How To Go Fly Fishing For Bass

When it comes to bass fishing, one of the most common questions even some experienced anglers ask is how to go fly fishing for bass. Perhaps the first consideration when fly fishing for bass is gear.

If you have trout fishing rods, you can probably just use those for your bass fishing. About a six weight will easily suffice and get you started, but any fairly light rig will work.

If you plan on fishing for lunker, and want to cast some really big flies, try a nine weight. If you are not planning on trying to cast really long distances, a double taper line is a good line choice. Many bass fishermen swear by weight forward lines or a bass tapered line. It really is a matter of personal choice and depends on trial and error to find what really works best for you.

A good fly choice for catching bass is a Dahlberg Diver. It is small and thin, and there are a many variations that go by different names. The biggest differences in the variations is that there are small differences in the tying techniques that sometimes cause the fly to dive less or pop on the water more.

When tying bass flies, deer hair is the only way to go for various reasons, but versatility and ease are the biggest reasons.

If you are unsure how big a fly you can cast on lighter lines, just tie some bass bugs, and take them out with a pair of fly scissors. Just trim the bug until it is the right size to provide the kind of cast you need. Watch the effect your trimming has on the fly in the water, and adjust accordingly.

One thing to remember is that bass really are not too choosy. They are predatory hunters, and if something causes a commotion on the water, they are going to show up to nab whatever is in their territory.

Now, you should think about the best ways to move your fly in the water. You will see a lot of anglers out there getting muscle strain, yanking on their rods. There really is no need. Many an angler has learned the lesson on the benefits of slowing their retrieve.

Once your fly hits the water, let it sit for a moment as if it is stunned, then give a single twitch of your line. Then, give another twitch or two, as if a wounded bug is trying to get out of the water. If the bass have not taken your bait by then, give a giant yank. Continue this strategy until you get a bite.

If you are tying your own flies, consider tying in a manner to create the illusion of heft without weight or air resistance that comes with weight, which will allow them to remain simple and thin, while they sink slowly. Consider a marabou body that is trimmed close, with about a two inch feather attached as a tail. Wooley Buggers are easy to cast and work very well for this effect.