Gorge Fly Shop Blog: Predator Hunt - Warm Water Fly Fishing Lakes and Reservoirs

Smallies at Sunrise

On The Hunt

Over many years of warmwater lake fishing I can count on one hand how many other anglers I've witnessed fishing with a fly rod. I'm talking hundreds of days spent on the lakes and reservoirs, warm water fishing and rarely ever see another angler with a fly rod. Why is this water so barren of fly anglers!?

Do you have a warm water lake or reservoir near you? Let me provide you some reasons you might want to fly fish this water.

Let's start with the obvious...No one else is doing it!

These warm water fish have seen every lure known to man but they have never seen a fly. That is a HUGE advantage! They've never seen streamers or natural looking crawfish patterns. No one has ever fished a beetle, dragon fly, diving hair frog or fly popper to them.

Multi Species

Lakes usually have many different species inhabiting them. This fact can make the fishing interesting when you are never sure what you have hooked. It also can provide options. When some species are being hard to find others may be readily available to take your fly.

Crappie on the Fly

Room to Fish

When the local trout streams are crowded I can usually find solitude on lakes. Sure, you'll need a watercraft of some type to get there but that becomes part of the adventure. A boat or kayak, I've even ventured out in my Outcast Stealth Pro on lakes and found great fishing.

Stable Environment

When you favorite river gets blown out by a storm the day before you were all set to fish why cancel out the day and sit on the couch stewing about it. Go to a lake instead. Most lakes can take a pretty good storm without being disrupted. Sometimes the influx of fresh rain water can even turn fish on. Make your local lake a plan B and before you know it might become your plan A.

Wild Fish

The other day I had a trout fisher friend from Colorado with me on a local lake. We were having a great time catching smallies. At some point during the day he asked in a statement way, "so these fish are hatchery I assume?"

Largemouth Bass on the Fly

It never ever occurred to me that this could be a question but I guess if you only grew up around stocked trout fisheries then why would one assume warmwater would be any different. New reservoirs may have had some original plantings of species but after that most warm water lakes and reservoirs are self sustaining and therefore the fish are wild!

The Pursuit

Remembering back many years ago the first time I took a fly rod to a lake I felt a bit like it was a needle in a haystack kind of situation. Armed with a craw pattern fly a friend had given to me it wasn't long and I found some smallmouth bass. Pretty soon I was spotting carp to cast to and after a few failed attempts I finally got one hooked up. Today I've caught on fly about every warmwater species you'll find in the most lakes.

2001 - My first Fly Caught Smallmouth

Funny Looks

I get funny looks from other anglers that I encounter during my day and many have even asked if I am actually catching anything. Little do they know while they were within my sight I was quietly releasing my catch on the opposite side of the boat so as to not give away any secrets. Today , I can out-fish most gear anglers with ease.

I'm Hooked

For me a fly rod on a lake is not only a viable, fun tool but I've also come to realize that in many situations in the right hands it is a superior tool. I can deliver pinpoint accurate cast with realistic presentations and offer to multi species, natural imitating fly patterns with an end result of incredibly fun fishing.