Fly Fishing for Largemouth Bass

For fly fishing for bass can provide some of the most exciting fishing in the country. The largemouth bass is probably the most popular game fish in America. The popularity of fishing for bass is partly because no other freshwater fish has a wider distribution. Largemouth bass can be found from southern Canada to South America. Smallmouth bass are also excellent for fly fishing, but they prefer slightly cooler waters and are not as ever present as the largemouth variety.

Generally, the warmer the water, the larger the bass will grow. For example, a four or five pound bass may be large for a northern lake, but warmer southern waters regularly produce 10 pounders and better. The temperature of the water is a key factor not only in fly fishing, but in all fishing. When fishing for bass it is an especially important factor.

The best fishing will take place just after the bass have spawned, which is going to vary according to the temperatures. For largemouth bass spawning takes place when the water temperatures reached the low to mid-60s. In Minnesota for example, a female bass may not deposit her eggs until mid-June, while in Florida the female bass may spawn as early as February.

The behavior of the largemouth bass is also influenced considerably by the top temperature of the water. On hot summer days, they usually feed during the early morning hours and then again during the last few hours of daylight, when the sun isn’t as bright and the water temperature is cooler. Bass are generally found in areas of the water that have a lot of vegetation and cover. They spend a lot of time near the water’s edge among the grasses, reeds, and other plants.

Many fly fishermen fishing for largemouth bass use bass bugs and poppers. Poppers were designed as a surface lure to be skipped across the top of the water in a series of quick retrieves. Other good fly patterns for largemouth bass or the Muddler Minnow and the Wooly Worm. There are some fly fishermen that prefer to use streamers and bucktail.

When fly fishing for bass the fly is worked differently than it is for trout. Poppers are worked not only for their appearance but also for their sound. Generally, when a fly is cast for bass it should be allowed to remain unmoving for a longer period of time then for trout. It is estimated that 60% of bass strikes are made on a still fly. Bass tend to inspect your fly for some time before making the decision whether to take it or not. It is important to remember while fly fishing, that the warmer the water, the longer it will take the bass to take a fly.

At times fly fishermen like to tease the bass with repeated casts over the area where they think he’s holding. Teasing can sometimes be a very effective method in bringing a lazy fish up for a strike when nothing else seems to work

Fly fishing for largemouth bass can be a wonderful, exciting experience.

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Largemouth Bass Fishing Question?

Ok i have had trouble fishing bass this season i need help choosing the right lure and reeling in procedure and locating bass so help me answer the following:

Well my lake is really big and it ranges from 1 foot to 10 feet in the middle. The water’s temperature this week is between 75-60 right now.

It is obviously Winter time.

Now i have caught so much Largemouth Bass here that i lost count but over 200 100% sure of that. Now i caught them every season except Winter so what lure should i use right now and how do i reel it in and where are the fish hiding??

In Spring Buzzbaits and Spinnerbaits are beauties

In Summer Soft Lures are killers

In Fall Shad and Fish-style baits are beautiful i caught my biggest and most fish this season on a single day!

In Winter -?!?!?!?_?!_$__$L$ What should i use??!?

My rod is a 7 foot casting rod, 12-16 lb. test line. I have about 40 feet worth of line left in the reel.

The weather is Partly Cloudy and there are no Obstructions whatsoever.

I have a row boat i can borrow from my Neighbor if i have too maybe not today. it is 4:00 P.M local time and it has been Sunny the pass 2 days. Please Help i am using a buzz bait which is not working due to the fact there is a loud Fountain Supressing the noise it makes.

Answer
the lower the temp of the water the lower the activity of the fish. if teh water is colder, the fish is less likely to waste it’s energy trying to catch fast moving baits. try using some live bait like minnows or worms, or use some diving minnows. it does matter where you live. just try going slower and have a small twitchy presentation. good luck!