Now that we have reviewed almost everything else involved in the taking of smallies on the fly, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss the flies that we should be using. Not only the flies, but also how to fish them. This is one of the most misunderstood areas of fly fishing for smallmouth. People are familiar with the flies, but they have no idea how to properly present them. I hope this quick review will clear up some confusion for those of you that are new to the smallie game. We will start from the bottom of the river and work our way up.
As I said in Part 1, when we start fishing early in the morning the water temps have not had a chance to warm up yet. For this reason the smallmouth are still going to be holding in the deeper water and they will still be somewhat lethargic and resistant to chasing a fast moving fly. They are going to be looking for a crayfish pattern that can be fished slowly along or near the bottom. I say crayfish because it is a big, rich, high calorie meal for them. They are coming out of a dormant stage and are preparing for the rigors of spawning. They have no choice, they have to pack on some calories. A big crayfish, fished along the bottom, is the perfect meal for them when they are holding that deep. This is what we mean when we say that we are "dredging a fly".
When choosing a dredging fly, it is very important that you use a heavily weighted fly that sinks quickly. It has to get down fast in order to cover the water quickly. A good retrieve is erratic with lots of quick, sudden stops that portrays an injured or weakened form of prey. They will take it when it stops about 90% of the time.
As the water warms and the fish start moving up into the water column, they will start moving toward the more shallow water. This is when we would throw an intermediate type fly. These flies are usually unweighted streamers that will suspend in the water column. Naturally, you can use a weighted streamer or throw it on the sink tip line if needed in order to get it into the strike zone. This is when we would use the count down method to judge the depth at which we need to be fishing. Once the fly hits the water, let it sink to different depths in order to find the holding depth of the fish. You could start by letting it sink for a count of 4 before you begin the retrieve. Continue to mix up the count and the delay until you find the magical depth.
When it comes to choosing a streamer, we want to choose a big one that has a large silhouette. This will increase its visibility in the water. This is important because the name of the game is to cover lots of water as quickly as possible in order to locate the holding areas of the fish. As a general rule, the more stained that the water is the darker the fly that you should be using. This will also increase the silhouette of the fly.
The retrieval speed of your fly should vary in order to find the proper speed and depth that the fish prefer. The retrieve should be erratic with lots of sharp, crisp movements, including many stops. We are imitating a wounded bait fish. They will attack the fly when it stops 90% of the time. DO NOT become complacent on your retrieve. I know it's hard to do, but you must stay focused and really "sell" it on your retrieve.
Now for the fun part. As the water warms and the fish move into the shallows, it's time for some topwater action. We get to throw poppers! If the thought of a big smallie crushing your popper doesn't excite you, take all of your fly fishing gear and burn it right now! There's nothing that can be done to help you. Sorry!
When choosing a popper, choose one with a big head that pushes alot of water when "popped". It can be made of deer hair or foam. It doesn't matter at all. However, losing a foam one doesn't hurt near as bad as losing a nice deer hair one. Especially if you tied it yourself!
When fishing a popper, cast it near the bank and let the rings on the water settle before giving it any movement. Once they settle give it a pop. Let it sit again for a 4-8 count, then give it another pop. Continue this type of retrieve until time to pick it up for another cast. Lots of people do a series of fast pops during the retrieve. This is NOT the way to fish a popper. As with the other flies, the fish will strike it while it is sitting still 90% of the time. Sometimes you can actually see them settle in below or behind it as they stalk their prey. The pop will attract their attention, but they will strike as it is sitting still. This is very important and often misunderstood. This one little piece of info. is worth the price of admission for those that were not aware of it before. It can make or break your day out on the water while fishing for smallmouth.
Well, there it is. Smallmouth fly fishing 101. At least to the best of my knowledge anyway. I hope you have enjoyed the series. And if so, let me know and I will try to write more informational type articles on the blog. And as always, feel free to contact me or leave a reply requesting any other articles that you would like to see written here. Sometimes you just run out of ideas about things to write about and any help is appreciated. Until next time, Tight Lines!
