Smallmouth Attacking Loop to Loop

Divad

Whitefish
I’m fishing off a dock into a gin clear lake for smallmouth and I keep watching pounders hit the loop to loop. I started foregoing the loop end on the leader but it’s still happening.

Wondering if my UV knot sense is making a shimmer, or if maybe I should use a different color thread to whip the loop in the fly line?

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Matt B

RAMONES
Forum Supporter
I’m fishing off a dock into a gin clear lake for smallmouth and I keep watching pounders hit the loop to loop. I started foregoing the loop end on the leader but it’s still happening.

Wondering if my UV knot sense is making a shimmer, or if maybe I should use a different color thread to whip the loop in the fly line?

View attachment 25238
Maybe they see the end of the dark sinking line moving but ignore the leader, and it looks like the tail of a skinny worm so they’re hitting that. Interesting dilemma. Will a clear or other color line get your flies down in the zone for you?
 

Divad

Whitefish
Maybe they see the end of the dark sinking line moving but ignore the leader, and it looks like the tail of a skinny worm so they’re hitting that. Interesting dilemma. Will a clear or other color line get your flies down in the zone for you?
I think you and @SilverFly are right, they’re hitting the black end of the line. I have a clear intermediate line that I switched to but I can’t exactly get down to them. They aren’t chasing the line anymore though.

I need that full sink 6 line, maybe add a hook to the loop. Or I’m going to rewhip a loop with white thread.
 

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
Forum Supporter
I need that full sink 6 line, maybe add a hook to the loop. Or I’m going to rewhip a loop with white thread.
I took the white aftermarket loop end off my 10' sink tip last march, it had been whipped with drk. brown thread. Last week I cut the loop with a yellow shrink connector off my type 6 and nail knotted a piece of 20# chameleon. Trout do it too, and now it runs into/out the tip top smoothly.
 
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singlehandjay

Life of the Party
I think you and @SilverFly are right, they’re hitting the black end of the line. I have a clear intermediate line that I switched to but I can’t exactly get down to them. They aren’t chasing the line anymore though.

I need that full sink 6 line, maybe add a hook to the loop. Or I’m going to rewhip a loop with white thread.
Make sure you tie up a fly that looks like what they were going after
 

Divad

Whitefish
Cut off the fly line loop and lash it to a hook. 😸
It could be coming soon. That or a light hook looped in conjunction.

They seem to have been going after it less with the white thread for the loop making. But I also might be spooking them with it too.

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Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
Forum Supporter
It could be coming soon. That or a light hook looped in conjunction.

They seem to have been going after it less with the white thread for the loop making. But I also might be spooking them with it too.

View attachment 25388
Sounds like the conversation I had in my head.
 
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