Advice on Bass flies

[Jeff F]

Since it's gonna be a while before trout come into play, I'm going to try some bass fishing. There's a small hike-to local lake called Lake Ilsanjo in Annadel State Park in Santa Rosa I've heard has lots of willing bass in the spring time. Nothing huge, but average size is 14".

I've never done any bass fishing so I need to buy some flies. The Fly Shop seems to have good selection located here:

https://catalog.theflyshop.com/flies/bass-pike/

Anyone have any recommendations from that list? The water will probably have a couple feet of visibility.

Thanks so much.

~Jeff

[mike borba]

This time of year small sinking bait fish patterns such as the Baby Fat Minnow, Grave Digger, Tak's Mini Minnow, or the Masked Minnow should work. Later in the season you could try small top water patterns. By the way, since you are in Santa Rosa, you should check out the Russian River Fly Fishers. We meet the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Veterans building. Our website rrflyfisher.org will fill you in on club activities.

[Jeff F]

This time of year small sinking bait fish patterns such as the Baby Fat Minnow, Grave Digger, Tak's Mini Minnow, or the Masked Minnow should work. Later in the season you could try small top water patterns. By the way, since you are in Santa Rosa, you should check out the Russian River Fly Fishers. We meet the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Veterans building. Our website rrflyfisher.org will fill you in on club activities.

Thanks Mike! I'm not planning on heading out until April, but that information helps a lot. I'll check out your website too.

~Jeff

[John H]

My pond experience is the bass are a little spooky and small flies are effective. Ken Hanley did a presentation once about damsels and dragonflies for bass. I would try a bead head wooly bugger.

[McFish]

I'll second John. My most consistent fly is a take off of Polly Roseborough Casual Dress. Marabou tail, shaggy body. I use a very buggy Krakin dubbing from Fly Tyers Dungeon. It has lots of small rubber bits that squirm all over the place. Check out the Krap streamer video. Size 8 hook, 2 or 3x long, stout wire, not dry fly hook. Great over or near weed beds.

[TroutHunter10]

There will probably be fish on beds. Generally I fish slow sinking leaches to bed fish similar to what Mcfish referred to since they will be shallow and sight fishing. When they are on beds it’s not rocket science especially if it’s not a highly pressured lake

[Scott V]

Size 8 black wiggle tail. I've caught largemouth up to 8 pounds on it. It is my go to fly for stillwater for any and all fish. There isn't a fish species I have not caught on that one fly. I fish it 99% of the time.

[RoosterHunter]

Been fishing a few of my chocolate water ponds. Trying to find the warm days to get out and see if the bass are starting to transition to their shallows. but only found a couple decent warm days (60 degrees). This is the pattern I'm fishing the shallows, 3' to 5'. I'm throwing a SA Sonar WF-7-i (1.25" per second) SA Sonar WF-7-S (S2, S3 sink rate). So far I've had a LITTLE luck, but I'm limited to carry only 3 rods on my float tube.
I've also been fishing one of my lakes close to the house for LMB and spotted bass. I've been watching the kayaker's fishing mourned some of the submerged humps pulling fish after fish. I started two weeks ago in between rain storms searching for the bass. I'm marking them down around 15' to 25'. So I went to using LC13 28' on a 8wt and also a T14 shooting head backed with Amnesia. On the LC13 head, I'm using a wacky worm and jigging. It's been pretty effective, but the s**** to cast.
Sure do wish I had my TPL pram with my Honda 2hp 4 stroke

[Darian]

KD Mat Rat bass fly. Altho, I don't use it often (requires a surface mat), its still one of my favorites. Its fun to tie and if you've ever had the absolute pleasure of seeing a Bass take from under a mat you'll understand. (hope the images post.)

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[Jeff F]

Thanks everyone!

[Spicytuna1]

KD Mat Rat bass fly. Altho, I don't use it often (requires a surface mat), its still one of my favorites. Its fun to tie and if you've ever had the absolute pleasure of seeing a Bass take from under a mat you'll understand. (hope the images post.)

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Great looking fly tie there. Anything I can offer up to get a couple, lol?



As for the LMB flies you need to get ahold of Lee Haskins and have him tie up the jungle frog gurgler as well as the white slideball slider, weedless and almost bullet proof flies that catch fish. The slideball slider is one my go to search patters and it get a ton of fish but mostly on the smaller side (ideal for you). Tell Lee I sent you :)