spin deer hair what would you charge me for a half dozen Sneaky Pete's so made in whatever size you think best for small creek fishing....a #6, 8 or 10?

I like a #4 and white usually does the job on the water I fish mostly. I don't tie commercially but here's the pattern.

Mustad 3366 #4

Cork popper body (reversed, painted, and epoxy coated)

Tail: calf tail & two strands med. round rubber.

Hackle: grizzly saddle

The deer hair version doesn't cast as good, doesn't have that sexy "splat", gets waterlogged, and just doesn't get bit like this one, so I don't even carry or tie them anymore. But of course YMMV

[Jack Jones]

Hey Sharp...see thread

http://forums.ozarkanglers.com/?showtopic=26590

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Sadly... he passed.

[Al Agnew]

Chuck passed away not long ago...

I don't do a whole lot of flyfishing for smallies, but my experiences both in flyfishing and in other fishing for them is different from Ron's. On smaller streams, up to the size of floatable but not jetboatable streams, the active smallmouth are almost always in shallow enough water that they are well within reach of surface and near surface lures during the warm weather months, and I seldom see a need to fish slow and deep from April through mid-October. In fact, in non-fly fishing, I use surface lures at least 50% of the time during those months. And when I do flyfish for them, the same generally holds true. Various poppers and sliders seem to work well, and streamers fished fast and erratically. Sometimes I find that smaller poppers, like a large bluegill size, fished with little or no action, just drifting with the current, are most likely to get bit, although in conventional lures I avoid the real small stuff completely. But streamers usually need to be pretty big, like 3 or 4 inches long.

[Sharps4590]

Thanks again to all, I appreciate the information. 'wrench, I believe even I can tie one of those sliders!

Jack, Al, thank you two for letting me know about Chuck. Last I heard he wasn't in very good health so I guess that comes as no surprise. That was a loss to the fly fishing community in Missouri.

[Greasy B]

The comment “use your fly rod like a spinning rod” was meant to summarize what all the other comments are saying. Basically you throw your bait with the fly rod but you animate it like you would with spinning or bait casting equipment. Dredge the bottom, rake the top, swim and dart your flies in between. What don’t work are the usual trout techniques of dead drifting, nymphing and swinging flies.

[Flysmallie]

just that you will always catch more and generally bigger bass if you can bump the bottom.

I couldn't disagree more. And I can't believe a guy that is supposed to have your kind of experience would even put something like this on here. It only makes me question your abilities.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Smallies aren't stocker trout and there are those days when they can be hard to come by.

[ColdWaterFshr]

"Smallmouth Fly Fishing" by Tim Holschlag is pretty good read on the subject.

And for whatever its worth, my best smallies have all come on topwaters, but thats probably skewed because thats pretty much all I fish with during the late spring thru early fall.

I've seen enough of Ron K's pictures not to question his abilities -- the dude knows what he's talking about. Everyone has their own preference for chasing bronze.

[Sharps4590]

Hmmm...that was rather rude fly. No problem with disagreeing from what your experience indicates but certainly no need to get personal and question what another has learned from their experience. I believe it's pretty well established that 90% of feeding goes on beneath the surface.

Greasy, thanks for the clarification. I understand exactly what you're talking about now. A lot like stripping streamers. Works on largemouth and bluegill too!!!!

Ron, even after all these years I'm still not a good nymph fisherman unless I'm using a dry and dropper.. Streamers I do pretty good with but you're in almost constant contact with the fly. For me I'll have to agree that it's easier on top....and also for me a heck of a lot more fun and exciting....lol !!!! But then, when using streamers, there's also the thrill that comes from that strike that's so hard it almost jerks the rod out of your hand.

Wayne....I believe the days I've targeted smallies have all been those days!!!!! Oh...and I don't fish for stocker trout, at least not in the common meaning of them. They don't act like any trout I've ever fished for.