It's easy to be lured in by techniques such as big streamers or big topwater and yet so often success can be minimal at best. It's not that these aren't proven techniques but often times they are not implemented at optimal seasons or in optimal spots. Combine wrong technique for the season and/or unproductive water and you have a setup for failure.
A way to overcome this failure is to build on a technique that one can quickly gain confidence in.
In my warmwater predator hunting adventures I've come to rely on a technique that not only do I gain confidence quickly but many days just can't get enough of the fun with this technique.
On days when nothing else wants to work I can depend on Float and Fly. More often than not it will show me where the fish are and provide me with important clues to their current feeding mood.
I mention "feeding mood" to emphasize the fact that predator fish are not always willing to chase down a streamer or break surface for a topwater but that doesn't mean they won't eat. They might just need a presentation that doesn't necessarily force a reaction but instead it works by teasing and temptation.
Think of it like this: Pick your favorite candy bar. Let's say it's a snickers. If I hold a snickers in front of you long enough I bet you will take and eat it. How long of period that is will be greatly be determined by your desire to give into temptation. This could vary day to day or even hour to hour.
Origins
Float and Fly has it's origins as a gear technique. Crappie anglers rely on this system to get their early season catch. These old school guys will tell you that they often run into bass, particularly smallmouth bass while attempting to catch some silver slabs.Recently some fly guys, including myself, started to look at this idea as a fly rod technique. After all if you look at indicator fishing for trout, outside of the fly there is not a whole lot of difference. Or is there!?
Personally I've worked with this technique now for about twelve years. There are some distinct differences compared to trout nymphing. Starting with...
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| 12 years perfecting this fly. Blurry on purpose! |
The Fly
Starting with the fly, while many flies hung from an indicator will catch fish, a float and fly system, fly is designed to represent baitfish and should be delivered in a horizontal presentation. Notice the Solitude Drop Dead Minnow is tied on a jig head. This gives the fly its horizontal presentation. |
| Solitude Drop Dead Minnow |
Leader
A good leader for float and fly is the RIO Bass Leader. It has a strong butt section for great turnover of fly and float while the 9 foot length is perfect for majority of this fishing.Indicator
Hard to beat the easy usability of an Air-Lock indicator. If you need to adjust depth just loosen the screw, adjust and re-tighten. Thing-a-ma-bobbers work just fine too.Fly Line
While no special line is needed I do prefer longer headed lines for mending ease. Lines like Scientific Anglers Amplitude Infinity or RIO's InTouch Trout Steelhead Indicator line work very well.Fly Rod
Without getting into a books worth of rod choices let's just say a 6-7 weight in at least a 9' length. Adjust as necessary. Your fishery might be just fine with a 5 wt. One of my favorite rods for this technique is a Sage X 597-4. It's 9'6" with full wells grip and fight butt.Technique
Start with your fly about 5-6 foot below your float. Adjust as necessary. Seek out your ideal smallmouth holding water. Now I realize that last statement could prompt an entire article about what smallmouth holding water looks like but that will have to be for another time. In general search rocky shoreline areas.Cast in tight to these areas. Move often, even if only a few feet. When a smallmouth bass takes it he will steadily pull it under and most cases even out of sight. No reason to get in a hurry to hook set just so long as indicator is well under you should come to a solid set most of the time.
A cool feature of this technique is the fly is almost always hook up in upper jaw. It's makes for a super clean catch and release and comes with a solid landing ratio.
Clues and Insights
This isn't sit on a bucket while drinking PBR type of fishing. Keep moving! Most take downs are within 10 seconds of cast. If I really have confidence in a spot I might soak it for maybe a minute, max.I tell anglers to fish it like a popper. Cast, let settle, give it a twitch or two, maybe a pull, move!
On those days when a bass won't break surface for a topwater or move for a streamer, they'll eat float and fly. So have confidence and keep searching. They will show themselves.
River or Stillwater
Bass in general are stillwater creatures. Even if you are fishing a river such as John Day, most bass will set up on drop offs, current breaks and eddies. Much of this fishing is done in those stillwater spots directly adjacent to currents. You might call them frog water. Don't hesitate to work float and fly down a current seam just as if you are drifting a nymph for a trout. But also don't overlook the "frog water" behind the current seam.Where
Local to Gorge Fly Shop is an incredible smallmouth fishery in the Columbia River. While access is limited especially without a boat there is in fact many places that feature quick dropping, rocky shorelines. The next couple months will be prime for smallies in close to shore.What are you waiting for!
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| I'll see you on the water...But you won't see me! |
Greg Darling
