# Fly Fishing for LRGmouth Bass



## Boykinballer (Nov 13, 2018)

Hey all, 

Just picked up a new skiff, but I am about two weeks from getting very busy at work. I live in the central FL area, and with my upcoming schedule the chances of me getting to hit the salt for the first half of summer is going to be pretty slim. With that said there are a lot of lakes around that I can sneak off to when leaving the office Saturday around lunch. 

Any strategies/ flies you guys can suggest? Never been a big freshwater guy but I cannot stand the thought of my new ride collecting dust in the garage for the next 3-4 months.


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## OED (Feb 26, 2019)

Deer hair frogs or any top water for that matter. I've had success with dragon tails tied with a foam head like chicones tuscan bunny as well as SF Blend baitfish (white belly + tan/copper back)


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## flyclimber (May 22, 2016)

Wooly bugger.


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## Ferrulewax (Mar 19, 2018)

Boogle bugs, double decievers, stealth bombers, double barrel poppers, gamechangers


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## marshrat (Feb 22, 2018)

x2 on deer hair frogs, wooly buggers, and baitfish. Those are my top 3 bass patterns. Side note, I really like to crimp barbs on the frogs especially. I've had a couple bass push the hook straight into the vessel between their gills, and I think it's because the hook is always straight down. Going barbless will greatly decrease the chances of complicated de-hooking when that happens.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

I really prefer to only sight cast to them, usually from the shore but at times from a skiff or canoe. I prefer small size 8-10 hoppers, and green or black weedless leeches 3 ish inch length that don’t have much weight to them and are weedless so you can stop them and let them sit on the bottom.

Put it 5-10’ away and move it very slightly till you get their attention and then just let it sit once they have seen it. Sometimes they will stare it down for upwards of a minute or more before eating it.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I live in CFL. The bass in my lake will absolutely smash a mouse either in deer hair or foam. It's probably not their normal diet but they don't care.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Ive caught them on grass hoppers, buggers and crease flies. Any bait or crawfish will do


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

Wooly Boogers, deer hair frog and mouse, and try a wooly booger with a rabbit strip tail instead of marabou


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

I've caught more bass in Lakeland on a simple white shminnow tied on a size #6 to #4 black nickle hook, than you can imagine. Also just a plain Pecks yellow and black or chartreuse and black bluegill popper. It's fun to watch them crush that fly.

Go take a drive up to Dade City via Hwy 98 and go to Swann's Fly Fishing Outfitters, there at the 301 truck bypass next to the Ford dealership. Ask ole Jim Swann to hook you up with some good bugs to use for bass in the Lakeland area. You can tell the ole codger that Ted said hi!


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Gurglers...same ones you might throw for snook. Its pretty much the only thing I throw at them in the neighborhood lakes if I can't get to the salt.


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## acesover (Aug 21, 2015)

#8 popper when fishing for bluegill


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## OED (Feb 26, 2019)

@Backwater thanks for name dropping Swann's. Had no clue and it's pretty much in my backyard!


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## MatthewAbbott (Feb 25, 2017)

EP baitfish sized and trimmed to match baitfish for your area and gurglers.


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

Ep minnows, deer hair frogs, poppers/ howitzers, crawfish patterns. Hell I’ve caught plenty on clousers and deceivers. They’re an ambush predator, just put something that looks like food in front of their nose....


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Ed Lemmens said:


> @Backwater thanks for name dropping Swann's. Had no clue and it's pretty much in my backyard!


I've known him for about 25yrs. He's a corky ole codger, but ties about 100-200 flies a day. He's probably got more freshwater flies than all the fly shops in Florida, combined. His shop is cluddered with all sorts of stuff, but definitely worth the road trip. I've been in his shop about 100 times and still manage to find something I need or can use. Lots of natural fly tying material there too.


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## Scott Kor (Feb 3, 2019)

All these fly suggestions are great. It probably goes without saying that you will need a weed guard on your fly more often than not, due to how bass relate to cover. 

Another important attribute of any good bass fly is movement. Hyper realistic flies with no movement catch more fishermen than bass. As Texasag07 said, you can often let a top water fly sit a long time before the fish takes. If your fly has the right components for movement, it will keep producing micro movement even when you think it is sitting completely still.

Most of these suggestions cover top water and shallow fishing but you will find that bass often move deep in certain conditions. fishing a popper/dropper rig can often cover both top and mid depth, while fishing a weighted fly or sink tip can cover deeper fish. 

Good luck! I love bass fishing. I just won a charity fishing event against conventional anglers using my fly gear. They taunted me before the start saying that I would never land a big bass in heavy cover using a fly rod. I weighed in three 5 pounders and a 7 winning both the tournament and the big fish award. These fish were all spooky and heavily fished. Throwing a fly was both stealthy and something they had not seen. Attached is my poor attempt at a selfie.


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## Boykinballer (Nov 13, 2018)

Backwater said:


> I've caught more bass in Lakeland on a simple white shminnow tied on a size #6 to #4 black nickle hook, than you can imagine. Also just a plain Pecks yellow and black or chartreuse and black bluegill popper. It's fun to watch them crush that fly.
> 
> Go take a drive up to Dade City via Hwy 98 and go to Swann's Fly Fishing Outfitters, there at the 301 truck bypass next to the Ford dealership. Ask ole Jim Swann to hook you up with some good bugs to use for bass in the Lakeland area. You can tell the ole codger that Ted said hi!


Thanks Backwater, I'm in Lville as well hit me up if you ever need a fishing partner!


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## RaspberryPatch (Dec 17, 2016)

I prefer a wooly worm, versus bugger, as the water warms, as I have noticed short strikes.


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## saltydg0089 (Apr 15, 2013)

Gurglers are about the only thing I throw at bass anymore. Cant keep them off the darn things!


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## Denduke (Oct 31, 2018)

Early in the year spawn and post spawn here in M'sipi the state lakes are clear and I like to use a foam frog. Later when they fertilize the lakes and the plankton blumes I like a noisy popper to "call'em up".
Also have had luck with a foam diver and have started using swimmer tails outa rehab stretch stuff cut in circles. Made some spinner flies for reds that'll prolly work in the stained water too.


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## Denduke (Oct 31, 2018)

Since it's Easter might mention making redfish spoons outa plastic glitter eggs and poppers outa lil styrofoam eggs. Gotta use UV glue on the styrofoam cuz all other glues melts it!


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## GG34 (May 2, 2014)

I've switched over to double barrel poppers for all my topwater bass flies. They never disappoint.


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Scott Kor said:


> I just won a charity fishing event against conventional anglers


Awesome!


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## Scott Kor (Feb 3, 2019)

Denduke said:


> View attachment 69408
> View attachment 69410
> View attachment 69412
> Since it's Easter might mention making redfish spoons outa plastic glitter eggs and poppers outa lil styrofoam eggs. Gotta use UV glue on the styrofoam cuz all other glues melts it!


I'm going to ask the Easter bunny for some of these!!


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## Scott Kor (Feb 3, 2019)

Denduke said:


> View attachment 69394
> View attachment 69396
> View attachment 69398
> Early in the year spawn and post spawn here in M'sipi the state lakes are clear and I like to use a foam frog. Later when they fertilize the lakes and the plankton blumes I like a noisy popper to "call'em up".
> ...


Love those frogs you tied. Really cool. 

Here is one that I tie for sliding over lilly pads. This is an old pic. I recently switched to a hook with a less perpendicular bend under the eye so that it can crawl up over a pad. The type of hook in this pic sometimes just pushes the pad out of the way and that actually seems to get the fly noticed. So both hooks have worked for me.


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## Crazy Larry (Nov 8, 2017)

Cool frogs guys. Here's one I have tied. It's not my design. Chad Johnson's Freaky Frog.


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## Scott Kor (Feb 3, 2019)

Crazy Larry said:


> Cool frogs guys. Here's one I have tied. It's not my design. Chad Johnson's Freaky Frog.
> 
> View attachment 70162


I like the brighter colors on yours. Looks like you used a mono weedguard instead of a wire guard. I like the mono idea a lot better than his design with the wire. I feel like they get bent up too much after you catch a fish. Thanks for posting those pics.


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## Flyman28 (Nov 19, 2015)

RaspberryPatch said:


> I prefer a wooly worm, versus bugger, as the water warms, as I have noticed short strikes.


X2 on the wooly worm for sight fishing. I tie them in Size 6 and 4 some weighted and henry ford Model T coloring. "any color as long as its black."


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## flyslinger (Feb 7, 2019)

Take your pick. Bass flies are fun to fish, fun to tie, and fun to look at.
View attachment 70324


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## RaspberryPatch (Dec 17, 2016)

I also include Peacock, and will also do a webby grizzly hackle.



Flyman28 said:


> X2 on the wooly worm for sight fishing. I tie them in Size 6 and 4 some weighted and henry ford Model T coloring. "any color as long as its black."


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

Boykinballer said:


> Hey all,
> 
> Just picked up a new skiff, but I am about two weeks from getting very busy at work. I live in the central FL area, and with my upcoming schedule the chances of me getting to hit the salt for the first half of summer is going to be pretty slim. With that said there are a lot of lakes around that I can sneak off to when leaving the office Saturday around lunch.
> 
> Any strategies/ flies you guys can suggest? Never been a big freshwater guy but I cannot stand the thought of my new ride collecting dust in the garage for the next 3-4 months.


Are you in Lakeland? I live here and mostly fly fish in salt, but would entertain fly fishing for bass if you're up for it.. I have a 10 year old that plays competitive baseball and that keeps me in town on a bunch of weekends.

Thanks,
Bob


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