subject: Fly Fishing For Bass [print this page] Bass fly fishing is becomming very popular as more fly fishermen are finding how good a fight bass are on a fly rod.
Bass are an adaptable fish that can live in many different water conditions. Bass will eat almost anything from mayflies to large frogs and in some cases; they have been reported to eat popcorn and even dough balls. Pound for pound, Bass will put up a longer and harder fight than a trout will. Catching bass on a fly rod is amazing and a great fight. Some even say better than a trout. There is no angler that doesn't know the thrill of having a large bass explode on the surface of the water with a fly sticking out of its mouth and fighting like no one can believe.
There are some techniques that are unique to Fly Fishing for Bass. Bass like to stay around a rock pile or under a submerged tree limb, as well as logs that have been submerged for a long time. Bass are very patient fish as they lay in wait for potential food to swim by.
Fish different flies at different water levels until you catch a fish then stick to that method. With bass, the food is not as involved with the movement of an object as it is more the size of the fly combined with a more chaotic commotion.
A good tip is to cast a fly on the surface and let it sit motionless for a few seconds, then give the fly a single twitch that creates a moving effort of a bug that has landed in the water. Then after a couple of seconds, give the fly another couple of twitches and pull the line a couple of inches to make it look as though it is trying to get back into the air. This drives the bass crazy and it isn't long before you get a strike. This is very effective around trees, reeds, and other floral bushes standing in the water.
Bass are very much attuned to their surroundings and it is beneficial for anglers to be as quite as possible, so that sounds and vibrations will not upset them.
Change the fly every so often until you find the one that works; it may take several different types of flies and several tries to figure out just which fly the bass are willing to attack.
