Smallmouth University: Dear Professor

[Mitch f]

I love fishing gear. Been doing that a long time. And will always love it. But there is something about catching any kind of fish on a flyrod. Is it the most productive way of catching a smallmouth? Oh hell no. But it sure is a lot of fun when it does happen. I know most people don't get it and that's fine. I don't get all upset with them. I do what makes me happy in fishing.

Some people will take home any fat chick from the bar just to get what they need, and some of us dont mind going home alone a few times holding out for the supermodel.

I used to shoot a recurve bow when deer hunting for the same reason. Not as productive as a compound but more fun.

[Al Agnew]

Wayne, I consider a streamer to be any rather large, long fly that you usually fish by stripping. That makes a bugger qualify. And I fish my streamers the same ways I'd fish a woolybugger.

Depending upon the color and how it's fished, a bugger can loosely imitate either baitfish or various bottom organisms, which is what I'm trying to do with my streamers as well.

[mic]

Or, quit fly fishing for smallies. Good grief. Look at it this way: If you want to get laid on a regular basis, do X. If you don't want to get laid on a regular basis, do Y. Why do you insist on doing Y? That's the question.

Who said I was fly fishing. Buggers on a jig head.

[living_waters]

Reply number 2 by fishenwrench was the best for the lower current "there are no rules"

I keep two rods rigged, 1 with a jointed minnow (silver backed shad for late winter early spring, sunfish up to early july) and the other a grim reaper in tones of brown. And I fish them everywhere, sunlight, temp, wind can change patterns totally. Clousers, poppers, wooly buggers and sneaky petes will catch fish but confidence makes up for a lot.

On sunny winter days often a dead drifted grim reaper will pull fish out of water you would never dream of them being in cold weather. For whatever reason it seams that I do best with flies in the 4 to 5 inch range. The stretch of current from paintrock to doniphan is some of the best smallie water in the country, but it is also the most unpredictable. You just have to cover water until you find out what is working that day under those conditions. I find i am much more productive changing patterns then I am changing flies. If I let myself get into the mode of fly hunting I will miss out on some good water I should have been catching fish on. For instance last trip fished for 2 hrs stripping minnow by casting 90 degrees to the bank and boat with only a couple fish, a simple change of casting upstream at a 45 degree and slowing retrieve down to where I was picking up at a 45 degree down stream. it was good for 25 fish in the next 2 hrs.

[living_waters]

Since I was home with the flu today thought I would tie a few warm water flies.

Here is my version of a grim reaper, I like to keep them a little thinner then what most tie them. (forgive my poor tying skills)

3/0 with a large trailer eye

I dont use a weed guard for current river so I stop wrap just behind point

craft felt cut 1/4" wide about 3" long split half way

Body is a fairly tight wrap of poly boa, head is split shot ( I like the round head it seems to hang up less, and its cheap doesn't hurt to snap one of these off their easy to tie and cheap... did I say they were cheap!])

5" motoroil colored skirt material cut in half, one clump on top and one on bottom. leave a little on the front side when you tie it on.wrap it all the way to the eye and whip finish. I use a paint marker on head then brush with epoxy.

[mic]

That's nasty dude.

[living_waters]

Probably a better name "cheap and nasty" lol. A non slip loop knot to allow it to move free and it is very productive. Probably because the tail up bounce looks alot like defensive craw moving,

[living_waters]

Here is my other favorite In shad and pumkinseed.