Fly fishing for bass?

[CrashVector]

Anyone fly fish for bass?  I've never tried fly fishing, but I've ALWAYS thought it looked relaxing and fun.

 

I understood it to be more of a bream/trout thing, but is bass fly fishing even a "thing"?

 

[volzfan59]

It is a thing, although I don't know many details on how. I've caught several largemouth bass while bream fishing. All I had was a Walmart/ Eagle Claw special as I was just learning myself. I remember it being an 8' rod with weight forward, floating line. I used those little foam bodied spiders.

[islandbass]

32 minutes ago, CrashVector said:

Anyone fly fish for bass?  I've never tried fly fishing, but I've ALWAYS thought it looked relaxing and fun.

 

I understood it to be more of a bream/trout thing, but is bass fly fishing even a "thing"?

 

I haven’t yet either. However, I am a bit afraid to start. Why? Because my casting and spinning gear might start collecting dust, lol!

[flyfisher]

Been doing it since I started fly fishing and it was how I started fly fishing.  I gave I up for a bit did primarily trout but for the past decade or so it has been primarily bass.  The past couple years I probably fish for bass 95% of the time with my fly rod.  my profile pic was my first citation sized largemouth on the fly rod caught a couple years ago.  

 

Fly fishing is way more fun than conventional when the bite is slow and light years more fun when the bite is on.   It is just a tool though as certain applications are more hassle on a fly rod even if you can do it.  If I know I will be fishing in water deeper than about 10', I keep the fly rod at home.

[Fallser]

A lot of people fly fish for bass. I use a fly rod most of the time when I fish for bass, both smallmouth and largemouth.  I fell into the "you can only fly fish for trout" trap when I first started fly fishing.  It took a couple of years before I finally realized I could fly fish for bass in fresh water and bluefish and stripers in salt water.  It's been downhill ever since.  volzfan59 is right.  My spinning tackle has been gathering dust for years.  I break it out once or twice a year when the situation requires it.  It can be frustrating at times, but it is relaxing for me and it's fun.  You can catch largemouth like this.

or like this

or smallmouth

 

 

[jimmyjoe]

1 hour ago, CrashVector said:

I understood it to be more of a bream/trout thing,

 

If this is a trout or bream, then yes.  ? ?               jj

 

[Bluebasser86]

I've caught a lot of bass on flies. I use to do it much more often than I do now. It's a different challenge, I wouldn't call it relaxing though. There's a lot of concentration to detail required with the cast and controlling the line on the water and around your feet, then the process of the fight is a lot different. 

[cheezyridr]

my dad used to fly fish for bass.  when he died, i inherited his gear. all high end stuff. he tied his own flies, and was good at it. TONS of flies of every kind.  my little brother wanted that stuff but he isn't as into fishing as i was.  i told him i was keeping it, but he could use it too.  i went to the library to learn about fly fishing. (no internet back then) 

after doing alot of reading, i went to a private pond i had access to, so i could apply what i learned.  i tied on a bumble bee lure, and tried to learn to cast. i was doin ok, and actually caught a small bass. 

 

then i hooked myself right in the ear.  i gave all the fly fishing gear to my little brother the next day.  ?

[GRiver]

It’s  weird…. Yesterday, I was in my shop, saw my Dad’s fly rod gear on the top rack. I thought “I should get that down and give fly fishing another try”.  Then I see this thread….. gotta be a sign. 
My Dad was what I consider a Master with a fly rod. He gave seminars, taught youth groups, and went to competitions. 
Me… I just couldn’t get into it.
Maybe it was my age and attitude ( probably more attitude). It was so frustrating for me, always getting in a mess. Ether behind me or in front, a snag.  I went to a ultra lite, while he fished for native trout with a fly rod, I did too with spinning rig.
I have mellowed out over the years, so maybe I’ll try again.  

[FishinBuck07]

Yes fly fish a small creek here in Ohio for smallies, it is a blast.  The water is so clear you can see them running after you set the hook on them, had one run right between my legs and try to tie me up with my fly line.  Talk about a fat guy dancing trying to get out of that mess without ending up in the water.?

[Captain Phil]

Back in South Florida, I often fly fished for bass.  I bought a cheap bamboo fly rod and some C level line when I was about 16 years old.  I learned to cast in the front yard of my home.   I used mostly poppers and streamers that I tied myself.  Fly fishing caught more bass in the days before plastic worms as bass plugs were big and clunky.   The best fly fishing was walking a canal bank where you could cast to the other side.  Fly fishing catches a lot of small bass.   I have caught bass up to six pounds with a fly rod, but it's rare. I once landed a 17 pound Tarpon fly fishing off a canal bank.

 

Fly fishing for bass is more work than you might expect.  Repeatedly casting a fly requires stamina and dedication.  It's not the same thing as soaking a plastic worm.  Then there's the line coils to contend with.  If fishing from a bass boat, the line tangles around the trolling motor, your feet and everything else nearby.   Fly fishing works best in clear water.  I suggest you try it and see how it works for you.   I still have my fly rod and all my flies. but I haven't touched them in years.

 

 

[jimmyjoe]

5 hours ago, cheezyridr said:

then i hooked myself right in the ear.  i gave all the fly fishing gear to my little brother the next day.  ?

 

   I did the same thing. I was using my older brother's fly rod (split bamboo) and the guy teaching me wrapped red yarn around the rod tip and told me, "Now watch the pattern of the red. Your line will go where the red goes."

   It worked. However ...... the next year I discovered baitcasters, and I haven't cast a fly since. ?        jj

[scaleface]

I read an article in either Field and Stream , Sports Afield or Outdoor Life about fly fishing for bass when I was a kid .Afterwards   went out and purchased a fiberglass Garcia Conolon fly rod  , reel , line and a few bass bugs . I remember having a hair moth and a hair mouse .Dont recall catching a bass on them . I   started fishing for sunfish and caught an occasional small bass that way . I love catching bluegills with a fly rod but gave up on bass .

[TnRiver46]

I found an old video of some bass Tom foolery on the fly rod . Circa august 2014. I love fly for bluegill and crappie but it’s just a pain for bass (for me personally). There are times, mostly all summer, when it is very effective though. I’ve got a buddy that is a full time fly guide and he puts people on nice smallies all spring summer and early fall, lots of sight fishing and top water 

[Way north bass guy]

I got my first fly rod when I was about 13 or so. Used to ride my bike to the lake behind our house and there was a section of shoreline with flat, sloping rock and no trees. That is an excellent spot to learn how to cast without worrying about snagging trees on the back cast. Used to go there all the time in the summer after supper, and absolutely hammer the smallmouth on little popper flys as the sun was going down. It was a blast. I haven’t taken the fly rod out in a couple years now, but maybe this year I’ll dig it out and fling a few poppers around ( especially since we’ve recently moved back to the shore of that same lake).

[soflabasser]

Fly fishing for bass is fun but I much rather catch bass on spinning tackle with lures.

[Greyson]

its a lot of fun. you can catch all 3 main species. i usually use a popper or a woolly bugger or streamers. Those always get the trick done

[HaydenS]

It is a lot of fun, but I wouldn’t do it anywhere but private ponds or where fish are easy to catch.  I feel like I’m at such a disadvantage when I do it.  I find it incredible frustrating, and extremely rewarding when everything comes together.  Also, if there is something for fly line to get caught on, it does.  In the pic below, the fly line was wrapped around tree roots, rocks, chairs and two docks, just trying to get a picture and get the fish back in the water.

I like hoppers, wooly buggers, and streamers.    If you throw out a good sized hopper, the small bluegill will leave it, and the bass and big bluegill will get.

[cyclops2]

Use a HUGE ...Muddler Minnow in a small.... VERY SLOW moving creek .  You DO NOT NEED TO CAST very far. Just enough to get the line & 10 # leader & Muddler to drift with the current. Start in the shady water if possible. You can buy & use a "  Floatant  " to put on the fly. That way you will see the taking of the Muddler lure on the surface.  Crush the barb down. Wear a hat that has face & side flaps.  Most important is POLARIZED SUNGLASSES. A lure in the eye ?  NEVER You should hook yourself a few times...... NO problem with no barbs on a hook.  You can let it drift 5 ' a couple of times Then 10 feet a couple more. And so on.

Bass & bigger anything will jump anything that is startled. Carry a  SKI POLE with a  loop.  Looped around your none rod hand. In case you get a foot caught as you wade deeper.  There SHOULD be no need to wade in smaller streams.

 

Forgot.  Practice on a park grass area with a small piece of tape covering the hook.  a 20' cast is plenty on small streams. Have some loose coils to feed out LOW casts about 3 to 4" above the ground will get you into the current.  Twitches as it floats down stream. Then STOP the lure as it is moved around in that 1 spot.  15 to 30 seconds Then start over.  Piece of cake. Stream fish are  skinny & ALWAYS hungry.

 

Enjoy