Classic American Bass Flies

Fishing Warm water Forum
1

I saw this post on another forum thought some of you might enjoy looking!
“To see some really cool classic bass flies, go [url=http://www.favoriteflies.com:59967]www.favoriteflies.com[/url:59967]
what they used to catch bass back in the early days-p-”
Steve

2

fun stuff. Loved Dr. Henshaw’s quote. JGW

3

Steve

thanks for sharing that one out.

I pose a question; how come things have changed to where those styles of flies are no longer nearly so popular as they seem to have once been?

RRhyne56
[url=http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com:2cdb2]Sweetness On The Water[/url:2cdb2]
[url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/bgl/:2cdb2]Good Ol? Lepomis Macrochirus[/url:2cdb2]

4

Check out the Old Flies and stuff archive here on FAOL (link below) for some classic bass flies also .
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/oldflies/archive.html:1bda2]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/oldflies/archive.html[/url:1bda2]

Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

“Flip a fly”

5

Steve,
That “favoriteflies” website belongs to a FAOL member.

Dennis ~BadBug~

6

“I pose a question; how come things have changed to where those styles of flies are no longer nearly so popular as they seem to have once been?”

Those patterns are to Bass fishing, what classic Salmon fly patterns are to salmon fishing. There may have been a day when fish were less pressured and more ready to take those flies. But today we have to admit that Bass Flies don’t match the hatch very well. Bass do not feed on butterflies anywhere near as much as they do on minnows.

So just as a lot of classic salmon and trout flies have passed into history, those Bass Flies have passed on.

They are great to look at, though.

7

Hi Gents - That’s my site - thanks for the kind words!
You will find a couple of my flies at the OLD FLIES section here at FAOL. Also check out Eric Austin’s renderings of these beautiful flies there. Very well done! If I find the time I hope to do more - FAOL is a GREAT site.
Please don’t think that these flies don’t catch fish anymore, or that bass have become too sophisticated to take them… on the contrary. These are still killing flies and can add an additional element of enjoyment to your fishing while still providing tight lines!! I also add in-line spinners to many of the patterns and the results cause smallmouths to become “greedy idiots”! Cheers, Alec

8

flytackle

I am ready to eat my words that suggest those flies are obsolete. Therefore I hope you or someone else will write up experiences with classic Bass Flies showing us more about when and how they worked. That spinner idea may not sit well with purists, but it is OK with me. I have great success on Smallmouth using a #4 Mickey Fin streamer behind a 00 spinner.

Your turn…

Mike

9

Hi Mike - That Micky Finn Spinner fly sounds killer. Remember - the English invented the “purist” ethic, and these flies are born in the USA! Tight lines Mike! Alec