Largemouth Bass
micropterus salmoides
- Bass proliferate in a wide range of waters
- Bass fishing is good in water termperatures of 55-80
- Bass fishing is best in water 60-75
- Bass Mature at 2-3 years
- Bass females are larger (3-6 lb) than males (1 1/2 lb)
- Bass usually spawn only once per year (Feb/March in the South) (June/July North)
- Bass attack not only for food but invasions of their territory
- Bass locate food by sight, sound, feel and possibly smell.
- Bass
Finding Bass
Prime bass habitat is a function of:
- Water temperature
- Food supply
- Oxygen
- Cover
- Water Temperature
- Shallow water in spring & early Summer
- Deeper water as Summer heat rises
- back to the shallows in Fall
- to deeper warmer water in Winter
Male bass aggressively protects the nest and small bass after hatching. A bass fly dropped near the nest can result in good bass fishing at this time of year.
After spawning, bass move to deeper water and fishing becomes very slow for several weeks.
The best bass habitat for the fly fisher are smaller shallow lakes with good cover.
In large deep lakes, bass live over structure well below the surface. Here, they are hard or impossible to fly fish.
Bass fishing is good even in murky water or at night because bass can hear or feel the fly.
Bass do not like bright light. Look for them in shady areas.
Night fishing may be better in water that is very clear.
Bass Food
Bass will attack and eat a great variety of creatures that share bass habitat including; fish, insects, worms, reptiles, birds, frogs and small mammals. Bass eat only live creatures, not dead.
Bass Flies
Bass flies have been develped to immitate or suggest much of the bass diet or trigger their territorial instints.
Bass fly materials immitate or suggest very closely approximate the look, feel and action of the natural foods.
Bass flies are designed to float on the surface, dive when retrieved, swim seductively under the surface or crawl along the bottom.
Surface flies are best when water temperatures are in the bass comfort zone of 65-75 (large mouth)
Large bulky flies are easiest to detect.
Bass can see colors. The best bets for flies are; black, white, yellow, red, chartreuse, purple and blue.
Reflective material should be used on flies immitating small fish.
Due to the bass' ability to smell, flies should be descented.
Bass Tackle
The size of the fly rod is determined by the size of the bass you expect to catch and/or the size and weight of the fly you will cast.
The range of Fly Rods vary from 5 weight to 9 wt.
The fly rod must be heavy enough to pull a bass away from cover.
A fast action graphite rod will provide the muscle to cast large hairbugs and handle aggressive bass.
If you will have only one fly rod to be used for bass, the following is a good bet.
- Fly Rod
- 9 foot, 8 wt. medium fast action graphite with fighting butt.
- Reel
- Large diameter with a dependable drag. Should have capacity to hold the flyline plus 100-150 yards of 30 lb micron backing. Single Action is the standard for fly fishing.
- Fly Line
- For floating flies: WF8F (Weight forward - 8 weight - Floating) Dull greenish is a good color for most bass water.
- For sinking flies: WF8S/F (Weight forward - 8 weight - Sinking Tip)
- Leader used with floating line
- A) For surface of just under the surface; 8 to 9 feet tapered leader with 50 lb butt section tapered to 12-16 lb test.
- Leader used with sinking line
- Level leader 4 - 6 feet, 14 lb test
Bass Methods
Staying low and quiet is the proper attitude for stalking bass.
Bass probably don't see many flies so they may be more likely to hit them.
Largemouth Bass
micropterus salmoides
- Bass proliferate in a wide range of waters
- Bass fishing is good in water termperatures of 55-80
- Bass fishing is best in water 60-75
- Bass Mature at 2-3 years
- Bass females are larger (3-6 lb) than males (1 1/2 lb)
- Bass usually spawn only once per year (Feb/March in the South) (June/July North)
- Bass attack not only for food but invasions of their territory
- Bass locate food by sight, sound, feel and possibly smell.
- Bass
Finding Bass
Prime bass habitat is a function of:
- Water temperature
- Food supply
- Oxygen
- Cover
- Water Temperature
- Shallow water in spring & early Summer
- Deeper water as Summer heat rises
- back to the shallows in Fall
- to deeper warmer water in Winter
- Deeper water as Summer heat rises
The best bass habitat for the fly fisher are smaller shallow lakes with good cover.
In large deep lakes, bass live over structure well below the surface. Here, they are hard or impossible to fly fish.
Bass fishing is good even in murky water or at night because bass can hear or feel the fly.
Bass do not like bright light. Look for them in shady areas.
Night fishing may be better in water that is very clear.
Bass Food
Bass will attack and eat a great variety of creatures that share bass habitat including; fish, insects, worms, reptiles, birds, frogs and small mammals. Bass eat only live creatures, not dead.Bass Flies
Bass flies have been develped to immitate or suggest much of the bass diet or trigger their territorial instints.
Bass fly materials immitate or suggest very closely approximate the look, feel and action of the natural foods.
Bass flies are designed to float on the surface, dive when retrieved, swim seductively under the surface or crawl along the bottom.
Surface flies are best when water temperatures are in the bass comfort zone of 65-75 (large mouth)
Large bulky flies are easiest to detect.
Bass can see colors. The best bets for flies are; black, white, yellow, red, chartreuse, purple and blue.
Reflective material should be used on flies immitating small fish.
Due to the bass' ability to smell, flies should be descented.
Bass Tackle
The size of the fly rod is determined by the size of the bass you expect to catch and/or the size and weight of the fly you will cast.The range of Fly Rods vary from 5 weight to 9 wt.
The fly rod must be heavy enough to pull a bass away from cover.
A fast action graphite rod will provide the muscle to cast large hairbugs and handle aggressive bass. If you will have only one fly rod to be used for bass, the following is a good bet.- Fly Rod
- 9 foot, 8 wt. medium fast action graphite with fighting butt.
- Reel
- Large diameter with a dependable drag. Should have capacity to hold the flyline plus 100-150 yards of 30 lb micron backing. Single Action is the standard for fly fishing.
- Fly Line
- For floating flies: WF8F (Weight forward - 8 weight - Floating) Dull greenish is a good color for most bass water.
- For sinking flies: WF8S/F (Weight forward - 8 weight - Sinking Tip)
- Leader used with floating line
- A) For surface of just under the surface; 8 to 9 feet tapered leader with 50 lb butt section tapered to 12-16 lb test.
- Leader used with sinking line
- Level leader 4 - 6 feet, 14 lb test
Bass Methods
Staying low and quiet is the proper attitude for stalking bass. Bass probably don't see many flies so they may be more likely to hit them.