Hey
I am interested in getting started fly fishing. I am a hardcore trophy bass fisherman, but I have fly fished very little. Anyone have any suggestions on flies to try for bass and panfish? Suggestions on where to get them would be great also. I’ll also take any tips you have to offer. I plan on starting out in a small creek that has panfish (particularly longear sunfish) and small largemouth bass. I have a cheap 5/6 wt rod. I am located in Mississippi.
Thanks
Welcome to FAOL,
I cant help much with flies for your part of the country. I would try some poppers, usually sold at walmart and other not so fine fishing stores in containers of five or six, I would also try some olive and some black wooly buggers you can also find these at walmart and any fly shop. If you are in a fly shop pick up some ants to match those on the ground around where you fish.
These should carry you over till someone local comes by and gives you much better info.
Oh by the way get a casting lesson or two, it will save you a year of so of frustration.
Eric
As a fellow “Southerner”, (read that as transplanted Yankee) I fly fish for bass and bream extensively. For large bass, I use large (7-8 inch long streamers) usually tied in Olive over chartruese over white or in all black for stained water. My largest fish was just under 10 lbs. For bream, I use all black leech tied on size 10 hooks, or cap spiders, Carters Sculpin or soft hackles. As you can see, I primarily fish sub surface because that’s where I catch the best fish.
Jim Smith
Georgia
Look for Accardo Spooks Poppers or Boogle Bugs or Boogle Bullets. Don at Bluegillbugs.com
is a great resource and a QUICK SHIPPER! Magnolia Fly Fishers in Mississippi are a great bunch of Flyfishers and have a web site. Good Luck!
Go out and have some FUN!
Fishin’ Jimmy
Hi Stumpy,
Welcome to the best fly fishing site on the internet. You’ll find lots of good information here and lots of friendly people to answer your questions. I spent 30+ years fishing for LMB with plastic and hardware before I returned to fly fishing for them. Your previous fishing experience should put you way ahead of the learning curve.
In answer to your questions about flies, I would use poppers on top and weighted flies like a size # 6 woolly bugger below. When you gain a little more casting experience, I would try using them together. You tie the popper on first first and then tie 18-24 inches of line/tippet to the bend of the popper hook. Attach the Woolly Bugger to that. If you PM me an address, I would be happy to send you some starter flies. I’m always glad to see another warmwater fly fisherman get started on a great sport.
Let us hear from you often—the good, the bad, and the ugly! 8T 
Thanks for all the great replies everybody. That sounds awesome eight thumbs. I can reimburse you with some wood duck flank feathers that I have if you would like. Do they make good flies?
Thanks again everyone
stumpy,
im in clinton mississippi. i agree with the accardo spook poppers. ive landed a few over 7lbs. on them. i also use a diver on hot days. send me an email if you want to hook up some day and wet a line!
chris
Hi again Stumpy,
Your flies will be in the US Mail bright and early tomorrow morning. I’ve included some favorites for both bass and brim. Good luck with the fly rod. I switched back to fly fishing over 8 years ago and have never gone back to the hardware or plastic. If you have a few extra wood duck feathers around they would be appreciated. 8T
thanks again eight thumbs
Chris I may have to do that, where do you like to fish around Clinton?
I don’t have a fly line, could I just use a piece of monofilament? How long should it be? I have the real thick line that floats though.
Stumpy the thick line is the fly line, I think what your missing is the leader, it goes between the fly line and the fly.
Leaders are tapered to make casting easier, do yourself a favor and pick up a couple of leaders it will save you much frustration.
It sounds like you need to find someone to give you a couple of lessons, wish I was close enough to help.
Eric
Welcome aboard Stumpy,
I’m a displaced Mississippian myself. Don’t over look all of those farm ponds scattered around the country side and the Game and Fish lakes. There are still a lot of small farmers who will let you fish if you are fairly presentable, behave when fishing and don’t return with with your friends. Offer them any fish you catch and clean the fish for them, particularly older folks.
From what you have said I’m guessing you are not too far from Hattiesburg there are a bunch of good streams down there. Many moon ago, Lake Mike Conner has some huge crappie in it (and alligators) and some fat bluegills. What was different from the north end of the state they bedded down deep about 8 - 10 ft.
If you don’t have anyone close to give you a lesson, go to the library and see if they have a video you can watch on fly casting, there are some good books available on the basic also. I learned more about fly casting watching and listening to Lefty Kreh at a fly show than I have any where else.
Good luck, have fun, watch out for cottonmouths.
stumpy,
Welcome aboard! You have just found the friendliest and most helpful bunch of people on the net. I too am new to fly fishing and the creeks and ponds around here are all that I really have to fish in. I have found the little foam beetles and ants work great for dry fly fishing and I seem to have more luck with wooly buggers underwater. i am still learning to tie flies, so they aren’t very good, but if i ever tie any that look like something I’d be glad to send you some.
again, welcome,
hNt
Best flies for big bass are a Bunny Leech in black, olive or gray, large Clouser Minnows, large Wooley Buggers, large fur minnows, and Richard Komar’s incredible Hard-Hackle Worm. For surface flies, large deer-hair poppers, and especially Crease Flies will do the trick.
PM me your address and I will send you a selection to get you started.
If you will check out the rest of this website, you’ll find beginners instructions on equipment selection, how to set your rig up, and tactics. For LG Bass, I would recommend an 8 wt, fast-action 9’ rod with a fighting butt, WF8F line, at least a 7.5’ 0X tapered leader and a 0X tippet. This is what I use for large fish, and I catch everything from large Bass, to stripers, large carp, gar, and even catfish on it. You need the fast action rod to be able to cast the large wind-resistent bass flies you’ll be using.
Once you hook a large bass on a fly rod, there’s no going back. You’ll be hooked for life.
Wecome to our world.