LMB Fly Retrieval Tactics

[Wild One]

That pond is tough but your right, this time of year is about it for that water.

Always did well on a Taps Bug....throw past the shore and start stripping right before it hits the surface...and keep it chugging. Has worked in the past.

Poppers and spitters have never done as well for me as the Taps...stripped real quick.

Facing water from about the new wheel chair ramp, aim for the left shore and work your way to the far left corner...(you'll have to eventually move along the shore).

That far left corner is killer when you hit it right.

Always found plenty of followers on streamers but few takers.

Hey stranger! You've got a PM coming.

I've caught several from the pond on streamers and gurglers throughout the year, but yep...this time of year is key for that pond. I was out last week when it was nice and sunny and the hole eastern shore was absolutely crawling with bass. I had taken a co-worker out to get him started with the long rod, and he spotted a couple. We started walking that shore and they were literally everywhere. They must've just been warming as we saw nothing feeding or even following any fly I tossed to them.

Pretty much the responses I expected gents. Thanks for the insight and advice.

[James Smith]

I'm going to assume warm weather conditions when I respond to this question since cold weather almost always requires a VERY slow retrieve. When I'm fishing leech patterns early in the spring, I use slow steady 12 inch strips. A little later in the spring and in the summer, I switch to bait fish patterns and the most productive retrieve for me is a bit different than most folks. I make a very fast strip of about 14-16 inches and even move the tip of the rod very quickly about 1-2 feet. This rips the fly through the water about 3 feet. I try to stop the fly as close to cover as possible. Then as I retrieve the extra line, the fly stops and slowly sinks towards the bottom. I get 90+% of my takes immediately when the fly stops or when it is slowly sinking. This is usually sight fishing close to the bank or cover and many times the only indication that I have a take it that the fly suddenly disappears - like light a light bulb going out. Quite often you can't see the fish at all. You have to strike quickly when the bass sucks in the fly because they can/will spit it back out in the blink of an eye. I suspect that we all have MANY more strikes than we ever know, especially if you're fishing where you can't see your fly at all times This retrieval method of fishing been extremely productive for me over the years.

Jim Smith

[lee s]

Wild One,
Were most of the fish facing nose to the shore or were they stationed parallel to the shore (flank to the shore)?
....lee s.

[Wild One]

Wild One,
Were most of the fish facing nose to the shore or were they stationed parallel to the shore (flank to the shore)?
....lee s.

The day I saw a ton of them, they were mostly facing nose to shore, but there were several who appeared to be just crusing. Most of the time the bass here in this pond tend to face nose to shore--I assume they're expecting things to fall/jump in from shore that will be tasty little morsels.

[Cold]

Just to add something different to the discussion:

Up until the past few weeks, when the sun came out and reminded the bass that bigger is better, I was catching them with some regularity on a #16 elk hair caddis, of all things.

I was after the 'gills, so I'd cast parallel to shore and retrieve across the surface very slowly and steadily. After a while, if no gills came up, the fly would dip under, so on a whim I just kept up the extremely slow retrieve. When it got within sight, if there were any followers, I'd just stop it, and more often than not I'd see a big old bucketmouth vacuum it up.

[jeffcpr]

For me I always start out with a fast retrieve, it is more because I like the way it looks in the water. This does work but, if the fast retrieve does not produce I will slow down. The problem for me is with a slow retieve I lose interest and end up changing flies or just going home. I need action to keep my interest alive.