Flies for Bass

So you want to go 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 sz 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 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 sz/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 Micky 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.

Thanks and talk to you soon! My favorite, I call it Mr/Ms Mouse