Just Bass, Baby!

[John H]

The great Al Davis used to say "just win, baby". I say "just bass, baby". No birds, squirrels, turtles or coyoyes today. Just bass, baby.

I got my topwater bug hung up in a bush today which happens pretty regularly. This time it broke off which never happens. It should have been in the bush or floating somewhere but I could not see it anywhere. Right below the bush I saw a pretty big gulp and swirl. It had to have been a nice bass snacking my bug. The worst part was for the last hour I had been hitting the spots, getting good dives and pops and generally throwing my A game at them but with no interest. The bug falls in the water and gets gobbled up. It is the ultimate insult to my fishing skills. I do everything I can to get a blow up and can't until the fly breaks off and falls in the water. The fish dominated me on that one for sure but I put the worm fly on and showed them I was still the big boss of the slough. Later I went back to the topwater bug and got a nice one so I ended up feeling good about the day even though I took an early hard snubbing. Sometimes you just have to keep fishing and hope for a bounce back. I will be in Oregon next week and might look for some shore birds and if the wind stops howling maybe a coho or a black rockfish. We'll see.

:)


http://i.imgur.com/jB71G2Z.jpg (https://imgur.com/jB71G2Z)


http://i.imgur.com/5s86YGa.jpg (https://imgur.com/5s86YGa)


http://i.imgur.com/PJ472ZU.jpg (https://imgur.com/PJ472ZU)


http://i.imgur.com/tUfyzr4.jpg (https://imgur.com/tUfyzr4)
New stickers on the boat courtesy of my buddy VW.

[Vaughn Willett]

Good looking bass, John! Your dragon tail fly looks tasty. Good to see the bass like it....

[Darian]

Good looking worm fly. Certainly proved itself. Re: the take below the break off of your surface bug, I've experienced that myself while creek/river fishing for Smallies (not in the Delta). Good luck next week.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

That should work well in black or purple too.

Some nice bass.................

[cutthroat22]

Good luck in OR! looking forward to the photos.

[John H]

The dragon tail does catch fish but it is not very durable. I am thinking of making the same fly but without the tail and adding some kind of soft plastic tail that I can replace when it falls apart. It would be a gear-fly hybrid bait. I think it might work. I need to go to fisherman’s warehouse and see what they have for a tail.

[Rossflyguy]

The dragon tail does catch fish but it is not very durable. I am thinking of making the same fly but without the tail and adding some kind of soft plastic tail that I can replace when it falls apart. It would be a gear-fly hybrid bait. I think it might work. I need to go to fisherman’s warehouse and see what they have for a tail.

Todays flies are all gear/fly hybrids with synthetic materials. You could use the magnum rabbit strips. They come in all types of colors and nothing beats the movement of rabbits strips.

[Darian]

Another vote for magnum rabbit strips....

[MThompson]

Tie in a small owner centering pin or other coiled hitch hiker. I would avoid a worm with lots of salt because of the weight and they may not stay attached to the keeper while casting. It just may work

[John H]

I have made some rabbit strip flies and caught a fish on them. I am sure I could improve on my prior rabbit strip flies and do well but I am looking to rip off the gear world for a good idea. Based on tournament totals I have seen gear guys generally catch double the weight fly guys do. A guy won a one day Delta kayak tournament recently with about 22 pounds and John Sherman won the Costa tournament with about 11 pounds a day. It seems like I need to work on imitating some of the tackle and techniques the gear guys throw. I like the centering pin idea. I had not heard of them. I could tie a jig hook with lead eyes, wrapped cross cut rabbit, rubber legs and a centering pin and then add whatever soft plastic I want to use. I kind of want what I use to still be a fly which this might not be it if it catches fish I may be able to overlook that. We’ll see. Thanks for the help.

[Rossflyguy]

I have made some rabbit strip flies and caught a fish on them. I am sure I could improve on my prior rabbit strip flies and do well but I am looking to rip off the gear world for a good idea. Based on tournament totals I have seen gear guys generally catch double the weight fly guys do. A guy won a one day Delta kayak tournament recently with about 22 pounds and John Sherman won the Costa tournament with about 11 pounds a day. It seems like I need to work on imitating some of the tackle and techniques the gear guys throw. I like the centering pin idea. I had not heard of them. I could tie a jig hook with lead eyes, wrapped cross cut rabbit, rubber legs and a centering pin and then add whatever soft plastic I want to use. I kind of want what I use to still be a fly which this might not be it if it catches fish I may be able to overlook that. We’ll see. Thanks for the help.

Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe it was top water flies only for that bass n fly tourney. A recent frog only tournament on the delta only weighed in maybe 15lbs or less. Bass fishing takes several baits to get high weights. I’ve caught a 6lb spotted bass with a 360 flasher and mini hoochie with a piece of anchovy. I didn’t need bass gear for that fish. My thinking is don’t limit yourself. Let us know how the plastic works on your new fly pattern.

[John H]

The bass n fly allowed subsurface flies but you did have to use a “fly”. I am not sure how they define that but I expect if I put a baby brush hog on a jig hook that would not qualify as a fly. I will have to stick to the rabbit strip jigs if I ever fish in it.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I fished it twice, early on. Did just OK but really enjoyed it.

If you do not attend you can still go to the weigh-in which is fun too.



I think it should be top water only.