What is the biggest fly you throw at bass?

[Eight Thumbs]

Tailingloop has got me beat for lure size, but I regularly fish Gurglers/Gurgle Pops that I tie on 1/0 & 2/0 hooks. I use the longest bucktail and saddle hackles I can find for the tail and a half inch plus strip of 2mm. The "fly" is 5-6 inches in overall length and casts well (and far) with a #9 weight line. I also use a 2/0 Crease Fly on a pretty regular basis.

Tailingloop, any chance of a picture of fly? 8T

[Richard Komar]

Hello Gary,

Like Gigmaster, I also use the Hard-Hackle Worm in about 5-6" size on a size 2 hook. Best color for me for largemouth: purple. Second: black.

This fly in this size is easy to cast even with a 6 wt, but I usually use my 8 wt for the largemouth. Once the fly gets saturated, it has an extremely streamlined profile which allows it to zip through the air with the greatest of ease. For the 6wt, I use a 4" Hard-Hackle Worm. And I have some little 2 inch Hard-Hackle Worms I use on a 3-4 wt for bream.

Cheers,

Richard in Plano TX

[Gigmaster]

Hey Richard,

On the 2" size, how do you keep the 'Gills from just biting the tail feathers off? Do you rig a stinger on it?.
Thanks,

Joel

[tailingloop]

8T,

Below is an image of a trio of large flies. I have some somewhere that are an inch or two larger. Two Sar-Mul-Macs and a Clouser Minnow are shown. I tie them in trout colors also and an inch or two bigger than shown. I use a 10 or 11wt rod with a 400 to 450 grain shooting head to cast them. I only use these locally during the winter and spring when trout are stocked in the local lakes. My biggest flyrod bass so far on a big fly is 6lbs, but I know others who have taken teeners. A two lb bass will have no trouble eating one of these things. These are not high percentage baits though, smaller flies are more productive.

[Crash13]

Great looking flies, I haven't quite figured out how to tie them that well.
Thanks,
Gary

[Richard Komar]

Joel,

On the 2 inch HHWs, I don't do anything different with them. Haven't had any trouble with the little nippers here. These Texas bream are an aggressive lot; I have caught bream here on a Hard-Hackle Dragonfly with a 3 inch wingspan on a size 2 hook with a 9wt. The bluegill that bit that was smaller than the Dragonfly!

I don't mind the little nippers too much. It's only a matter of time before their activity attracts the big boys watching the action. You gotta be patient I have found when fishing very warm warmwater.

Cheers,

Richard in Texas
(It's HOT here!)

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Tailingloop,

Thank you for the picture. Those are fine looking flies.....and BIG. 8T

[flyandtie]

My biggest fly I throw for bass is only about 4 inches long.

[Micropteris]

I have caught bass on 8-10" flatwings. I don't use them often, just when I am in a mood for something different.