Largemouth Bass fishing with a fly rod

So you want to go Largemouth Bass fishing with a fly rod. Well put away those trout flies 10 to - whatever. This isn't spring sipping. No afternoon sunlit hatches. Little Baetis (Blue wing olive) or Heptageniidae (Light Cahill) match the hatch with 14s - 22s.

We'll be throwing size 2 black deer hair mouse patterns, flashing a hen and peacock tail . Splashing down like an Apollo space capsule. Looking like dinner for a week.

In my Bass years I have found that when top water fishing "Bass like big meals" Although Bass generally hunt by sight they are aided by a unique ability to feel small vibrations through their "lateral line" a sense organ that runs just under their skin down each side of their body.

When fishing a mouse I want this organ to vibrate like my cell phone. Then the Bass will take a look around and see the meal just sitting there looking tasty.

Bass are not timid little fish. I've caught little ones no bigger than the mouse almost. Every time I do I tell it "go tell dad your mad".

The point is be ready. a lot of the time the mouse barely hits the water and "bam" you've got a fight. But when this doesn't happen let the mouse sit there for a moment. Stunned, "what happened", "gotta get to land", "I'm in the wrong place at the wrong time". Short jerks enough to put the water in motion then sit. I call it "jerk, motion and sit".

This is a big fly and I don't mind a splash down, but I want a less noisy lift off. So when picking up, lift your rod tip high and get some line off the water. Slowly pull back your rod then life the fly out with a quick back motion. Its a technique but it will allow you to make a quieter exit.

Some of the patterns I use for spring Bassing:

Hook size/Pattern

2 Mouse, black or purple
2-6 Dahlberg strip diver, chartreuse
2-6 Near nuff frog
2-6 Sheep/rabbit streamer
2-6 Bumble bee popper
6 Peacock woolly bugger
2-6 Electric leech
6 Fruit cocktail

2-6 Mickey Finn

There are dozens of patterns. These are the ones that work for me in the North East. But I think they would work almost anywhere.

To get these flies out there you will need to know what kind of water you will be fishing. For Largemouth Bass fishing on medium sized lake or pond. You will want to use 8 foot to 9 foot medium action to fast action fly rod. A 6wt or 7wt will do the trick. These rods will have the power necessary to throw and lift a large fly. Remember will are throwing flies the size of motor homes.

Your fly line should be a matched 6/7 weight, floating, and weight forward. Forget about Bass tapers for now.

For a leader you want 9 foot knotless taper 1x. When you get your leader. Tie on a piece of 1x tippet about 15 inches long to your leader. The added length will give something to tie your fly to without shorting your leader each time you change flies. This also protects your leader because it’s the last 12 - 18 inches of leader that takes the most abuse.

For a sinking fly use a 6 foot knotless sinking leader with a 1x tippet. Same deal tie on a piece of 12 inch 1x tippet as well.

With the 1x tippet you are fishing at about 12 pound test and you can fish size 2 - 6 with it. You can also ties on 2x - 3x this will extend your fly size range 2 - 12. A good rule of thumb for tippet size to hook size is divide the hook size by 3 and that’s the tippet size to use. So take a hook size 12 divide by 3 and get 4 so 4x is about right for this fly. Take it with a grain of salt and use experience and judgment.

Also remember a knot weakens the line strength and decreases the pound test of the line.

This is a basic setup and will get you started on top water Largemouth Bass fishing.