Help: Fly Fishing For Bass And Bluegill

[livemusic]

When I was a teenager and young man, I used a fly rod a LOT and had a lot of fun. I want to get back into that for something different sometimes. And I have no clue what tackle to buy. Back then, there was not much selection, buying ANYthing was simpler then. Nowadays, there are so many choices. And this fishing I would do... I am thinking that I would primarily target bass but if I don't have any luck, I will target bream (bluegill, etc.). I used to catch both and sometimes, I would use a larger bug for bass but sometimes, I would use a small one and catch both bream and bass. So, do you think I could buy something that could do both, lol? I assume so because I used to do it!

 

Any suggestions for what to buy? At this stage, I don't want to buy a super expensive rig or baits until I know more about what I'm doing.

 

The water I will fish will be shallow and not hampered by trees in the background; I will be in a boat, casting toward the shore or grass. I am open to sinking flies but mostly what I recall was popping bugs.

 

EDIT: I have a Bass Pro Shop, Academy and Dick's not too far away. I know that BPS has a fly fishing section. Sidenote... to show you how unsophisticated we were, lol, there was a time that my brother and I bought 'automatic' reels. It has a lever that you pull up on and it sucks the line in instead of having to reel it. But, duh, isn't light weight a draw in fly fishing? Those reels are anything but light! I did later go back to a light regular reel. For now, I mainly just want to catch fish, so, I probably need to lean toward targeting bluegill and hoping for the occasional bass. Most bass I would catch would be small ones. In the past, I have caught a 3 lb'er or two.

[WPCfishing]

You may want to post this in a fly fishing forum.

Good Luck!!

[livemusic]

You may want to post this in a fly fishing forum.

Good Luck!!

 

And I will, but thought I would try here because it's a bass forum and fly forums are probably mostly trout and likely, a bit more snooty, lol.

[WdyCrankbait]

Go with a 9' 7 or 8 weight rod, depending on how big a bass fly you decide to use and how big your quarry will be.  I only have an old Orvis 6 weight for bass fishing, so I need  to upgrade.  I would suggest looking at St. Croix Imperial rods, I have heard good things about them and they will not break the bank compared to well known higher end brands.  As far as reels, personally, I would look on Craigslist.  Try to find a good reel with a sealed disc drag and you should be set.  Reels should be the cheaper part of the set up, I would say about $100 should be able to get you a good used reel.

 

Hope this helps,

Wdy

 

PS I used to live in Alexandria, LA.  Man, I miss Louisiana.  Ok, since I have a better idea of the waters you will be going on, get the 8 weight.  Also, start tying flies and see if you can mimic a sweet beaver fly for pitching against all those cedar trees, hahahah

[OntarioFishingGuy]

I know this is meant as joke, but tying flies is a great idea. You can experiment with as many sizes and patterns as you want, and see what works best, without being limited to what your local fly shop has in stock.

 

Also, start tying flies and see if you can mimic a sweet beaver fly for pitching against all those cedar trees, hahahah

[RaleighBass]

I use a 9ft 6wt for bass in my area. I can throw 1/0 streamers with no issue. Anything bigger than that I use the 8wt. Nothing like catching a 3-4lber on a 6wt. Lots of fun. As far as outfits go. My 6wt is a BPS Hobbs creek combo. Has a decent rod and a good reel. The downside to that combo is the line isn't the greatest. I upgraded to Orvis Clearwater WF floating line. It is a lot slicker and I can shoot line alot easier. Another option is the Reddington Crosswater combo's. Great rod and an okay reel but it comes prespooled with RIO Mainstreem fly line which is a decent line. 

[WPCfishing]

And I will, but thought I would try here because it's a bass forum and fly forums are probably mostly trout and likely, a bit more snooty, lol.

 

Well I'll be darn! 

[flyfisher]

If you are looking for something fun to catch bass and sunnies on i would go with a 5 weight.  It will give you a good fight for bass and still do ok for most bass too.  

 

I would also agree that the majority of your budget should be spent on the rod and line with a minimal amount spent on the reel.  I usually think a good rule of thumb is about 60% rod, 30% line and 10% reel.

 

Also, look at sierra trading post.com as they always have good deals on high quality fly fishing gear.