Fly line selection is the most important part of any fly fishing setup. Fishing for smallmouth bass on the fly is not different. Smallmouth take a wide variety of flies in a wide variety of presentations, so you want a versatile line. Smallies are typically found in more temperate water than most trout water, so … Read more
Do Bass eat snakes? Turns out they do! Ever see a snake swimming across the water? Despite most snakes being accomplished swimmers, they look pretty vulnerable, don’t they? I’ve always thought there’s no way an opportunistic fish like a bass could pass up such an obvious meal. Yes, yes they do. There’s actually snake … Read more
Is it your first time fly fishing for smallmouth bass? Perhaps you’ve been chasing smallies on the fly for a while, and are looking for new fly pattern ideas? Let’s look at some of the best flies for targeting smallmouth bass. Smallmouth bass are perhaps the perfect gamefish. Not only are they pound for pound … Read more
With the increasing popularity of fly fishing, a larger variety of fish species are being targeted on the fly now. Many of them live in weed-heavy environments and require weed-resistant or weed-proof flies. The techniques for tying weedless flies are surprisingly varied, and I covered quite a few below. The bass and pike anglers reading … Read more
Fly anglers live for hatches, and cicada hatches are no different. When we get on the river and a large mayfly, caddisfly, or stonefly hatch is going on, we know we’re in for a good day of fishing. There’s some great cicada fly patterns listed further down and I touch on how to tie cicada … Read more
When you look at a bass anglers tacklebox, you’ll see plenty of lures that mimic large, high-calorie prey items; swimbaits, crayfish, frogs, and mice lures are all common in a bass anglers arsenal. What you don’t see much of, is insect imitations. While it’s true that bass tend to target large prey items, this isn’t … Read more
The most daunting part about targeting Pike and Musky on the fly (for beginners) is figuring out leaders. How do you set-up a leader for fly fishing Pike and Musky? You can’t very well just use the same tippet as you do when salmon angling, a pike will bite right through it! It’s a question that … Read more
Do bass eat lizards? If you listen to the marketing of many tackle companies, of course they do. Yet, I don’t see many lizards swimming in the lakes, ponds, or streams that bass make their home in. Sure, there may be a few incidental lizards entering the water to cross, but that would hardly be … Read more
It’s something that seems unnatural, but yes, many species of fish do eat birds. These predatory fish are not just limited to large exotic species, there are plenty of bird eating fish close to home. In fact, you probably have a species or two swimming in a river or pond near you. If you’re an … Read more
Ottawa offers some great fishing. There’s a large variety of fish species that make their home in the cities waterways, many in the heart of downtown! If you’re interested in fishing in Ottawa, I’ve listed below all the commonly targeted species in the Ottawa area, in addition to some not-so-commonly targeted species that swim in … Read more