Bass Flies on spinning tackle

[PaulVE64]

I started tying my own smallie jigs about 5 yrs ago and really enjoyed it. Got into fly fishing last year and enjoyed that too, mostly for the satisfaction of catching smallies on a pattern I tied the night before. The fly rod is fun but if its windy or if you dont have casting room its aggravating to use so my spinning gear gets used more and thus I also tie bass bugs and streamers on jig hooks.

Looking for advice on smallie patterns that have worked for you.

 

 

I will link my personal instagram page so you can see some of my ties. if that's against the rules would a mod please remove it?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CY5HvEQsNc0/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[Finessegenics]

What weight jig hooks are you using? And that leads me to ask on what rod? I'd love to get into fly fishing but my wallet and schedule can't afford another hobby, though it is still fishing. Wondering how I can 'fly fish' with conventional gear.

[Dwight Hottle]

All you have to do is go old school with a clear bubble float above the fly. The bubble float provides the weight to cast. Probably easier with spinning tackle. 

[Will Wetline]

Google "a-justa-bubble."

This is a float to which you can add water for casting weight. 

[PaulVE64]

https://instagram.com/stories/pvaneyk64/2954454985467865972?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

 

These two are 1/8 oz lead on a 1/0 jig hook.

Tied this morning.

[VolFan]

With that lead you don’t need any help casting it on a spinning rod, especially once they’re wet.

[PaulVE64]

I'm using two spinning setups.

a 6' MLF w/ 15# braid to a 12# mono leader or a 7' LF w/ 10# braid and a 6# mono leader.

Most of my ties are under an 1/8 oz.

Casting distance isnt as important as hitting your location on the river.

 

I can also throw weightless flys on spinning gear with a split shot rig or a pegged bullet wt. 

Have tried them on the drop shot on occassion too but I think they look better moving.

[PaulVE64]

For a float rig I use a long thin balsa float. Large enough for my current and jigs. The size is corrected to the water temp but 2 sizes is enough to fish with.

[Scott804]

I used to throw bass flies with a 1/16 tungsten weight in front on a spinning rod. Worked pretty well.

[PaulVE64]

What fly patterns are working best?

[Fallser]

I mainly fly fish for them.  Though I do have a couple of patterns that I could throw with my spinning gear without a float attached.   What works depends on where you're fishing.  I go to a lodge on a lake in NE Ontario about 7 hours north of Toronto.  The last two years I've gone up the last week of August/first week of September and a crayfish pattern was the ticket though I caught a couple on top waters(my favorite way to fish for them} and on some hair jigs.  This is the crayfish pattern.  It weighted with dumbbell eyes(1/20 oz) so that it rides hook point up.  I also tie it on 1/4 oz jigs for my spin fishing.

one of my streamers

These are the subsurface flies I use for bass, they work for smallmouth or largemouth

 

These are some of the hair and marabou jigs I use.  They're tied on 1/32 or 1/20 oz jigs

 

A lot of stuff to throw at you.  The jigs are fairly easy to tie  Some of the other flies aren't that difficult.   Generally an all white streamer with some flash works well.  Just depends on what's in the river.  Try and match the bait fish.   Find out what color and size the crayfish are and work on something that matches them.

[Deleted account]

I sometimes take the hooks off a popper and use it like a popping cork with a fly or tiny piece of plastic trailing behind it, does that count? Does it need a technique name? Can I fish it from a boat AND from shore?.... Inquiring minds...

[PaulVE64]

5 hours ago, Fallser said:

I mainly fly fish for them.  Though I do have a couple of patterns that I could throw with my spinning gear without a float attached.   What works depends on where you're fishing.  I go to a lodge on a lake in NE Ontario about 7 hours north of Toronto.  The last two years I've gone up the last week of August/first week of September and a crayfish pattern was the ticket though I caught a couple on top waters(my favorite way to fish for them} and on some hair jigs.  This is the crayfish pattern.  It weighted with dumbbell eyes(1/20 oz) so that it rides hook point up.  I also tie it on 1/4 oz jigs for my spin fishing.

one of my streamers

These are the subsurface flies I use for bass, they work for smallmouth or largemouth

 

These are some of the hair and marabou jigs I use.  They're tied on 1/32 or 1/20 oz jigs

 

A lot of stuff to throw at you.  The jigs are fairly easy to tie  Some of the other flies aren't that difficult.   Generally an all white streamer with some flash works well.  Just depends on what's in the river.  Try and match the bait fish.   Find out what color and size the crayfish are and work on something that matches them.

Thanks for the pics.

I recognize a few of those patterns. The brighter ones would attract pike in my waters. Multi species.

In Ontario are you near to Timmins?

[PaulVE64]

On 10/23/2022 at 9:41 PM, Scott804 said:

I used to throw bass flies with a 1/16 tungsten weight in front on a spinning rod. Worked pretty well.

What rod/reel would you recommend for around $300?

[Dogface]

On 11/7/2022 at 3:31 PM, Deleted account said:

I sometimes take the hooks off a popper and use it like a popping cork with a fly or tiny piece of plastic trailing behind it, does that count? Does it need a technique name? Can I fish it from a boat AND from shore?.... Inquiring minds...

 

I have a few floating Rapalas with broken bills that I use as floats. 

[Bdnoble84]

On 11/7/2022 at 7:42 PM, PaulVE64 said:

What rod/reel would you recommend for around $300?

I fish very rocky rivers for smallmouth and walleye. I bought a st croix bass x 6’10” ml/xf last year and absolutely love it for hair 1/16 to 1/4 oz. 1/16 is definitely on the light side and while it can handle 3/8 oz ok, i prefer to step up to a med action. 3/32 to 1/4 is definitely the sweet spot. I use 10lb power pro braid. The sensitivity is excelent. For your price point I hear alot of good things about the st croix avid series. I paired it with a 3000 size diawa in the $50 range (i dont remember the model but it does the job).