Chasing Smallmouth on the Fly

Pound for pound you’ll be hard-pressed to find a freshwater fish that delivers more fight than a smallmouth bass.

Derrick Filkins sits at a table littered with pieces of deer hair, bits of dubbing and a dozen flies he just finished tying for the upcoming weekend. Snow-white hair and a well-groomed mustache give him a distinguished, gentlemanly look—a guise of well-weathered, yet well-mannered. His sweat-stained visor, pastel colored shirt and khaki shorts are fitting for a man who’s spent a considerable amount of time chasing bonefish, permit and tarpon in some of the world’s most exotic places.

From the trout-rich rivers of Canada to the shallow water flats of Christmas Island, Filkins has been privileged to fish a considerable number of first-class destinations. His most recent trip was to Nicaragua, which resulted in a smorgasbord of tuna, tarpon, snook, and mahi. Filkins’ wanderlust and book-worthy tales would make most fly fishermen envious.

Maybe it’s his appearance, experience, or the fact he’s the manager of Fly Masters, a reputable fly shop in Indianapolis (or the combination of the three), which provokes fishermen to regularly inundate Filkins with questions. The most popular being, “Where is your favorite place to fly fish?”

Based upon the extent of his travels, one might expect Filkins’ preferred destination would require a high-priced ticket and a several hour plane ride. One may also assume from the mounted tarpon on the wall his favorite water would be closer to the equator. Or conclude from the fine bamboo rods on the shelf he’d be partial to casting dry flies on a remote trout stream in the Montana wilderness. In reality, it’s quite the contrary.

“I enjoy fishing for smallmouth,” is the answer Filkins has given more times than he can remember. Filkins has a deep respect for this species and means every word. “Smallmouth are way underestimated. Pound for pound you can’t beat the fight. You can find them in most local rivers and streams. And when I’m done fishing, I can sleep in my own bed at night.”

“With my wife,” he adds with a chuckle.

It’s Why

Filkins isn’t alone in his appreciation for the smallmouth bass. Any fly fisherman who’s hooked one of these warriors will likely concur with his assessment. Why? Ask an angler why they fish and they’re likely to say: the fight. To set the hook and initiate a wrestling match with a football-shaped, subaquatic species bent on freeing itself is why we fish.

Since the premise of fishing is to match temperature and water flow. As water levels rise fish will often tuck tighter to the bank, and do the opposite as levels subside.

But if fishing season is open in your neck of the woods, once water temperatures reach the 55-degree range, it’s a good time to get in on some early action.

Early in the year the vast majority of prespawn fish will be in a small percentage of the river, usually a pool or slower sections of water between 3 and 5 feet deep where less current helps them conserve energy. They can also be found on the soft side of seams, where a fast current meets a much slower current. Especially if there is structure where fish can ambush their next meal from the shelter of ledges, logs, or boulders. As the days get warmer and the water loses its chill, bass will spread throughout the river and be found in tailouts and even riffles, but early in the year you’ll most likely find them couching in slower water.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to fish for smallmouth in Washington’s Grande Ronde River. While the river is known for it’s world-class steelhead fishing, it’s a first-rate smallmouth fishery as well. Armed with a handful of copper-colored Woolly Buggers intentionally tied to imitate small craw-fish, I made my way to a spot in the river that looked promising. The water was rich with large boulders and there was a seam between a large eddy and a stiff current. Casting into the current I let the fly swing downstream and sink into the soft edge of the eddy. After a few slow twitches I felt an aggressive take. The primitive anger of wits with primal instincts and smallmouth have a reputation for attacking flies with vengeance—it’s the perfect storm. Once hooked, these fish are known to put on a display of circus-worthy aerial acrobatics. They’re tenacious, clever and posses a stamina that surpasses most trout. They won’t surrender as easy as other game fish, but it’s the animation and stubborn personality that make them a noble game fish.

Early Action

With winter officially crawling to a close and warmer weather on the horizon, smallmouth will be taking note of the change in seasons. With Old Man Winter getting out of the picture, water temperatures will begin to rise and in response, the fishes’ metabolic rate will start to increase. This boost in metabolism results in a change from a sluggish fish to an active, hungry fish in search of food. This transition is often called the “prespawn.”

A typical spring can bring an assortment of weather. The combination of late snow, heavy rains and the resulting runoff can cause higher than normal or rapidly fluctuating water levels. Targeting early season smallmouth in swollen rivers and off-color streams can intimidate an angler—but don’t let it. These conditions tend to push bass toward the shoreline as they seek water with less current and more adequate cover. Just as winter begrudgingly gives way to spring in fits and starts, fish will respond in the same manner. Smallmouth will move up and down in the water column as they respond to water a three-pound smallmouth made the rod dance. For several hours I fished the same hole and as long as the fly swam in the seam, I caught fish. Since smallmouth are more concentrated in early spring, fishing select water was key.

On the Menu

As smallmouth move from their cold weather haunts the fly fisherman is offered the chance to serve flies à la carte. A fly box filled with a variety of black, olive and chartreuse streamers can provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for hungry smallies. Patterns likely to offer culinary merit include crawfish patterns, baitfish patterns, Muddler Minnows, Woolly Buggers and the ever-popular Clouser Minnow. Articulated streamers such as the Zoo Cougar, developed by steamer aficionado Kelly Gallup, is another top-notch entrée you may want to add to the menu. If the water is clear and the sky bright, try to match the color, size and shape of the natural baitfish. If the water is stained, use high contrast colors such as chartreuse-and-white, pink-and-white, black or white.

In my experience, wise, old bass don’t order meals from a McDonald’s drive-through. They prefer Five-Star restaurants and don’t mind the time it takes to consume a fancy, multi-course meal. A slow presentation is the preferred way to serve them dinner—and service can be much more important than the entree. “Go low and strip slow” is a good mantra to live by. A ‘twitch, twitch, pause,’ and varying the timing can be much more effective than a hasty retrieve.

It’s Simple

The gear required to fish spring smallmouth is relatively simple. A 6- to 8-weight fly rod will be more than adequate to cast subsurface flies, the later of which is my choice for big streamers and broad shouldered bronzebacks. A weight forward floating line will adequately turn over bugs, but since spring water flows can be unpredictable, I prefer an intermediate or sink tip early season. The goal is to get the fly down to fish that may be holding lower in the water column. An intermediate or sink tip line allows deeper water to be covered effectively. A 4- to 6-foot leader, depending on the size of the fly, works well with an intermediate or sinking line setup. I also prefer to use a fluorocarbon leader. Why flouro? It’s denser, so it sinks faster, offers greater abrasion resistance to debris (and teeth), and is less visible to the fish. Gear selection is personal preference. The depth of water you’re fishing and size of fish you’re targeting will determine what setup will work for your specific fishing environment.

Without a doubt, grappling with a small-mouth will put a smile on your face. These fish eat well, fight hard and are willing to play. They bring out that childlike exuberance you felt when you hooked your first fish. And whether novice or expert, the fly fisherman can normally find plenty of fish in uncrowded waters. When it comes to sparring, these fish are definitely worth getting in the ring for.

4 STREAMERS FAVORITE

Our friends at Warmwater Chronicles know a thing or two about flies, fly fishing and catching smallmouth bass. One of their astute fly tiers was kind enough to share four favorite patterns that he insists on having in his early season arsenal. He also believes if you add these patterns to your streamer box it will increase your chance of success.

o1 CLOUSER MINNOW

The Clouser Minnow was developed especially for smallmouth by noted fly tier Bob Clouser. This all-time favorite is perhaps the most effective and versatile streamer pattern of all time. Your fly box should at least contain a few grey-and-white and chartreuse-and-white Clousers when chasing spring smallmouth.

02 SCHULTZY’S RED EYE LEECH

Mike Schultz, a Michigan-based smallmouth guide and successful fly tier is the brains behind this extremely effective pattern. This fly is designed to go deep and offer smallies a red-eyed meal. Black works especially well when fishing stained water.

o3 CONE HEAD WOOLY BUGGER

You can’t go wrong using a variation of the Wooly Bugger to entice a bite. The extra weight of the cone head will allow the fly to get down and dirty. These patterns are known to produce when nothing else will. Black and olive are go-to colors, so be sure and add these variations to your assortment of Wooly Buggers.

o4 HAWKIN’S HAT TRICK

The Hat Trick’s namesake is Chuck Hawkins, another Michigan guide, who developed this pattern to provide lifelike movement and a realism hungry fish can’t resist. When selecting colors, black and olive are early season favorites.