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.

Now, Why aren't you doing this! Get More "On The Hunt"

I'll see you on the water...But you won't see me!

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop

"Passion For Fishing Is A Lifelong Pursuit Of Discovery"

On the Hunt - Detect the Strike

photo credit Steve Dally

Spring is here! I am getting all fired up. I dream all winter long of topwater strikes and stripping big streamers for predators.

Often in this largemouth and smallmouth bass species world it's easy to be clouded into thinking that all strikes are violent and unmistakable. I find it virtually impossible to convince many fly anglers that a bass can inhale a popper as delicately as a rainbow sipping a caddis. Or what about when the streamer you're stripping suddenly disappears out of site. Where'd it go? I didn't see a fish eat it. Now take a look at slow deep water presentations with weighted flies. This is a place I see many anglers get completely lost and miss strike after strike.

I wish to expose some of the behavior of these predators and share some insights to my success that I've learned over my many years of chasing bronze donks and ditch pickles.

Topwater Strikes
Be attentive! Don't assume every topwater strike is going to be explosive. Yeah, most of the time they are easily discernible but I've witnessed flies pulled under without so much as a gulp, swirl, slurp or water ring. On calm, silent days, I've glanced away for a moment only to look back and not be able to locate my fly. Within moments I've watched as the fly resurfaced from the depths after the predator let go realizing it wasn't actually food, meanwhile not so much as a disturbance was created in the process. I've witnessed this too many times and have learned the hard way to remain completely attentive in watching for any activity in the area of my fly.

Besides an explosion, watch for any water movement including pushes and swirls. Depending on your view you might see a shadow appear behind your fly. In whisper quiet settings listen for a slurp or gulp. If you get a swipe and refusal change your fly. Believe, every well placed cast will lead to a strike, keep your eyes focused on the fly and your success will improve.

Streamer Strikes
I like to fish a streamer I can see. More often than not my streamer choice will be white and flashy and includes flies such as clousers, feather game changers, deceivers, and most anything articulated. Detecting streamer strikes is either by site or by feel. I prefer to have visual site on my streamer and see the take. Bass can approach in various ways. Watch for follows, watch for swipes, watch for them to missile up from the depths but most of all watch for your streamer to just disappear. Many times I never see the fish but know I've been struck because my streamer that was just in sight suddenly disappeared. Just like topwater, streamer fishing for predators requires you to remain completely attentive.

Keys to success... Keep your rod tip low and pointed toward the fly. Remain connected to your fly with a taunt line even if you are pausing your strip. Always use a strip hook set. Stick to these techniques even if you can't see your streamer. Strikes can be detected by site, line movement and/or the feel of your line coming tight.

Greg's Tip of the Day... Hook sets are free, all day long! It's much easier to accept setting a hook into nothing than the feeling of not setting the hook when you realize your doubt was a real strike.

Mouthful of Swinging D

Deep Water Strikes
While topwater and shallow streamer strikes are mostly visual let's take a minute and talk about deeper water fishing for the bass species. Detecting deep water strikes comes with a whole other set of rules. If you're not tuned into this type of fishing, strikes may be going unnoticed.

Generally deep water bass strikes are non-violent. Much of the time a strike can only be detected by a slight tick in your line and/or maybe your line moves off in a direction different than your retrieve. It's very important to keep the slack out and try to maintain contact with your fly. From a boat I forgo the sink tip lines and instead use floating line with long leader. I believe a weighted fly sinks faster on a tapered leader and the floating line gives me a sighter. Adding a small sighter/indicator can really help in strike detection. An indicator should not restrict a fly from sinking and only serve as a sighter. Besides providing strike detection it should also serve as a depth finder. In this type of fishing most strikes occur when your fly is on bottom, let this be what you are trying to achieve.

When fishing this technique the flies I like are weighted clousers, crawfish patterns like Creek Crawler and heavy bunny style patterns like Dali Lama. Be less concerned about fly animation and more concerned with the fly reaching bottom. Fish close and keep your cast close. Think vertical presentation.
Bass, especially smallmouth, don't like direct sunlight. When the sun is high they will retreat to the shady bottom side of boulders, banks, logs and any other light relief structure they can find. Get a fly in those shady depths and you will find predators.

Connect... Learn to achieve contact with your fly without moving the fly. Maintaining a tight line is key to detecting these deep water strikes

The more I understand the nature of predator strikes the more I find success. I hope these tips will help you get connected to your predator instincts and translate into success.

More "On The Hunt" Series Articles
> Never Sit Down
> Stand Ready
> Strip Like You Mean It
> Zero Bass Thirty - Froggin'

I'll see you on the water...But you probably won't see me!

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop
Read more Greg's Post...

"Passion For Fishing Is A Lifelong Pursuit Of Discovery"

Cook goes Bassin'

I got an email the other day from George Cook (Northwest Sage/Redington/Rio and Tibor Rep). Seems that he found himself in the Southeast side of the country and took in some Bass fishing along the way somewhere in the Carolina's. George knowing the Bass fanatic that I am, kindly shared his experience. It's not very often you find George wielding anything but a two hand rod but make no mistake about it, Georgies prowess with a single hand fly rod is a tough act to match as witnessed here.

Bucket Mouth

The Crimson Red Tibor Back Country reel really glows with the Sage Bass II Series Smallmouth Rod. While all Sage Bass II series rods are serious big-bug, big-fish weapons if you could only choose just one let it be the Smallmouth for its all out versatility with all species of freshwater bass to Bonefish on the flats. The action of these rods impresses me every time I fish one.

Read more on the Sage Bass II Series rods...Not just for Bass!

8 Pounder

Also in the quiver was a Sage One 790-4 equipped with a Sage 3880CF fly reel loaded with a Rio Grand Fly Line and a Redington Vapen Red 890-4 lined out for big big bugs with a Rio Power Fly line also on a Sage 3880CF fly reel. I have one of the Sage 3880CF reels I use on my Sage One 4116 Switch rod and carry extra spools for the different lines I use for two hand trout fishing. These reels really perform great and the minimal price of the extra CF spools make it a great choice when multi-lines are needed.

George's fly arsenal included Solitude's Bass Master in Black and Crayfish Orange / Jawbreaker in Black and Orange / Walt Cary Popper's in Fire Tiger. Black Bee, Yellow Bee and Frog.

Pictured here in perfect fashion sportin' his Sage trucker hat is George with an 8 pounder taken on a Solitude Bass Master in Crayfish Orange color. Is it really 8 pounds, I guess we'll never know but I do know George isn't a small guy and that's an impressive Largemouth so I'll give him the benefit of doubt.

Thank you George for sharing your fishing adventure. We look forward to the next one!

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop Internet Sales Manager | Product Specialist

"Fly Fish the World with Us"