We did try some top water, I had a small bass came up and hit Jasmillo's popper but it's mouth wasn't big enough. Popper was stationary when it got hit.
Westside bass check-in
- Thread starter Bugmeister
- Start date
I need more practice/confidence fishing subsurface flies for bass, especially largies. For me smallmouth seem to prefer habitat that makes working a baitfish crayfish pattern easier. But subsurface for largemouth, with preferred habitat close to heavy cover, weeds and laydowns, working a bass worm is not one of my forte's.
Don't get me wrong. I much rather catch them on topwater. But sometimes especially middle of the day, it doesn't always work.
Don't get me wrong. I much rather catch them on topwater. But sometimes especially middle of the day, it doesn't always work.
Yep, me too. My bass subsurface game needs to go deeper than popper-dropper.
Pink Nighty
Life of the Party
In my admittedly limited experience, the pattern matters less than getting it as close to that cover as possible. On some stretches of pads I'll cast right to the edge, let it sink a sec, couple twitches and recast down the line. If they're in cover they're either coming out to get it or theye not. At least I tell myself that because it keeps me covering water and not trying to slip my line through the pads to get in deeper.
This time of year though they will be bedding up. If my boat was running I'd be crusing spawing flats throwing large nose heavy patterns and retrieving with long pulls and drops. Hope to drop one right in a bed and get smacked.
As @Kfish mentioned, we gave it a shot for a bit. The hit he got was all the action we saw on top.
All my fish were caught on a mondo white/chartreuse clouser and this guy:
Yesterday I hit a local King County Lake. Spent most of the day top water with no success. In the back of my mind I knew I should be fishing sub surface. I did switch over to plastic worm, and hit the edge of the lilly pads, but still no love.
Sure like that fly @jamillo.
Sure like that fly @jamillo.
Pink Nighty
Life of the Party
The last couple days have really picked up around here. #nightops is bringing some bigger fish out, not too bad for fishing ponds from shore in western wa!
mtskibum16
Life of the Party
Spending some time fishing bass with traditional gear and someone who knows what they're doing with it can really help you understand how to target bass with a fly subsurface. And unfortunately in many cases (heavy cover), there's just not a good way to do it as effectively. Mostly if going subsurface you just have to fish the edges of cover and along structure with searching patterns. Places you'd fish a swimbait, crankbait, or maybe a spinnerbait to cover a lot of water.
The traditional gear is pretty damn ingenious in design to allow for effectively fishing various cover. But tying inverted patterns (clouser) will help some and then adding weed guards adds another level of cover fishing ability. But many times it's the weight of the traditional gear that allows it to work well and it's hard to match that fly fishing.
Nice photos to boot too! I'll be sending you my guiding bill later lol
Ps. Sorry for breaking off your Rio loop. Think of it as a favor to fix now, it might cost you a future coho.
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That will get destroyed at some point. Perfect profile.We tried some top water popper by the lillies but nothing. I blame @Billy crap popper SBSit needs to come with fish guarantee as well.
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No worries. Another thing I can send back to Farbank. They love me. I’m sure of it.
I am kind of hoping you busted off 10+ feet. Then I can start my migration away from Rio and towards something else. I’m getting old. I’m afraid undoing running line tangles every third cast puts me at risk for an arthritic condition
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From a couple weeks ago, wish I got a better pic of this one…been getting a good amount of 2-3 lb LMB but this one was quite a bit bigger. Top water has died down in the last week for me at this west side lake but the subsurface game has been pretty good. Seems the fish are getting wiser at this lake, as it’s pretty small and receives quite a bit of pressure. I’ve been having good luck fishing a “Bass Booby” I tied up, fished on a 15 ft type 6 sink tip with a short maybe 2.5 foot leader.
