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Author Topic: Bass Flies and how to fish them  (Read 12062 times)

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Bass Flies and how to fish them
« on: July 19, 2013, 12:59:01 PM »
Slow work day, need to talk about something ;)

For the fluff chuckers out there, wondering what are the common flies you use and how you work them? I'm always looking for new ones to tie up and try.

My fly box is pretty simple.

Floating, gurglers are my weapon of choice. Tail is either marabou or bucktail, have a few of both. Some with just the foam body/bib, some with black chenille body and red gills underneath. Predominately yellow and green foam used, purple and green marabou, various bucktail colours. Gurglers with the body generally used first as they seem more "attractant" but as they sit higher in the water, can miss strikes, I'll switch to a non chenille body if that happens as the hook sits a lot lower. I usually want to know if they are willing to hit the surface first before going that way :)

All my gurgler flavours have caught bass in Maroon. To fish, I look for weed, fly is landed right on the edge of the weed and left to sit until the "rings" disappear. Then I give it a short sharp strip. This will give a very strong "bloop" and let the fly sit again until the rings go. Basically repeat until either close to the rod, or too far away from the weed. A few times you can see the bass boofing on the surface and then it's just a case of cast near them and hang on. Love this type of fishing, but timing is limited, if there is sun, no fun basically.

Next for sinkers I have a couple. Got some zonker type flies. Bead eyes, green zonker strip, lovely lovely action. Mainly used casting next to structure (bank, weed etc) and letting it drop down the face. Caught a few without ever having to do a retrieve. A lot better if the sun is up and fish are hiding away. Retrieves if used are usually slow, will let it sink for say a count of 3, then slow strips with small pauses to brink the fly across the face of the cover. Next cast will let it go deeper, and repeat till I'm confident they aren't there, or don't want it.

Also have some vampires. Sometimes used the same way I use the Zonkers, but more often I uses these in deeper water. All mine are black/purple, never seem to have the need for other colours with this fly. Great for searching deeper water, or if I mark up something on the sound and want to give it a shot. Always fished with a sinking line, count down, strip retrieve, strip strike, worked very nicely up at Somerset around pelican point in 15-25ft water, slow and in their face.

Finally, got some good ol clousers, more used in rust water, but have caught me the odd bass. Good for fast searching/prospecteding. Sinking lines, belt it out, let it drop, strip back fairly fast and erratic. Better for dams like somerset/wivenhoe with bony bream. Have tied in chartreuse/white and blue/white bucktail with weighted eyes. Also have a couple of "real deep" suckers where I wrap in a piece of solder along the hook for extra weight to get them down faster.

Most of the above flies have a little bit of flash added, I figure it can't hurt :) and are usually in a #2 size hook, seems a good all round size for me.

Playing with some new variants, working on a crazy charlie type fly (have these in white for salt) but using marabou wing, also working on some marabou streamers (only slightly weighted) for searching along structure, rock walls, weed edges a bit faster than the zonkers...more neutral bouyant if you will :)

Will post up some pics tonight to give you an idea of what I'm doing. I'm no flash tier but it is very satisfying to catch them on home cooked ideas :)

Murray



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Re: Bass Flies and how to fish them
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2013, 01:03:22 PM »
Dahlbergs on a sink tip line.

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Re: Bass Flies and how to fish them
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2013, 01:14:29 PM »
Dahlbergs on a sink tip line.

I've looked at them, but they still seem a bit scary to me to tie lol Will have to give them a go one day for sure..just need to realise it might take me a few attempts :)

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Re: Bass Flies and how to fish them
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2013, 10:20:23 PM »
Dahlbergs tied on size 1 B10S simple marabou tail in creeks is what I use with success

Also the other go to fly is a crazy charlie varient I tie orange bucktail tail and pink wing with a crystal flash wrapped body over black thread .

Fish both on floaters around the edges and at snags with a 7 ft leader for carp and bass.

Cheers Muz

Steve

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Re: Bass Flies and how to fish them
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2013, 10:29:54 PM »
Hey Steve, if you have pics of your crazy variant, would love to see them. Wifes doing uni on PC atm, can't get my photos doh.

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Re: Bass Flies and how to fish them
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2013, 10:08:39 AM »
I have photo's but they are at home on another computor sorry i will throw a few up on monday for you

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Re: Bass Flies and how to fish them
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2013, 08:41:15 PM »
Here you go Muz

The crystal flash has come loose on the bottom one but one of the first I tied now I use clear cure goo or UV knot sense over the body for securing and adds a nice looking effect to the body.

Id rather have the brighter pink on the bottom but the last bucktail I bought in pink was candy floss pink ? or something like that.

Simple to tie and for me works great

Steve

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Re: Bass Flies and how to fish them
« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2013, 05:22:21 PM »
G'day Muzz good info for those contemplating chasing bass on fly  :youbeauty by far the best way to chase these great fish. My two fav flies to use is a "bum down" Gurgler tied Andrew Grabham style (see The Fishing DVD - Tied and fished with Morsie up at Lake MacDonald) and the Wiggle Minnow. Size #4 & #2 Gama B10S the go to hook mostly but I also like using the Mustad Aberdeen for Gurglers if I want them real light ,especially if I want to fish them off my #2wt. Here's a couple of flies that catch fish. Cheers Pat.

 

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