float and fly

[Mr. Aquarium]

any tips for float and fly smallies?? i would like to try this out this winter.  strangely i enjoy coldwater smallie fishing with light line and blade baits, i want to add the float and fly to my coldwater arsenal. i have a ton of floats i use for salmon and steelie fishing, and long 8 foot super light rods with light line like 8lb floro. so i think this is a good setup for float fishing smallies

[J Francho]

Not exactly float and fly, but I've done the float rig for smallies in current with my centerpin rig.  They're fun with that setup.  A true float and fly doesn't have a shot line, and the the bobber is a slip float with a bobber stop set at depth.  The "flies" are light hair jigs.

[Mr. Aquarium]

8 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Not exactly float and fly, but I've done the float rig for smallies in current with my centerpin rig.  They're fun with that setup.  A true float and fly doesn't have a shot line, and the the bobber is a slip float with a bobber stop set at depth.  The "flies" are light hair jigs.

yea thats what i figured it was!! small jigs! so with bobber stop can go through the guides  when fishing deep water??

[J Francho]

Exactly.  Get bright colored ones so you can watch it zip across the surface.  If it stops before it gets to the bobber, flip the bail and set the hook!

[Mr. Aquarium]

awesome!! if i dont get any smallies im sure the panfish and trout will keep my busy 

 

[TnRiver46]

In cold weather, Blade baits work great for me. As well as spoons suspending jerkbaits finesse worms and tiny tube jigs. Float and fly has never boated me a smallmouth and it's not for lack of trying. I know it works but not for me, I usually outfish my float and fly buddies 

[bowhunter63]

Try Bob's bobbers made by Bob Coan,He really got it started for Smallies.Those and 1/16 ounce jig tear em up when it's cold.He has a video on YouTube ,the quality is a little bad but you can really learn alot from it.

[Further North]

Both Tim Holschag and the folks that wrote the "River Smallmouth Fishing: The Best Techniques & Best Rivers" for Tight Line out of De Pere, WI recommend an indicator (that's a bobber to the rest of the fishing world) why fishing subsurface for smallies with a fly rod.

 

I rig mine so it is as close to the junction of my fly line and my leader as I can get it.  If it twitches, stops, or moves counter to the current in any way, I set the hook...

 

Works in stillwater too...

[Oregon Native]

Have done this with some really good success but tend to rig a bit different.  I will use a 9-10 foot rod (which I used to use for steelhead in Oregon.  Eight pound powerpro tied to a small three way swivel with a 4-6 lb leader tied to another corner of the swivel with length depending.   Usually around eight or nine ft.  Bobber is also attached to the swivel.  Fly is usually around 1/16 for a slow fall....colors vary.  Can be tons of fun.  Especially when ya get into a bunch of big Drum.