Fly Fishing for Smallmouth

[BLJ]

(rock bass/goggle eye/red eye)

I took a shot at that hoping the translation would make it through.
Depends on where you’re at.

 

[MTtrout]

Come summer, hands down I’d be throwing top water!

Depending on your casting abilities, you may find it challenging to cast sitting down in a kayak, but totally doable. I used to cast a lot in my yard when I started years ago. You could easily do that practicing in your kayak. Always wear glasses and if it’s windy, I’d recommend pinching the barb for safety.

Also, I wouldn’t get too worried about perfect casting. As long as you can get the fly to the fish you will catch them. It’s only the people around you who care

 

[anonymous22]

I would just get out and go.
Work on your casting. I mean all casting. Roll casting, back casting, bow and arrow, horizontal roll casting etc

Just use some basic flys. I’m sure you could look up what is predominate on your waters for the season.

Then work on a good drag free presentation.
You do that, you’ll be well on your way before getting into all the nuisances that the fly fishing enthusiasts community would typically go down.

 

[BoilerBowHunter]

Awesome feedback, thanks all! The river near me is pretty lazy. I like the idea of using the kayak to just get to different spots. I think that’s what I’ll end up doing mostly. Banks are not always accessible for various reasons. But even floating it’s a slow moving river most times to where if I stop paddling I don’t move much.

I’ll hopefully be posting pics of some hogs later this summer!

 

[B Harrison]

It’s my favorite thing to fish for.
Get a few paper plates, tie on a fly, and start casting the fly onto the plates from random distance and direction.
Start at 25’ and when you can hit the plates often go fish.

Smallmouth are easy to spook when water is low and clear so try to keep your line off the water until the fly about to land.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’ve only been once but all we used were some sort of hoppers and some wooly buggers. Caught a bunch of 3-5lb fish with a 5wt.

It was fun but I was sort of surprised how easily they gave up the fight, or reminded me of grayling fishing, just a few quick tugs, no jumping, no drama then reel them in.

 

[Rich M]

I’ve only been once but all we used were some sort of hoppers and some wooly buggers. Caught a bunch of 3-5lb fish with a 5wt.

It was fun but I was sort of surprised how easily they gave up the fight, or reminded me of grayling fishing, just a few quick tugs, no jumping, no drama then reel them in.

That’s not the smallmouth fishing i know. 3-5# fish are hard to come by and they fight like a saltwater fish. Most fish we got were 14/15/16 inches but dad did get a 24 inch levianthan that was dripping eggs so no picture...she was jumbo 7, maybe 8#. Ive gotten a couple 20-21 inch fish, which should go close to 5#.

They usually put up a good scrap. A 20 inch 5# smallie should out tussle a 30-36 inch pike. At least in my experience w smallies and pike. Add moving water and…

Is what it is i guess.

 

[Rich M]

lots of great info already posted in here. target similar water to where you'll find brown trout. bank structure and pockets of soft water next to current. when theyre turned on they'll eat just about any streamer that comes by, but my two favorites are big wooly buggers (single or articulated) , and sex dungeons when they want something bigger. once it warms up you can start throwing poppers which can be an absolute blast. also one of the bonuses of targeting smallies is you can occasionally catch outrageously huge brown trout, as they often share the same types of habitat and eat the same types of flies.

had a great day going for smallies a few weeks ago. buddy ended up catching a thick 25" brown as well

View attachment 1078788

View attachment 1078791

Chubby smallie and a real pretty brown anyone would be happy with both of those fish.

 

[Zdub02]

Y'all are bringing up some good memories for me with this thread. Used to wade fish for 'em but with spinning rods. Amazing times catching smallies.

 

[WCB]

I’ve only been once but all we used were some sort of hoppers and some wooly buggers. Caught a bunch of 3-5lb fish with a 5wt.

It was fun but I was sort of surprised how easily they gave up the fight, or reminded me of grayling fishing, just a few quick tugs, no jumping, no drama then reel them in.

Where did you fish them at? In general Small Mouth punch way above their weight class.

 

[Scoon]

Great flies mentioned previously.

I've had the best luck with weighted olive buggers. Nothing like a small mouth exploding on a top-water though. I prefer a wiggle minnow followed by a popper for top-water. You can fish that wiggle minnow many different ways.

 

[Tjdeerslayer37]

Fly fishing for smallmouth bass is a riot. Look up Mike Schultz or Schultz Outfitters on YouTube/google/podcasts for flies and technique. A copy of this book is well worth your while too, I learned quite a bit from it.

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/small...f=1101lDsMzKsS#idiq=23960015&edition=15030001

Mike is a good dude and a wealth of smallie info, follow this advice^