Fall is here and that means the trout spawn is in full effect along the east coast and throughout many areas in the US. As anglers, it is important to be mindful of the spawn to protect the future generation of species that inhabit our local waterways. While the trout are busy, it can be a good time to target other species such as smallmouth bass. These territorial streamer eaters will put up a great fight on a fly rod and provide a great fix for trout anglers during the off-season. Like any species, smallmouth can be a tough nut to crack at first. In this tips and tricks video of the week, Mad River Outfitters breaks down essential flies for smallmouth bass fishing.
Essential Flies for Smallmouth Bass:
Surface Flies:
- Double Barrel Popper
- Boogle Bug Bullet and Popper
- Whitlock’s Hair Frog
- The Swimming Frog
Subsurface Flies:
- The Bend Back Streamer
- The Hollow Fly Streamer
- The Murdich Minnow Streamer
- Kelly Galloup’s Bang Tail Streamer
- The Crayfish
- The Swimmy Jimmy
All of these flies are great options for smallmouth bass fishing in your local freshwater creeks. The subsurface flies are best fished with sink-tip or intermediate fly lines in order to get the flies down in the water column. Again, if smallmouth are a new species for you, there will be a learning curve. Remember to keep practicing and improving your techniques and you will find the bass. Tight Lines!
Fly Fishing for Smallmouth/Largemouth Bass: Your Complete Guide
