Like almost all bass fishermen, I see loads of crusing bass early in the year. They vary in size from small 14-16 inch males upto huge double digit females. The only thing they all have in common is that they are VERY fussy about taking any fly and they are all as spooky as a bonefish in a shark tank. I catch some fish with all black leech patterns or small polar fiber minnow patterns, but my success is inconsistent at best. Do any of you fellow LM bass fishermen have a fly pattern or tactic that works well for you that you’d be willing to share. I’d love to hear it.
It has been my experience that cruising LMB are most likely minnow or shiner feeding so I would try some match-the-minnow/shiner patterns with streamers and crease flies or pencil poppers. A small dry caddis might do the trick if they are educated since it is highly unlikely they have been caught on a caddis fly and it would be a natural that they are comfortable taking on a regular basis. Just some ideas .
Jim, Just a heads up…Incase your spam nabs me!..I sent you an Email…
“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best
Everyone wants to excel in this sport but at the same time we let traditionalists place restrictions on our tactics, methods, and ideas. I always assumed that fly fishing was a sport that allowed imagination, creation, adaptation, investigation, dedication, education, revelation? : Fox Statler, On Spinners (Not the dainty Dry Fly kind) “Spinner’d Minner Fly”
I think that part of your problem with cruising bass is the fact that by the time you have seen them, they have seen you. The bigger bass have learned that anything at the water’s edge as big as a human is dangerous and clam up. Try fishing away from the shore, crouch and make use of cover. I will often blind cast to an area with lots of cruisers by fishing 10-20 feet off the shore line. 8T
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.
They are a pisser. This past year I threw 15 different flies at the same bass 30 feet away and he just sat there. I even hit him with the fly in the head while it drifted down a couple times hoping to get an aggressive response and he just sat there, aaarrrggg of frustration not pirate noises.
Who has time for stress when there are fish to catch.
Nick
A couple of thoughts: 1) if you can see the bass, it can see you and probably will not take anything and 2) they are looking for minnows. The best minnow imitation I’ve ever used is the basic Clouser with a spinner blade.
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