Setting up 8wt for bass....how much backing?
?I have fished one little area for trout with a 5-6wt. Now live in a different territory. How much backing do I need to put on a fly reel with 8wt fly line? I have no idea how to fish for bass. Would 25 yards be enough? or 50? or should one do a 100 yards of backing on a reel for fly fishing for bass?
100 yds is the "standard" for backing. I'd recommend at least 50 yds just to be safe....but for bass you probably will not need it. An 8wt is, IMO, overkill for bass. You might wear yourself out casting that all day. I use a 6wt. It'll cast everything but perhaps the biggest/heaviest flies. One trick some bass guys do is to overline a 6wt with either a 7wt or 8wt bass line. Usually one backcast is all you need to fire out a good-sized fly.
That 8wt would be very handy if you find time to get over to New Mexico to chase some Tiger Musky.
Good luck!!
David Merical
St. Louis, MO
The old socks in your sock drawer have but one purpose: to hold the new ones you wear up where you can find them.
Backing also has a main use: to hold your fly line up to where it's near the rim and you can retrieve line at a decent rate, and to not have it coil due to a small storage diameter.
Bass are not known for long runs like bonefish or permit. Trout run a lot more, and I haven't seen my backing more than once or twice in the last 10 years. And then usually on tail-hooked fish in a current.
I'd say get the largest size backing you can find (30#; 50# is hard to find) and put just enough on the reel to bring the fly line to the rim, or near it. That takes less backing using a larger diameter, and 100 yds of 30# costs about what 100 yds of 20# does. Your reel's manual should tell you how much that will be.
FishnDave has it right. 8Wt is not necessary for largemouth bass. 6Wt would be OK and probably right, but I have landed 6 to 8 pound largemouth bass with a 5Wt. However, plusing up the line size to handle bass bugs is advisable. As far as backing, 50 yards will be fine. Largemouth are going to jump more than run. In my experience they tire pretty quickly as a result. There are ways to prevent too much jumping, but I won't get into that here.
God Bless America
Appreciate the comments. I tried to find "how much backing" needed for bass on the internet and failed. It finally occurred to me to just fill up the reel and then the line put on the reel. I was thinking about 8-9wt rods in order to throw those big wind resistant spun deer hair deceivers and such. But my upcoming trip is about smallmouth bass on a river in Maine. I would love to fish for Tiger Musky but am now 3,000 miles away and home in AZ up for sale and has a contract on it. I am now a permanent Maniac. Anywhoooo.....I was not going to use an 8wt to horse in a bass. Intent was to throw the big flies. I think big flies will not be necessary for smallmouth. So I may downsize the rod. I initially was going to set up a 9wt with a lot of backing just so it would handle bass, pike, etc. One rod for all other than trout. But 'methinks that is overkill for bass.....
Now....what leader....? If I were to furl a leader for uh...an 8 or 9 wt rod what material would I use.....what thread....that would indeed roll out those big flies? Using Kathy Scott formula for making leaders.
Whitewolf,
You would be surprised at the total power the smallmouth bass has. Lots. A baby smallie will eat a 6 inch streamer. Most of my smallmouth fishing is in the larger rivers of WA and MT. That means that not only are you fighting the power of the smallie but the force of the river. When I hook a smallie, I prefer to get them in fast to release then as soon as possible. So, I use a 7 wt fly rod. It handles the huge flies that you may cast and you can cast even when there is a strong wind, which happens a lot out west on the rivers. Regarding backing, the only time I got into my backing while fishing for smallies is when a 12 pound carp grabbed my streamer and headed downstream at great speed. My poor rod was bent double the whole time but we get the fish in, took a quick picture and released it. Most of the time you will not be releasing any line at all, but I suspect if you use a 5 wt or a 6 wt you may have to let out some line, but not a lot.
Enjoy the hits, when the smallies slam your fly you will know it.
Larry ---sagefisher---
Consider the wind in chosing the weight of the rod. If you are still up on the Mogollon Rim I know lots of the lake are very windy, especially Sunrise. Bass flies tend to be more wind resistant than trout flies and a strong rod is needed or much better technique. Wherever you will be fishing the wind is a factor. Here in the deep south, wind is rarely an issue on lakes with bass, the remainder of the USA I have found to be much more windy. Another thing to think about.
Want to hear God laugh? Tell him Your plans!!!
Tks Jesse and Sagefisher. I do appreciate the information. I am now wondering what material to furl a leader with....that will throw those big spun deer hair frog imitations and such. Uh....probably a shorter leader as well. I thought one should have a 9' leader for surface fishing for bass. I just cannot imagine what "thread" to furl a leader with for surface bass fishing. I was thinking type A rod wrapping thread....but all I have is a gold and a bright blue. Not either of those for sure. But I could order some thread.....just wondering....I think fly tying 6/0 thread may not do the trick. And Uncle Jesse I am no longer on the rim. I am now a permaniac Maniac in the state of Maine. And thus a ton of waters to fish and a lot.....really a lot of bass waters. I just have never set up for bass. My friend Bugman sent me a couple of leaders....but furled out of big mono. I just don't like mono for leaders. I can take a 6/0 fly tying thread trout leader and sort of coil it up like a store bought mono leader looks. Like in a round fashion. Then just hook the middle of it in a paper clip and pull it through a 1' piece of tubing. I can carry half a dozen of these in my shirt pocket! NOT like mono in big coils. Anwhoooo.....I really appreciate the comments....and thus the information imparted to me. gotta live this site
For the farm pond I like to fish, I carry a 6wt and an 8wt rod. I like the 8 wt for big poppers and have taken some 5 +lb bass on both rods. For me, the primary concern for trout and bass is simply being there!! I use a 5 wt when trout fishing. But when I started I used the 6wt. All great. . . .
The only reason to use an 8wt for LM bass is to accommodate for casting larger, heavier flies. I use a 7wt and have never had a problem even when using 8 inch long streamers. That said, I don't use long zonker strip flies because it's as much fun as casting a wet sock. As far as backing, 25 yards should be sufficient. I have never had a LM bass get even close to me seeing the backing and I've landed some decent sized bass here in Georgia. One other consideration on your setup, if you ever plan to use it in some of the larger reservoirs where there are stripers, I would go for the 8 wt.
Jim Smith
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