Hi All,

Well, some long walks along my local river have paid off. I've found a number of excellent stretches holding BIG smallmouth. There are a number of 15"-18" bass, and a friend (using spinning gear) landed and measured a 20" monster ! It's not unusual to see half a dozen big bass in one area, and another half dozen 40 yards downstream.

Here's my problem...they don't seem to want to bite . I've used Sparkle Grubs, Murray's Hellgramites, black woolly buggers, olive woolly buggers, clousers, half-and-halfs, gurgle-pops, Michigan wigglers, etc... and I can't get the big boys to move. I'll catch a number of little guys in the 12"-14" range, but I want those big boys to turn on. The best "look" I got from a bass yesterday was on a white sparkle grub.

Water temp. is about 80 - 82 degrees. The area is a rocky stretch about 50 meters long between two deep holes. The depth through this stretch varies, but is probably 3 - 3.5 feet on average. The current is fairly slow, and the water is gin clear. This is sight fishing at its finest. I'm using 6 wt. floating line with a leader and tippet about 10 feet in length. I'm usually fishing through the afternoon (which, on this river, is usually a great time for the big guys to feed). I've fished this river for years, and have never been so frustrated!!!

Do any of you have fly choices or tactics that you think might work ? If you do, please share them with before I forgo live bait and go straight to dynamite!!!

Cheers,
Andrew