03-09-2005, 04:10 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I'm sure Mr. Gun will affirm this, but pro bassers seldom if ever use flies. I am pretty sure he was referring to his use of plastics on a dropshot rig.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That being said, there are a lot of bass chasers who use the fly rod almost exclusively. The patterns and styles of their offerings change over the months and through the seasons, depending on what the bass are doing. In early months, when the water is still cold and murky, they usually put on the sinking lines and lob big buggers or crawdad imitations, and fish them slowly along the bottom. As the temps climb and the bass begin cruising the shallows during prespawn, they throw streamers to imitate shad, shiners or other forage species, stripping them in at mid depth, usually on either a floating or sink tip line. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]After the spawn, and while the bass are still shallow, before hot summer temps send them deeper, bass are susceptible to topwater stuff...like poppers, chuggers, hair frogs and the like. These take larger rods and heavier weight forward floating lines to cast and work properly. In some shallow lakes, like Utah Lake, the fish are shallow enough for topwater almost all year, but during the hot summer they tend to be more active after dark. Fly rodding poppers after dark is not a sport for the weak hearted.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In Utah, you can wave the fairy wand at bass using the same big buggers and streamers you would use for big browns and rainbows...in all the same colors. While whites, yellows and chartreuses are good during cold temps and murky water, much of the year will find you more successful with basic black, purple, browns, olive and other natural bait colors.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The good news is that bass are seldom as selective as trout when it comes to fly patterns. Present almost anything that looks semi edible and they will often smack it. They are big on reaction bites, even when they are not actively feeding. That is, when they are not in a neutral or negative mode and not opening their mouths for anything. And, they do have their moody moments.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am attaching some pics of the flies I use both for fly rodding and for drop shotting flies...mostly for warm water species. Some of them, like the big black buggers and the ones with metallic in them, are great for big trout too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]That being said, there are a lot of bass chasers who use the fly rod almost exclusively. The patterns and styles of their offerings change over the months and through the seasons, depending on what the bass are doing. In early months, when the water is still cold and murky, they usually put on the sinking lines and lob big buggers or crawdad imitations, and fish them slowly along the bottom. As the temps climb and the bass begin cruising the shallows during prespawn, they throw streamers to imitate shad, shiners or other forage species, stripping them in at mid depth, usually on either a floating or sink tip line. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]After the spawn, and while the bass are still shallow, before hot summer temps send them deeper, bass are susceptible to topwater stuff...like poppers, chuggers, hair frogs and the like. These take larger rods and heavier weight forward floating lines to cast and work properly. In some shallow lakes, like Utah Lake, the fish are shallow enough for topwater almost all year, but during the hot summer they tend to be more active after dark. Fly rodding poppers after dark is not a sport for the weak hearted.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In Utah, you can wave the fairy wand at bass using the same big buggers and streamers you would use for big browns and rainbows...in all the same colors. While whites, yellows and chartreuses are good during cold temps and murky water, much of the year will find you more successful with basic black, purple, browns, olive and other natural bait colors.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The good news is that bass are seldom as selective as trout when it comes to fly patterns. Present almost anything that looks semi edible and they will often smack it. They are big on reaction bites, even when they are not actively feeding. That is, when they are not in a neutral or negative mode and not opening their mouths for anything. And, they do have their moody moments.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am attaching some pics of the flies I use both for fly rodding and for drop shotting flies...mostly for warm water species. Some of them, like the big black buggers and the ones with metallic in them, are great for big trout too.[/#0000ff]
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