Tackle, leader systems and bugs for top water bass fishing.

Rods:

We use all kinds of fly rods for top water bass fishing.

Some might just use their trout rod (9'#5 line) with a fly line that is a size or two heavier with a shorter head/belly and shorter front taper for turning over bass poppers or bass bugs.

Many use a shorter rod for tight quarters and accuracy.

Andy Guibord uses a 7' #3 line fast action little rod with a WF5F line for little moving water bass fisheries, wading or out of a canoe. Most flies here are smaller than we use in the Delta.

Many use "bass rods" that are usually just under 8 feet long. The line size of the rods vary to match the size of the bass bugs.


Fly lines:

We use weight forward full floating lines for throwing bulky wind resistance bass bugs. These lines with be slightly over loaded with a shorter head/belly and a shorter front taper for delivering and turning over big bass bugs.


Leaders:

For smaller bass bugs I like a 7 1/2 foot knotless tapered leader to around 1x tippet. This short leader will turn over small bass bugs.

For throwing big bass bugs we use the Captain Kevin Doran leader system which is usually 12 to 18 inch butt section of 20# Maxima UltraGreen with about 6 feet of 15# Maxima tippet material.

Most use the non-slip loop knot to the bass bugs.


Bass bugs:

Some times we use small poppers or sponge bugs for bass and panfish on small creeks and small ponds.

Many like the frog colors.

Black is good for early and late in the day.

Chartreuse, yellow or white medium size poppers are good for Smallmouth.

In the Delta most use fairly large spun and clipped deer hair bass bugs or sponge bodied bugs.

In the Delta we like weed guards on our bass bugs so we can throw them back into the vegetation and slowly pull it out.

Very stiff 30# clear hard Mason mono is preferred by KD for is weed guards.

Dahlberg Divers and Umpqua Swimming Baitfish hair bugs are very popular for top water bass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvQEolFlV2c


Timing:

Spring, Summer and Fall can all be good for top water bass fishing. April through October can be good as long as it is still warm.

May is KD's favorite month in the Delta for top water LMB.

For many fisheries we like early and especially late in the day with the low light levels.

Low wind is good too.


Techniques:


Leo Gutterres method:

Leo taught us how to fly fish farm ponds for bass with his balsa bodied hard poppers many years ago.

Leo likes to cast close to an "edge" which can be where the water meets anything that is in the surface like the shore line, logs, vegetation, docks, etc.

Leo says to cast your bug close to the "edge" and let it just sit there for a while. Maybe 5 seconds, then just tighten up your slack to the bug, and twitch or wiggle your rod tip to make you bug vibrate in the surface like a struggling insect or frog. Wait another 5 seconds and twitch for the second time.

Then pick up your bug and cast about 4 to 6 feet down the bank or edge and repeat.

We call this "pounding the banks".



Captain Kevin Doran method:

Andy Guibord and I had done a lot of different kinds of top water bass fishing but when we first got out with Captain Kevin Doran we realized we did not know anything about top water fly fishing for bass in the Delta.

With big water ways and then adding a tide movement really makes it a unique fisheries.

Kevin's system is quit extensive so we only know the basics but it can really help you to be successful.

Kevin cast a side arm style that is an under hand cast that allows him to get it in very accurately and quietly.

At times KD actually cast way back into the vegetation which requires a good weed guard.

Kevin's bug is always moving.

There are some KD videos that I will put up here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Y0wmSr0Tg


If you want to talk to someone and get help with top water bass fishing I would meet up with Andy Guibord at the shop. He usually works on the weekends so he can guide during the week.

https://andyguibord.wordpress.com/guiding-instruction/


Kevin Doran, Andy Guibord, Leo Gutterres and myself only fish for bass with top water bugs.