flys for the discriminating largemouth

[perfectloop]

i've asked this question before and am trying to gather more info. i have a pond that i fish occasionally and the pond is located next to a playground with kids and waterfowl that eagerly take handouts. the little panfish also like handouts and will take just about any fly i give them. but, there are some large, i would extimate, 18"+ bass that lurk just a ways off the shore. i can easily cast to them with a 3-weight, but nothing larger than a small popper. so, casting isnm't an issue. the problem is these porky bass don't take anything i give them. i've tried numerous flys and worked them over the cover, let them sit and twitch, sunk em, worked em fast, slow, you name it, and they just kinda stare and shrug. any suggestions for the bass that's seen it all?

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take him fishing

[nowindknots]

Have they seen your poppers after dark?

Jim

[dixieangler]

Are they educated? By that, I mean have they been caught a lot? If not, they might want a bigger meal than your 3wt. can give them.

For educated LMB (sometimes uneducated also), I use a size 8 Deer Hair Caddis (Trude) for one. The pattern is in Dick Stewart's Bass Flies book. It has been effective for me when the bass have seen and been caught on a lot of large flies and lures, and have resorted to taking only small insects like caddis.

Best of luck.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[Thwack]

Maybe they want a meal, not an appetizer? A clouser with light weight eyes should still be castable on your 3 wt (just take your time when the hair's all wet) and might look like more of a meal than the poppers.

[Eight Thumbs]

Hey PL,

I was going to suggest fishing dusk to full dark particularly if you have a good moon or at the absolute first light of dawn.

I would also suggest that if you can see these smart, old bass they can see you. Watch your visibility to the fish. I will often fish well back from the shore when I'm dealing with high IQ fish. Fish on your knees or from a sitting position 8T

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You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it's a real short camping season.

[Buddy Sanders]

PL,

I'm with 8T on this one.

They saw you (if you see them, they saw you well before that occured). They likely won't bite, and fly selection won't fix it.

Fish the ones that can't see you. Try casting to the same depth level, just cast parallel to the shoreline and make long casts. Fish at low light. Be sneaky. Use lighter and longer leaders. Fish slowly.

Also, either a larger offering or a very small one can be helpful in this type of situation (say a 3/0 foam popper or a #16 Adams..).

Given the time of year, you also need to consider whether or not they are on the beds. This can change your approach, as the fish don't 'eat' during this time, but will, sometimes, defend.

Good Luck!

Buddy

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[idabelangler]

I'll say what eveyone else said..

1) Give em' some groceries. Try a big hair bug or a large hula popper. You'll need a bigger rod to cast those lures.

2) Back up off the bank a good ways before you cast to them. If the fish are 20' off the shore make a 60' cast with 40' of the cast on the shore. Let it sit for a good 5 minutes then give it a slight twitch and let it sit another 10 minutes.

Bass like the ones you mentioned like big easy meals.

Mike B

[ohiotuber]

Some great advice....Night is a fantastic time to fish...ESPECIALLY on waters that are "busy" during daylight hours. Also, Mike B's advice to let a hair bug "sit" motionless is excellent. It's amazing how long they'll look at the darn thing, tempting you to move it...DON'T! Open a cold one & relax awhile.
Mike

[billknepp]

I know of a similar pond and I've learned a few tricks to catching the big "cruiser" bass.Notice you don't accept email,It's simpler than you'd think.Those are truely some great suggestions. And you should try them,especially keeping low and staying well back.Good luck!

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"Wish ya great fishing"

[poke flyfisher]

Like others have said, if it were me, I'd chuck the 3 wt. in favor of a 7 or 8wt. and throw some real meals at them. Do it at dawn or dusk or use day time stealth so they don't see you. They didn't get that big by being a "caution to the wind" feeder. Also during day light go deep. Maybe use a sink-tip line. My personal favorites are big Clousers, Dalhberg Divers, Hot Claws, Bunny Leeches with an in-line spinner, Hare Worms, Fly Rod Hula Poppers, Zonker type patterns and Large Woolly Buggers. Good Luck!