Delta largemouth - fly suggestions

[civicrr]

While an avid bass fisherman with conventional gear, I'm still very new to the whole flyfishing game. I just started last Fall & really only concentrated on chasing stripers. I'd really appreciate advice on flies for both topwater & later in the day when the topwater bite seems to die. When the topwater bite dies, do you go to the I-line? Will any of my striper flies work? I know that the Pole Dancer will get bit. Clouser? Airhead?

I was out the other day on the Delta. Cool night the day before with fog coming off the water when we launched. Put on a popper and got into a few topwater fish. The topwater bite died & I was basically @ a lost as what else to try. I should have brought the I-line but I didn't. I did manage one more fish on a small clouser using the floating line.

Thanks

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Most all of us at Kiene's Fly Shop are followers of top guide Captain Kevin Doran for top water LMB fly fishing in the Delta.

Kevin likes April though September for top water LMB. I think May was his favorite month on normal years.

I think early and late in the day would be best now in the mid-summer.

I guess some tide movement would be good too.

We use a Sage LMB outfit or a 9' #7 line rod with a Rio Outbound Short WF8F.

Kevin uses a short two piece 6 feet mono leader with maybe a foot or so of 25# Maxima Ultra Green for the butt section and ~5 feet of 20# Maxima Ultra Green to the fly with a none slip loop knot.

We use the flies KD recommends which are:

The Umpqua #1/0 'Swimming Baitfish' in the Shad pattern with mono weed guides.

The Umpqua #2 'Swimming Frog' in all colors with the mono weed guard.

The Umpqua 'Pike Fly' in Chartreuse Frog #3/0 pattern with a mono weed guard.


**We were elated the first time we fished the Delta with Kevin after finding out he only fishes top water for LMB.
.

[Mrs.Finsallaround]

While an avid bass fisherman with conventional gear, I'm still very new to the whole flyfishing game. I just started last Fall & really only concentrated on chasing stripers. I'd really appreciate advice on flies for both topwater & later in the day when the topwater bite seems to die. When the topwater bite dies, do you go to the I-line? Will any of my striper flies work? I know that the Pole Dancer will get bit. Clouser? Airhead?

I was out the other day on the Delta. Cool night the day before with fog coming off the water when we launched. Put on a popper and got into a few topwater fish. The topwater bite died & I was basically @ a lost as what else to try. I should have brought the I-line but I didn't. I did manage one more fish on a small clouser using the floating line.

Thanks

I use my 'striper' rig for subsurface LMB when the top water bite dies... 33' T-11 on an 8-wt TFO Pro with hubby's 'super minnow' pattern [similar to clouser minnow]. Works like a charm :nod:

[GreggH]

As you know size matters. I'm one of the few that sticks with a small Clouser when targeting LM. I'd rather fish a black fly then any other even in bright clear conditions. Most importantly I have a intermediate line with a clear head that I fish in the first 24" of water that allows me to target the very skinny area's. I have that set up on my Cross Current 6 and work the rock wall's literally landing inches from the rocks getting the reaction bite. If you would like, drop me a pm with your contact info and I'll fish you and maybe we'll learn something together.

Regards, Gregg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb236/greggh_fish/photo-5.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb236/greggh_fish/photo-10-1-1.jpg

[civicrr]

Thanks for the replies guys. One of the really neat thing I've found about fly folks is their willingness to help. Really pretty refreshing compared to some others.

Gregg, might take you up on that offer. I've got a bunch of conventional fishing friends but only a few fly friends.

[Joe Mateas]

I'm just getting back in to fly fishing after a 15yr break, Just got all set up with 7, 8, and 9wt rigs for the delta. I'll be heading out of big break this afternoon with my 8wt 24' rio outbound t14 line tied to a home tied leader(16" 25lb big game, 5' of 20lb YZH) and a clouser on the end, with an spare spool of outbound floating with the same type of leader but a few feet longer for throwing big topwaters, the 9wt with a intermediat sink tip, same hand tied leader, an unknown name streamer(about 6-7" long, you know I like tossing big baits on conventional gear so why not a huge fly?), the 7wt has a rio steelhead/atlantic salmon floating line, hand tied leader(16"25lb, 16" 20lb, 4' 15lb), and will be tossing med sized topwater patterns. This will be my first fly fishing trip in a long time so we'll see what happens out there. I'll post some feedback on the days events tomorrow, most likely looking for advice on what I did wrong..... I'm also bringing my 4wt incase the bass don't play, I know there's always some hungry gills' in the Dirty D.

[Joe Mateas]

Well I didn't get to go today..... I need to have a serious talk with who ever forgot to plug in the battery charger last time I was out....#-o