Bass on the fly advice...

DerekWhipple

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
My favorite largemouth method is along a weed or rock line with an intermediate or slow sink OBS-type line and a black Tabory Snake fly. Strip the fly along at a slow crawl, the fly has tons of movement and suspends because it's unweighted.
 

mtskibum16

Life of the Party
@Billy what would you say is your go-to must-have popper pattern? I'd like to tie some up but tying and fishing time is pretty limited these days so looking for a solid pattern I can maybe tie up in a couple colors and call it good for a while.
 

Snopro

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
Any experts on Columbia River smallmouth migration in here? Like everyone else, I do well fishing the pre spawn catching quality fish. I think we're moving into the post spawn period. I'm prospecting everywhere and only coming up with dinks.

I think they head back to the main river to deeper locations on current seams. What's the trick to finding post spawn large fish? How long does it take the big girls to feel like feeding again?
 

Coach Potter

Life of the Party
Bonneville, Celilo and Umatilla
I have only fished the Umatilla and Wallula and I’m no expert on either one. I have never fished the Umatilla pool this time of year. They are still spawning in much of the Wallula but I really don’t know what’s going on where you are.

The first couple of weeks post spawn can be tough. In my experience, they don’t always move far from where they spawn. If they have deeper water close they might slide off to it but if they spawn on a big flat they might not move far at all. I always cover water with a reaction bait but I have no idea how you would do that with a fly.
 

Billy

Big poppa
Staff member
Admin
I have only fished the Umatilla and Wallula and I’m no expert on either one. I have never fished the Umatilla pool this time of year. They are still spawning in much of the Wallula but I really don’t know what’s going on where you are.

The first couple of weeks post spawn can be tough. In my experience, they don’t always move far from where they spawn. If they have deeper water close they might slide off to it but if they spawn on a big flat they might not move far at all. I always cover water with a reaction bait but I have no idea how you would do that with a fly.
Topwater😊
 

Justadd Water

Just Hatched
Josh,
It looks like you have good advice already. My go to rod for bass is a BIIISX, 9ft 8wt. Still looking for a “bass” floating line but, anything that will turn over a larger fly will work. A 9wt Salmon/Steelhead line works just fine for me. I’ve got SA Titan Long in the mail. It has a similar taper as the Bass Bug line but, it‘s formulated for cooler water. When I think of a “warm water” formulated line it makes me think of Texas, etc. where the water gets truly warm. At least on the Eastern WA lakes that I fish that isn’t an issue.

The Lilly pads in the background of your photo make me think frog flies. I’d cast a Rainy Rattle frog onto one of those pads, wait a few moments and give it a twitch or two then hop it into the water. Later in the summer when the pads are elevated above water surface I’ve had bass grab the frog during the hop before it hits the water. Just received some foam frogs in the mail that float and then dive when stripped. That seems pretty froggy to me and they should work well. Otherwise Black streamers and most anything that’s leggy.

One of the largest largemouth that I’ve ever hooked into was on a little #10 prince with legs. I wasn’t fishing for LM, had a 3wt rod but, it was a wild fight while it lasted. (I know, you are thinking this is another big one that got away story.) Honestly, the water was clear saw the fish on a mound and dropped the fly on it’s nose and it immediately took it. My line was cutting through the water with a spray like a slalom water skier cutting hard. Dumb luck maybe but, it was sure fun.
 

Coach Potter

Life of the Party
Josh,
It looks like you have good advice already. My go to rod for bass is a BIIISX, 9ft 8wt. Still looking for a “bass” floating line but, anything that will turn over a larger fly will work. A 9wt Salmon/Steelhead line works just fine for me. I’ve got SA Titan Long in the mail. It has a similar taper as the Bass Bug line but, it‘s formulated for cooler water. When I think of a “warm water” formulated line it makes me think of Texas, etc. where the water gets truly warm. At least on the Eastern WA lakes that I fish that isn’t an issue.

The Lilly pads in the background of your photo make me think frog flies. I’d cast a Rainy Rattle frog onto one of those pads, wait a few moments and give it a twitch or two then hop it into the water. Later in the summer when the pads are elevated above water surface I’ve had bass grab the frog during the hop before it hits the water. Just received some foam frogs in the mail that float and then dive when stripped. That seems pretty froggy to me and they should work well. Otherwise Black streamers and most anything that’s leggy.

One of the largest largemouth that I’ve ever hooked into was on a little #10 prince with legs. I wasn’t fishing for LM, had a 3wt rod but, it was a wild fight while it lasted. (I know, you are thinking this is another big one that got away story.) Honestly, the water was clear saw the fish on a mound and dropped the fly on it’s nose and it immediately took it. My line was cutting through the water with a spray like a slalom water skier cutting hard. Dumb luck maybe but, it was sure fun.
I like the idea of a fly that dives when stripped...can't wait to hear how that fishes.
 

Coach Potter

Life of the Party
Well I got some smaller cylinders to play around with just that idea
Have you considered carving the top of the cylinder to make the bottom of the cylinder look like a lip? If that makes an sense...i was thinking it might make that more like a lip on a crank bait...
 

Northern

Seeking SMB
Forum Supporter
I like the idea of a fly that dives when stripped...can't wait to hear how that fishes.
Smaller ones like a stealth bomber are fun.
I did tie up a larger popper with the head carved to make it dive, and it looks super cool when fished; it got eats both on top and when diving.
However...I just about dislocated my shoulder trying to do an instinctive fast pickup-and-shoot when I saw a bass boil nearby.
 

Coach Potter

Life of the Party
Smaller ones like a stealth bomber are fun.
I did tie up a larger popper with the head carved to make it dive, and it looks super cool when fished; it got eats both on top and when diving.
However...I just about dislocated my shoulder trying to do an instinctive fast pickup-and-shoot when I saw a bass boil nearby.
I like the sounds of that!
 
Top