I went fishing yesterday on a warmwater lake and when I got there the fish were breaking the surface. I started looking for what they were going after and found quite a few small brown mayflies flying near the surface of the water. I watched them for a while and none of them were actually landing on the water. Never the less I started out with a dry fly that looked very very close to the size and color of the mayflies that I was seeing. After 30 minutes of putting the fly right on the spot where I saw them breaking the surface I had no luck. So I thought they may be emerging so I tried 3 different nymphs including one that would stay just under the surface and still no luck. Finally I gave up trying to match the hatch and went with a olive bugger and started catching sandbass. Go figure!!
This isn’t the first time this has happened. Does matching the hatch only work on trout? It seems to work on sunfish well but I’ve never had much results when targeting bass.
Are you sure the bass were eating the bugs? Perhaps they were eating the smaller fish that were feeding on the mayflys. Try a minnow or sunfish imitation the next time and see if you have any luck. I now smallies in streams feed on bugs but I think LMB prefer a larger meal.
I think Rick is correct. They were most likely feeding on the baitfish that were feeding on the emerging mayflies. Also, you could try an “emerging” technique with your nymphs or emergers to rule it out. If you start hooking bait, you’ll know. A simple Leisenring Lift will usually do the trick.
I have seen smallmouth bass zone in on mayflies before. Of course my trout fies were in the car but I could see them clearly taking the naturals off of a still water. I was in a float tube.
A sandbass is more widely known as a white bass. Usually travel in schools, usually caught subsurface. Kin to striped bass, and the hybrid between striper and white bass is usually known as a “wiper”, which is a terrifically fun fish to hook up to.
It reminds me of a time I was able to catch a lot of bass when I caught a school of shad feeding on cottonwood tree puffs that were drifting out on the river.
The sandbass (white bass) are my favorite fish to catch. When they hit a fly they do it on the run. No little thump with these guys, they will try and rip the rod right out of your hand. In my opinion are one of the hardest fighting fish. (pound for pound) It’s like a sunfish only a little bigger.