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
Fly fishing for longnose gar not only offers an opportunity to target an oddball fish, but it’s also tons of fun! These prehistoric fish readily take most fly presentations and put up a good fight as well. I’m honestly surprised it’s not more popular. Most gar fly fishing is quite visual. You will often be … 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
Turtles are not a prey item often considered by fly anglers. Even though adult turtles are mostly left alone, many fish will opportunistically feed on young turtles that they can swallow whole. As seen in the video below, perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss turtles as prey items. Anyone make turtle flies?!?! from … Read more
Do trout bite at night? I can tell you definitively that yes, trout do feed in the dark. Not only can trout be caught at night, but it tends to be big trout that feed more heavily in the dark. Let’s talk a bit about nighttime trout feeding habits and go over some techniques for … 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
Adult dragonflies are an interesting prey species. It’s one of those prey items that many trout anglers think are too big, and bass anglers think are too small. As an angler that targets both fish, I’ve found that both trout and bass will eat dragonflies (and damselflies). I’ve personally caught both sea-run brook trout and … 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