Watch for followers of a hooked fish, and have your partner cast quickly to catch these “shadow” bass. Hooked smallmouth that have been feeding heavily often have following fish. These followers “shadow” the hooked fish closely, looking to grab the hooked fish’s regurgitation. Most likely it will be just one follower of similar size, but […]
The cold water seasons of late fall and winter produce high percentages of big fish with the right techniques. Certainly big smallmouth can be caught all year long. However, if you really want to up your odds of hooking the largest specimens, fish during the late fall or winter periods. Strangely, most river anglers don’t […]
To cast bass flies, use a line one or two weights over the rod’s “official” rating. Most rods will cast a bass fly much better with a line one or two weights over the rod’s “official” rating. Bass casting is some of the most challenging fly casting there is. We throw heavy flies 45 to […]
A good anchor system, that you can operate easily with one hand, is essential for river fishing. A good anchor system is essential for river fishing. Whenever a craft is not being controlled by oars, a motor, paddles or your feet, it will quickly drift out of position for effective fishing. Every time a solo […]
In fishing there’s no such thing as “Fall.” There are actually 3 different falls. “FALL FISHING FRENZY! SUPER FALL ACTION!” Over the decades, I’ve seen a multitude of magazine articles with titles like these, raving about fall smallmouth bass fishing. And it’s true. At times, fall can offer some of the most spectacular fishing of […]
Driving out full-sized smallmouth or largemouth flies 55 feet all day long (and often in wind) isn’t easy. That’s why everyone has to learn to haul. I’m not going to kid you. Fly casting for bass takes a lot of effort. It’s vastly different than most of the casting that’s required on Eastern and Midwestern […]
Using some simple techniques and looking for certain things you can still enjoy productive smallmouth bass fishing. One of the most challenging situations for the smallmouth bass fisherman is when streams and rivers get low and extremely clear. The hot, dry days of summer can take their toll, causing stream flows to drop off significantly. […]
In prime smallmouth bass hotspots, it’s often best to fish on foot, to thoroughly cover the area and cast to all the active smallies. Many anglers truly enjoy wade fishing, too, includng fly folks coming from stream trout backgrounds. But on bigger smallmouth streams, floating by watercraft is often the best way to really cover […]
Rocks and smallmouth bass . . . they go together like lily pads and bluegills, right? Not necessarily. While rivers generally need lots of rock to have high numbers of smallies, river sections with only a little rock can have more big smallmouth bass than many realize. There are a couple key reasons why some […]
To cast easier and extend the life of your fly line, apply line dressing (lubrication) on your line regularly, and clean the line 2 or 3 times a season. Although shops or manufacturers seldom highlight this, here is a simple and inexpensive way to both cast better and lengthen your line’s life– apply line dressing […]
