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View Full Version : Warm water fly fishing for bass & panfish



Bill Kiene semi-retired
01-23-2005, 02:16 PM
This is a part of the sport that seems to be enjoyed by most of us only part time like in the spring in Nor Cal, April/May/June.

I love top water in the evenings in the spring and fall on a quiet unfished private farm pond (when lucky to get an invite). Fishing the last few hours on top after the sun leaves the water is the best.

It can be walking the banks or wading but it is mostly out of a float tube, pontoon boat or small flat botom pram.

I use a strong 6 weight rod with a WF7F bass bug line if the "bugs" are not too large. If they are bigger I would use a strong 7 weight rod with a WF8F bass bug tarper. For really big bugs out of a boat I like an 8 rod with a WF9F bass bug taper. The SA/Matery Bass line seems to be one of the best.

I like shorter 7.5' leader with large butt diameters and stiffer mono with a large 0X tippet to turn over wind resistant bass bugs. I tie my own or buy the standard Rio 7 1/2' 0X knotless tapered leaders.

I like hard bodied poppers, spun-clipped deer hair bass bugs and also versions of the Dahlberg Diver. Black, Frog and Yellow seem to be popular colors. Any large black Wooly Bugger or Leech will work too.

I leaned from Leo Gutterres how to cast a shore line or weed line or any structure coming through the surface. I just cast close to the "edge" and let it sit, pointing my rod at the fish and tighten my slack while it is sitting there. Then I twitch it a little without moving it towards me much. Let it sit some more then twitch again. If nothing "blows up" on it then pick it up and cast about 5 feet down the "edge".

This is some of the finest fly fishing you will find if you are a lucky.

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