So I didnt get out to the river for smallies, but I did make it to a farm pond. I caught 8 largemouth with the biggest being around 17 inches. I noticed that my problem could be, I do not know what a strike feels like or what I am looking for underwater. I made a few casts to a couple bass I saw in the shallows with a olive wolley bugger, and I saw them inhale the fly, watched the line for any slight movement and nothing. I think my problem is I am getting subsurface bites, but I cant feel them or notice them. What do you look for on a subsurface bite when stripping/stopping the fly?
Any movment in the line at all. If the liner twitches up, down sides or back goes down in the water or appears to look different I am setting the hook.
Also if you see the fly dissapear I would set the hook.
Rick
Smallie,
It’s a normal thing in bass fishing, to get a subsurface hit where you don’t see the fish or detect any line movement. And since that type of hit is impossible to see or detect, don’t waste time worrying about it.
As you are now learning, bass are geniuses at grabbing an object in their mouth then almost instantly spitting it out before you can hook them.
But they don’t always let go. Keep fishing; there’ll come lots of times when the bass will grab hold and hang on. What you should look for during your retrieves is a sharp twitch or tick in your floating line. Think of your floating line as a “bobber” or linear strike indicator. The instant you see that sharp tug or twitch, it means a fish has picked up your fly and it’s time to do something about it. You’ll know what to do.
Joe
“Better small than not at all.”
JC gives some good advice about using a bobber. That’s why he is the Grand poo bah. I have often used those small nymph indicator floats. I normally position mine up close to where the leader connects to the fly line. That way it does not interfere with your casting.
In his book on smallmouth fly fishing, Tim Holschlag devotes a section to fly fishing using an indicator. Give it a try.
By the way, a 17" largemouth is a nice size bass. Especially here up north.
Someone wrote on a thread about a week or so ago about concentration; about how he or she goes into a “zone” when fishing with their eyes looking for any change or movement of the fly line. Same with ice fishing. Any movement up or down on a spring bobber or flimsy tip, set the hook. Other than when casting, I’m always concentrating on the line closest to an underwater fly, i.e., using a nymph with little movement. Also, keeping your rod low and pointing toward your fly allows you to raise the rod instantly with the slightest perceptible movement and setting the hook. Those slight movements may not always result in a hookup. Nothing lost, everything gained. Cast back and start anew. Fishing still waters is good practice for streams. Read Rick. He offers great lessons almost every week in the warm water section of the site. JGW