Warm-water, One-Fly Contest!!!

[Eight Thumbs]

Hello All,

It?s time for the Warmwater, One-Fly Contest again. I asked this question several years ago and it created a large number of responses and a lot of interest. Since we have so many new members, I thought I would try it again.

We are going to have a Warmwater, One-Fly Contest on a southern lake in the last week of May. It could be NC, SC, TN, GA, or AL. The lake is an Army Corps of Engineers impoundment. The lake has lots of coves with shallow water, many points and lots of downed trees and logs along the shore line. In other words, there is lots of water available to the fly fisherman even with a floating line. There is also considerable deep water in the range of 40-120 feet. Schooling of stripers, hybrids and LMB often occurs in this deeper water

The lake contains excellent brim (and all their relatives), crappie, bass (LM, SM, Spotted), stripers, hybrids catfish (all types), carp and gar. A mathematical genius has devised a scoring formula that takes into account the state record for that species and awards points on a percentage basis of that record. The formula, which all consider eminently fair, also takes into account the daily catch limit and awards fewer points for those fish with a high limit reflecting the ease or expectancy of catching large numbers of that species. In an effort to encourage diversity of catch, your largest fish of each species counts double. Therefore, it is advantageous to target numerous species and not focus on just one species.

All contestants will be allowed one fly fishing outfit of their choice. They may switch spools and fish with intermediate lines and sinking lines. There is no limit on extra spools with different line type. Split shots and strike indicators (but not a fly) are also allowed. Fishing will be begin at dawn and can continue until dark. You allowed only one fly for the entire day. Obviously, durability is a major consideration. If the fly falls apart, you are finished at the point. If you break off the fly, you are finished.

You are allowed a tube, personal pontoon, canoe or other none-motor watercraft. No bass boats or motors allowed.

WOW, if you read all this congratulations! Here are the questions. What species are you going to target and where (coves, channels, points)? What rod weight, line and fishing set up will you try? What fly and what size are you going to use.

Just a little food for thought and my attempt to fight cabin fever. 8T

[MontanaMoose]

Good morning 8T, I'd be walk/wade fishing so first thing I'd like to know is is there a lot of access for doing so. Once I knew that, then I'd know what all to bring.

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

[Philly]

A real quick response. The gear would stay the same but I'd have to see the lay out of the lake, its shore access and poisoneous snake population before deciding whether I would walk/wade or whether I'd try paddling or rowing.
All but the gar, and catfish would be a by catch of any subsurface fishing I did.
Rod: 9 ft 6 wgt.

Reel: Three spools, floating, intermediate and fast sinking.

Tippet: 20 lb fluorocarbon

Fly: Size 4 or equivalent Sneaky Pete, fluorescent yellow with black marabou tail and hackle and white legs. Fly is about 2 to 2 1/2 inches long.

[Eight Thumbs]

I just realized that I neglected to list my gear and strategy for the one-fly contest. I would opt for a nine foot six weight rod and a full range of line including floating, intermediate and fast sinking. I would also include a wide range of split shots in my arsenal. I would select a light, easily rowed pram to help get me around.

My fly would be a size 8, chartreuse Gurgle Pop and my principle target would be sun fish and largemouth bass. I would start fishing the top water in the early morning and then gradually work deeper and deeper depths with a combination of sinking line and split shots. Hopefully a catfish or two might be interested as the fly moves down in the water column. I would come back up the water column around 5:00pm

Montana, the lake is wadeable and the there are numerous access points from roads, boat launches and recreation areas.

Philly and other potential waders, snakes and gators are not considered a threat to waders. Maybe, the lake isn't too deep in Georgia or Alabama.

Hope this helps. 8T

[Buddy Sanders]

8T,

Bass and sunfish.

Coves and shallow points with a pontoon.

Six weight with a floating line and heavy tippet (12#)

#4 fence rider frog in olive/white.

I'd not fish subsurface at all, too easy to lose a fly even with a heavy tippet. So, topwater all day for me (what I'd do that time of year anyway..)

I'd throw that frog into and around every piece of cover and over any bit of vegetation I could see (it's got a good weedguard).

I'd not win, but I'd certainly have a ball catching lots of fish....

AND, if I lost the fly or it got torn up, I'd just withdraw from competition and keep fishing. Fishing time is too prescious to waste just 'cause of some prize...

I'd really like to see this lake...

Good Luck!

Buddy

[James Smith]

I would use my Hobie Outback kayak as my fishing platform. I would probably use a 9 foot 5wt rod and target LM bass and bream. My pattern would be a black leech tied on a size 6 or 8 hook tied using Arctic fox fur for the tail and black seal fur in a wire dubbing brush for the body. I live and fish Georgia and this combination consistently produces nice bass and bream as well as crappie and the occasional hybrid every year, especially in the spring. This pattern is very effective and almost indestructable.

Jim Smith

[white43]

My cedar strip canoe. A five weight with sinktip and floating lines. One fly: a black Gill Buster, considering the species offered. JGW

[MontanaMoose]

Ok, well since there is plenty of bank access, I'll walk/wade, I'll use a 9x9 2 piece, 0X tippet, I'll use a sink tip flyline and I'll carry another spool with a floating line. I'll wear a 'flats' shirt with long sleeves all day, no matter how hot it gets and I'll wear a very wide brimmed hat, something I can dip in the lake to cool me off if need be.

I'll use a modified wooley bugger in black on a #4 3xlong 3x strong streamer hook with pinched barb. I'll sight fish as much as I can to avoid losing my fly and I'll fish from dawn till dark. I'll have a small flashlight and a small folding knife in my vest. My vest will be of the mesh type but with storage designed for larger items, i.e. food and beverage. Nippers, forceps, a sharpening stone will be close at hand on the front of the vest and I'll even have sunscreen and carmex, though when I fish I try to keep the sun at my back as much as I can.

My 0X tippet will be unusually long and unwieldy at first, but I'll be re-tye my wooley bugger to the tippet after each larger bass/monster sunfish or any time that frequent inspections reveal that the knot is becoming too tight.

A wading staff will round out most of my gear and since I'll be making frequent trips back to the car over the course of the day, I'll at first wear stocking foot hippers and boots, then I'll wet wade if it's comfortable to do so. I'll wear my fit-over 'Cocoons' and I'll have spare hats in the fishing car which will have a huge cooler full of additional food and beverages.

This pretty much describes how I go about a day of fly fishing, but I've never done a one fly so this would be a lot of fun and very memorable. I don't care if I win and I'll target bass mostly and if sunfish can take the #4 modified wooley bugger, they'll have to be pretty good size.

You might think the 9 wt. is overkill, but I don't want to lose my fly to a big bass that heads for the weeds. Also, you might think my arm and shoulder will be shot at the end of the evening but I don't cast as much as one would think while bank/walk/wade lake fly fishing. Ok, next !

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

[Big Bad Wulff]

7wt/ 9ft rod
12 lb flourocarbon
any boat available
4-inch, natural-colored worm, tied to last on a long, #6 hook.

Will catch any fish there as long as the worm holds up, which is the weak point in the whole scenario.

give me the trophy!

[Bear742]

Nice "What If." We really ought to hold the event as part of a fish in.

What species are you going to target and where (coves, channels, points)?

Large Mouth Bass

What rod weight, line and fishing set up will you try?

9 for 9

WF Floating and Sinking Lines, Leaders 3-9', tipets 10# mono and flouro, tyable stranded wire shock tipet initially

What fly and what size are you going to use.

4" Bunny Leach, Grey*, Unweighted, 1/0 hook.

* Just in case we get a chance to see the water color before we declare the fly, I will have white, black, chart, red, and others on hand.

Would a fly rod flatfish be a fly?

Just curious how the judges would distinguish between a foam Wigglebug tyed with synthetic materials and a tenite plastic F4 about the same size.