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Despite plenty of great opportunities, I’ve rarely taken the chance to fish for bass. I spent time chasing them during a brief stint in college in Southern Utah, and I did a weeklong trip to Lake Powell a few years ago. For a few years, I lived near a series of ponds and canals full of sunfish, bass, and carp, but I only fished those a handful of times.
In the past few months, though, I’ve found myself wanting to explore the bass scene. And as much fun as it can be to go off on my own and explore, I wanted to learn the ropes from someone who knew what they were doing.
So, I packed up and headed to Florida for a week, where I chased bass in some world-famous lakes and spent a day in the Everglades. Since coming home, I’ve gone out and found a few largemouth in my local ponds, too.
I’m no expert bass angler (I’m no expert at trout either, for that matter), and I’m sure longtime bass aficionados will find holes in my list. This is intended to be a jumping-off point for anyone, like me, who’s interested in going after bass but not sure where to start. Just like with trout, you don’t need every piece of specialized gear to get a feel for whether this type of fishing is up your alley.
Recommended Gear
- Hardy Marksman 9′ 7-weight Fly Rod
- Echo ION XL 9′ 7-weight Fly Rod
- Lamson Liquid -7+ 3-pack Reel
- Orvis Mirage LT IV Reel
- RIO Elite Predator Fly Line
How We Tested
All the gear I’m recommending here is stuff I’ve used while fly fishing for bass. In many cases, there’s crossover with gear you use for trout and bass, as is the case with the reels and rods I’ve recommended. I tried to pick pieces of gear at each price point, but what’s more important is buying that style of rod, reel, or line, and less so the specific brand (although I’ll say the right rod makes a difference – more on that in a minute).
A Note On Lines And Reels
Here’s the skinny on the lines and reels for bass fishing: your fly line’s taper matters quite a bit. You generally want a heavy line (a full-size heavy isn’t uncommon for bass setups) with a short head for easy, quick turnover of the larger flies used for bass. Whether it’s a popper or a Clouser minnow, these aren’t your standard Woolly Buggers. These flies often weigh a lot, so lines designed with more aggressive tapers are ideal.
The line I’ve listed here is one I’ve used and enjoyed, but it’s not the only one on the market, either. Any line with an aggressive head should serve you well for bass flies.
I also didn’t list out any sink-tip lines here, and that’s because I don’t think it matters much which one you get. A lot will depend on the depth you need your flies to get to,
As for reels: this is where the reel actually starts to matter. I caught a decent largemouth from the Everglades that put a huge bend in my 6-weight (I was targeting some smaller exotics, and didn’t expect the largemouth). The solid reel I had on that rod helped me land the fish as it made runs under the boat and back towards the bank.
You don’t need to drop tons of cash on a reel, but you do need something with little-to-no startup inertia, and a drag that’ll put the brakes on something if you happen into a seriously large fish.
Hardy Marksman 9′ 7-weight
Key Features
- Rod action: Medium-fast
- Packed with power
- MSRP: $995
Pros
- Fast, powerful blank perfect for larger bass flies
- Outstandingly light
- Gorgeous Hardy craftsmanship
Cons
- Expensive
If you want the best all-around rod for a majority of bass fishing, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend something other than the Hardy Marksman 9′ 7-weight. I think I prefer a 7-weight for most bass fishing because it’s light enough for some fun with smaller fish, but still has enough backbone to horse in larger ones, too. Unless you’re throwing enormously large flies for trophy-sized bass, a 7-weight should serve you well for both largemouth and smallmouth.
The Marksman is light, powerful, responsive, and an absolute pleasure to cast. I’m a middling caster at best, and this rod made me look like I knew what I was doing. If you think you’ll fall head-over-heels for bass fishing, and you want the nicest rod you can buy, this deserves your attention.
Echo ION XL 9′ 7-weight
Key Features
- Rod action: Medium-fast
- Low swing weight
- MSRP: $299.99
Pros
- Durable rod with saltwater-grade components
- Medium-fast action for feel while casting
- Comes in a 10′ option
Cons
- A bit heavy in-hand
I first fished the ION XL at Pyramid Lake, and have since added it to my stable of streamer rods when I want a bit of extra power. It’s not the most sensitive rod out there, but rigged with a heavy line, it’ll flex enough to give you feel while still delivering your flies on target. It has plenty of backbone for horsing in larger fish, and it’s a favorite of many guides I know. These rods have a reputation for being durable, and ECHO has a great warranty program, as well.
Lamson Liquid -7+ 3-Pack
Key Features
- Time-tested Lamson drag system
- 3-pack gives you 3 reels in one
- MSRP: $279.99
Pros
- Simple, durable construction
- Easily-adjustable drag knob
- Plenty of stopping power
Cons
- A bit heavy
The Lamson Liquid S -7+ 3-pack is one of the best deals on the market. This reel comes with 3 spools, so you can have a floating line, sink tip, and intermediate line all rigged up and ready for the bass pond. The reel itself has enough stopping power for bass, and the drag engages smoothly enough for a reel at this price point. The only real knock – and this is really picking at straws – is the reel’s weight. Cast reels weigh a bit more than their machined counterparts, although in a bass setup, I’m not sure how much this matters.
Orvis Mirage LT IV
Key Features
- One of the best drag systems on the market
- Made in the USA
- MSRP: $598
Pros
- Adjusts from zero to full drag in a single knob rotation
- Zero startup inertia
- Completely sealed drag system
Cons
- Cost
The Orvis Mirage LT is my favorite trout reel, even though it’s completely overkill for 90% of the trout we catch. On the rare occasion I get into trout that require a lot of drag, though, the Mirage LT shines. It has no startup inertia, it’s light, and it’s easy to dial in the exact amount of pressure for the fish you’re fighting. I used this reel for bass in the Everglades, and was blown away at how well it handled the big runs those fish showed off. At almost $600, it’s an investment, but this is hands-down my favorite reel on the market for trout and bass right now. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it for carp, either.
RIO Elite Predator
Key Features
- Low-stretch design for solid hook sets
- Comes in multiple densities
- MSRP: $129.99
Pros
- Short, powerful front taper for easy delivery of big flies
- Colored measuring system for easy distance control
- Utilizes RIO’s SlickCast coating
Cons
- Might be too heavy for lighter flies
I picked the RIO Elite Predator as an example of the type of fly lines you should look for. It has a short, powerful head, it’s heavy, and it’s built to load and cast large flies easily. That’s music to the ears of anyone throwing large flies all day long in hopes of scoring a big bass. RIO does a great job of building low-stretch lines, too, so you can get solid hook sets at distance. Their SlickCast coating does make a difference as the line flies through your rod’s guides.
Wrapping Up
This gear should be a jumping-off point for you. Finding the right setup for your local bass fisheries might mean making some tweaks. For example, the bass ponds closest to me don’t have enormous fish in them. I don’t need a huge fly, because the chances of catching a five-pound largemouth are almost nonexistent. So, that means I also don’t need a fly line that’s one or two sizes heavy. A half-weight heavy line, short leader, and heavy fly are often enough to get me by.
The opposite was true on my recent bass trip. I needed heavy lines to wrangle the big flies we threw, and even though I didn’t catch one that big, we were fishing places with bass in excess of ten pounds. You want to be ready for handling that sort of fish, if you live where that’s available.
Regardless of how you choose to put your kit together, make sure you’re picking gear that’ll get the job done. Don’t skimp on a reel or line. In bass fishing, your gear really can make a huge difference.
Given the roughly 1/4 oz. difference between a fully rigged 8 wt. and a fully rigged 7 wt. in any given line of rods, there’s a lot of benefit to bumping up to the heavier rod.
It’ll do everything the 7 wt. will do, plus handle bigger, heavier, and more wind resistant flies…and help get the occasional big fish to net faster to avoid exhausting it.