"Bassin with a Fly Rod"

[Outdoor Zack]

I have been reading this book, Bassin' with a Fly Rod by Jack Ellis lately and can say that it is worth spending some time to read.  I really liked the book and I want to recommend it to you all.  

 

If youre a fly fisherman, veteran or beginner (me), ithink there is a lot for you to get out of the book.  He talks a lot about how fly fishing is a versatile technique in the top of the water column.  He says that a fly rod can offer you a "ultra finesse" approach or a really good top water approach.  For instance, Using cork and foam poppers is a classic technique for bass and it can be an awesome way to throw the fish a curve ball if they're under pressure.  But you can also go with an almost literally weightless muddler minnow along the bottom in a shallow spot and catch some lazier fish. 

 

Ellis makes some more interesting points that really got me thinking.  First off, he talks about how effective a finesse worm on a t rig can be when fished on the fly rod.  you can strip the the line in really erratic moves to give it a lot more or a lot less life than you could with a regular rod.  The fly setup gives you more control of the bait.  He also talks about the pros and cons of dirty vs clear water.  I know some people are very connected to one or the other but I like that he spoke to the benefits and frustrations of both.  These are just a couple of the interesting points he talks about in the book.

 

It may seem off topic if you're just a conventional (non fly-fisherman), but the author does have a lot to say about finding bass and getting to them.  He has sections about pond, lakes, and rivers and how to approach each of them.   I think that just about everyone has something they can get out of this book 

 

like I said, I just want to recommend this to you all because it was a great read.  If you decide to read it, please report back with your thoughts.  Hope this helps 

[scaleface]

I tried Bass fishing with a fly rod once . I had a hair mouse and hair moth . I didnt catch anything and havent given it another shot . I catch a lot of bluegills with one .

[Outdoor Zack]

6 hours ago, scaleface said:

I tried Bass fishing with a fly rod once . I had a hair mouse and hair moth . I didnt catch anything and havent given it another shot . I catch a lot of bluegills with one .

 

I cant say that I have ever tried just bass, but I have gotten some small ones on panfish flies.  

[Bluebasser86]

Bass on the long rod are fun, I used to fish for them with it pretty often. I haven't fly fished much in a few years until last year. I bought a lot on a lake and it has very clear water and loaded with big bluegills that cruise the docks, lots of fun to sight fish with the fly. While I was doing that I scored my first couple of brown bass ever with a fly rod, it was a lot of fun and a work out with my cheap rod and reel. 

[Kris2016]

I used to fish a local river, Patapsco, here in Maryland with a flyrod.  Wooly Buggers, Crystal Buggers and some black ants I tied myself seemed to work real well.  It was fun to wade from the old steel Bridge to Daniels Dam while catching fish.  Nothing huge, mostly skinny water, but always out fished Friends with ultra lights and crank baits.  Largemouth, smallmouth, red eye rock bass and bluegills.  Some of the bluegills were big enough I couldn't get my hand around them so I put them between my knees and unhooked them.  I had a 7', 4wt I built to fish this area.  That kept me from hanging in trees while casting.  I would say a normal day is 20 combination or better in a half to three quarter mile wade.

["hamma"]

I'll try to remember to look for the book and thanks,..

 I've been attending a fly tyer's gathering looking for basics, tips, and tricks, of tying. And will look in the showroom next time I'm there.

 I do own a flyrod, I think its a 9 weight (been awhile) its intended for stripers, it works wonders when your on fish. As within any fishing goes much the same,.. right? Ironicly, the first night I attended, they were tying a striper fly, here's mine:

  

 I think they called it, not a popper, but gurgler. Mines a little light on the bucktail, but have to wonder if this would be smallie candy. This with a smelt patterned streamer trailing by using several inches of flouro, worked slowly trolling along after the ice outs would probably be a awesome salmon/laker combo, then yet maybe again, smallie candy. I'll have to check it out if I get to troll the cold water this year.

 

 

[MickD]

I used to fly fish for smallies in rivers and lakes in MI.  Blue / white maribou streamers, olive wooly buggers, and grizzly streamers worked well.  Throw one over a brush pile in a clear lake and watch the bass slowly move out and suck the suspending streamer in.  Great fun, quite effective under the right conditions.  Gotta get back to it.

[U-boat Aficionado]

I love it! Nothing like topwater popper smallmouth, especially when you hook into a decent one. 

[crypt]

I love fly rod bassing. one of the best ways to spend a couple hours if I can't get out in the boat. I'll go pond hopping with a long rod and a couple flies, poppers,buggers. and slay em. sometimes the locals will put on a fly rod only tourney and we have a blast.