Does anyone here fly fish for smallmouth? Particularly smallmouth on smaller creeks and streams?
I am primarily a muskie fisherman with conventional tackle, but once our summers get hot and the water warms; I like wading out small streams for smallmouth, but I've really gotten bored with spinning tackle and would like to maybe take up the fly rod. Problem is I've never even picked up a fly rod and the more I read the more lost I get....
Rod choice, line choice, tippets, leaders, 7wt line on a 6wt rod, or vise versa, why not the weight of the line that matches the weight of the rod? These are just a few things I really don't understand. .....I know there's probably not a good once size fits all answer to picking a good setup but a few suggestions from those of you in the know would really help.
Our rivers are on the small side, not over 6-8ft of places, a lot of shallow riffles leading up to pools that are usually on the 3-4ft range. Rock bottom etc You get the picture
Rod choice, line choice, tippets, leaders, 7wt line on a 6wt rod, or vise versa, why not the weight of the line that matches the weight of the rod? These are just a few things I really don't understand. .....I know there's probably not a good once size fits all answer to picking a good setup but a few suggestions from those of you in the know would really help.
Our rivers are on the small side, not over 6-8ft of places, a lot of shallow riffles leading up to pools that are usually on the 3-4ft range. Rock bottom etc You get the picture
The weight of the line and the rod are designed to be matched to work most effectively together but going up, or down, one size is often done especially when you start dealing with abrupt weight forward lines that load the rod differently when you're casting.
The actual one you want will be driven by the size of the flies you're going to cast since the line has to carry that weight and "turn over" the leader to present the fly forward of the line. The wind can also affect that but fishing the small shielded streams you are in KY no big deal.
I would look for a 8 or 8 1/2' foot 6 weight rod and 6 weight Wulff taper floating line . It will give you good ability to cast without extensive false casting to get line out and good punch for short casts. Most of your fish are going to be within 20'.
Buy some 4X 7 foot leaders and some 3X and 4X tippet material. Fly-wise some black and/or brown Wooly Buggers, mostly weighted, as well as some big deer hair flies will set you up just fine. At least up here in the Mid-Atlantic it's a cicada year so the fish will figure out soon that the big splash over them is a big blob of protein. Going to be a fun year for the smallmouth!
If something on the internet makes you angry the odds are you're being manipulated
I have fished many years for smallies on fly and one of my favorite freshwater targets.
9 foot 6 wt. for the rivers you described as mentioned the wulf triangle tapers work great for casting poppers and using nymphs. Smaller rivers go 4x 6 to 9 ft leaders. I like fluoro
I really like weighted clouser crayfish patterns, crystal buggers, size 8 poppers with a lot of rubber legs
Give Harry a call at his fly shop and ask what flies. Ive fished with him a bunch when I lived in VA
Don't be overwhelmed at all. After 40+ years of fly fishing, I've helped multiple novices to learn. Do not be intimidated. We flyfisherman are an odd group as many of our group, for one reason or another, think we are special. Give me a break. A great resource for you, along with some excellent casting basics is Orvis' instructional site. Here is a link: https://howtoflyfish.orvis.com/ Oh, and they have excellent portions on bass fishing. Go to Orvis' videos on Youtube. Tom Rosenbauer is simply exceptional in his presentation and instructional abilities. In my opinion, he is unique and unequaled. Beyond that instructional site of basics, youtube is an excellent source, as you may already know. Just try to sort out the "me an pa reckon if'n we kin do it, so can you" types. Some of them may know what they're doing; but, you end up digging through huge piles of horse turds in search of a horse.
_________________________________________________________________________ “Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
I grew up fly fishing for smallmouth on the Milwaukee River. Old white Shakespeare Fiberglass 8' rod and a level varnished line. Used nothing but poppers, bigger ones for bass and northerns and small ones for river chubs to use for bait soaking for large northerns. I had a blast as a kid grab my bike and rod and head for the river and spend the day wading it, drug a minnow bucket along on a rope when fishing for bait. Really alot of fun was putting on a doughball and drifting it through a deep hole and hooking a large carp , more fun than a steelhead. I got spooled more than once there wasn't any room for backing on the spring loaded automatic fly reel..
My EX-FnL used to fish the St. Croix for smallies and his go to was a fly he called a "Wilder Dill" a yellow and black round-nosed popper/diving popper.
Don't be overwhelmed at all. After 40+ years of fly fishing, I've helped multiple novices to learn. Do not be intimidated. We flyfisherman are an odd group as many of our group, for one reason or another, think we are special. Give me a break.
Yep. It's jus another way to fish. I chuckle when I encounter the elitist when out fishing but if they're having a good time then good for them but don't make fly fishing something that is mysterious or special. I taught myself to cast nearly 50 years ago on a sod farm irrigation pond and like golf and many other pursuits, it's an "ever learning" thing.
If something on the internet makes you angry the odds are you're being manipulated
Trout might get all the press, but I'd rather do battle with Smallies on a fly rod than just about anything.
Add to that carp, northern pike, pan fish, etc., the list goes on. People have been conditioned, based strictly on origins and image, to think of fly-fishing as a "trout thing" (steelhead/salmon) or a "saltwater flats thing". We have learned that it can be and is affective and fun with so many other species.
_________________________________________________________________________ “Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
Trout might get all the press, but I'd rather do battle with Smallies on a fly rod than just about anything.
Add to that carp, northern pike, pan fish, etc., the list goes on. People have been conditioned, based strictly on origins and image, to think of fly-fishing as a "trout thing" (steelhead/salmon) or a "saltwater flats thing". We have learned that it can be and is affective and fun with so many other species.
Some of my best days in Pa. included a flyrod, my dad and various species. He was always good for a half hour battle with a carp on a fly rod. A 8-9ft 4-7 weight rod and a decent selection of big muddler minnows , deer hair flys and something that resembles a crayfish will get you started. depending on size of streams and fish, a four weight will get you by and an 8' 4 wt rod is the easiest to get familiar with. Bigger flys and, longer casts will require more rod. Enjoy and you may get addicted.
Once the water warms up smallmouth is only game for fly fishing around here throw mouse pattern in morning for some great topwater fun and hard hits. Sometimes they come up so fast they miss but will come back around really gets you pumped in clear water
Once the water warms up smallmouth is only game for fly fishing around here throw mouse pattern in morning for some great topwater fun and hard hits. Sometimes they come up so fast they miss but will come back around really gets you pumped in clear water
This summer here in the cicadi regions are going to be great for tossing big-ass flies for both smallies and trout. "splat" big chunk of protein just landed overhead guys
If something on the internet makes you angry the odds are you're being manipulated
I just used my 9 ft 5 wt rod with weight forward that I used on the Madison.
Took it along for popper action with smallmouths on Lake Powell. Actually it was way up the San Juan one of the tributaries of Powell. It was a high water year. Wife and I went way up the San Juan to what was a second lake. Rocks and brush were underwater. Had best smallie popper action of my life! Caught well over 100 without trying too hard. Giant bluegills too. Never had it that good before or since.
Ky221, I just joined and saw this. Haven't read the replies, so don't want to contradict anyone, just help maybe with what I learned. I fished river smallmouth a lot from late 80's up until 2004. My boy went to college, I just quit them. I fished the Cumberland R. Tributaries a lot early on, but mostly fished all the good rivers of E.Tenn and S.W.Va., fly-fishing and spinning.
If you have no ideas on equipment maybe I can help? Save your money on rods and reels, invest in the best for lines and flies! I had a few quality rods, and I can honestly say the 8' 5-6wt Eagle Claw Featherlite being sold now for aprox $35 -40, with a good WF line will do all i need it to do? A 6wt is the all around Smallie flyrod. I used mostly a 7wt when I went to the bigger rivers and bigger flies, but I know now I could do fine with this rod. Flyline? I can't tell you nothing thats not already known and on the net! All the quality lines are good! Reels? The least important thing you need! Leaders? Very important, but? You can make your own and quality at that! If you are on small streams, 6ft to 7.5ft is all you need! Rivers, I used 8ft-10ft. And a tapered leader of decent quality could start with 1.5ft sections at the butt of 20lb, 15lb, 12lb Trilene Big Game. Maxima Chameleon line makes as good a leader butt as is if you want? But any decent stiff material will work to get you fishing! Tippet-the 1.5 to 2.5ft at the fly? Same applies, but soon as you can, get you some Rio, SA, or other quality tippet which is soft and limp. 2x and 3x is usually as small as you need to go for smallmouth.
Flies for Smallies, innumerable! But let me recommend for the ease of learning to keep it simple to start. Top water poppers and smallmouth are like peaches and cream, you got to try them! And if a small stream, nymphs for a backup. If a big river, streamers for a backup! Steamers are my favorite for river smallmouth but thats just me! Any flies underwater that come close to resembling Grampus or crowded, color and the ability to fish them near bottom, will work! Spinning is more effective overall, but there are times when fly-fishing is much more effective! Much! I recommend you don't totally dedicate to the flyrod, until you are sure of it and happy in it! It is effective in a lot of waters, especially on top! But buying tapered leaders is easier and its what I do. Then you can use the 4-6ft butt over and over by adding tippet when needed!
Some solid advice in the last post. One thing I did right was to take a few casting lessons to get me started. If I was smarter I'd take a couple more now (40 years later), mostly to help with getting some more distance for beach fishing. Getting some advice from a pro on which rod (action) works for you would be good, at the same time. It can be as simple or complicated as you let it/want it to be. It is addictive!
Just a little more about rods 221. Notice the rod i mentioned is a fiberglass. I use both, learned fly-fishing on glass, a Shakespeare White Wonderrod, True Temper, then went to several Garcia's for a lot of years. I was then as I still am? Wouldn't put out a few extra dollars for a Fenwick, and today I still think about getting either a Scott G Series or Sage Trout LL, I'm a Rod Fanatic! But I know the truth? Its like Pat said for sure. A truly good quality rod in the hands of a pro, is an awesome performance I'm sure! But me, in a small stream especially, under the trees? I'd almost feel foolish spending all that money! Roll casting is so important on small streams, and glass excels at it! But my primary rod now fishing trout on a small stream is a TFO 7'9" 4WT Finesse Trout. Its very close to glass, the Redington Classic Trout, and the Eagle Claw i mentioned, and I'm mostly a nymph fisherman, but I use it well! Goes against most people choice for a nymph rod. I am seriously considering the TFO Blue Ribbon Series in a 8'6" 4wt. In my limited experience on trout I think that configuration about perfect for a small stream rod! When I fished Smallmouth, I was big on St Croix, a 9' 7wt, because I was always deep wading big wise open rivers and when you add some wind, you need the extra punch! Nowadays, IMO, the best rods for the money, but yet true good fishing rods? TFO, Echo, Redington! Just my honest opinion!
Call and speak with Tim at Tight Lines in De Pere, WI.
To my knowledge - no one does small mouth as much as he does with a fly rod. People fly in from all over the country and other countries to fly fish smallmouth with his crew. I'm fortunate that's he's also my local fly shop.
A nicer, more down to earth person you'll never meet. Ever. His guys are on the river 7 days a week, all summer. If there's a "way to do it' they know. Also wrote a good book on it.
