Bass fly for weed covered lake?

[davethetrout]

I have just gained permission to fish a private stocked lake with hand fed 8-10 lb bass and 15+ lb catfish. These fish are pellet fed and are by far the largest I have ever had a chance to fish for. The owner is a Arca series nascar driver and says I can flyfish the lake if I wear one of his pitcrew shirts and videotape the event. The duckweed is all over the top and I need a fly to conquer some of these pigs! PLEASE HELP with a recipe for a fly to fish these conditions. Spin gear is not an option for me.....
Dave

 

[JeffK]

What about a traditional deer hair bass bug? A lot of flyfishing tradition with one of them. For big LMB a purple zonker with a long tail can act like the fly fisherman's version of a purple plastic worm, but if the pond is real weedy you probably want a floating fly.

With these big bass flies don't go light on the leader and clean your fly line so it keeps well above the slop.

 

[Pete]

See my reply to your similar post @ njtrout...

Jeff's right. Use heavy tackle to cope with the weeds and to cast large bugs. I wouldn't hesitate to use a 9 weight with an 8 or 10 lb tippet. Largemouths aren't nearly as leader shy as trout & smallmouths.

 

[smittin]

I love

frog poppers in lakes, they are killers for big LMB.

 

[stickman]

Heres my 1 1/2 cents , Iv had lots of luck in Lakes and ponds by me using a 3X tippet with #16/14 Blue wing Olives.Iv tried Adams,woolys,Zonkers,Gnats,Elk Hairs and a few others , all I can say is the fish in ponds by me go for these + there pretty forgiving in weedy ponds on getting hung up . I also use a real slow and soft 2 or 3 jig and pause retrive .

Hope that helps , Good luck.

 

[davethetrout]

I have lots of nice poppers I`ve tied and bought. I guess I was hoping for the one that fished through the duckweed the best..lots of good responses and I appreciate it alot! You know how you fish a rubber worm on a spin rod successfully in this situation,well I wanna do it with my flyrod only. How do I tie a imitation rubber worm, is this just like the leeches I tie with rabbit strips? Can you cast these without fouling easily? I wanna make the casts count. Zonkers and leeches and poppers are already in my box..is there a miracle fly for the slime?

 

[cingras53]

bass flies

I've got the perfect answer to your question. Just give me directions and I can meet you at the private stocked pond with 8-10 lb largemouth bass. I take a large shirt.

 

[Pete]

....You know how you fish a rubber worm on a spin rod successfully in this situation,well I wanna do it with my flyrod only. How do I tie a imitation rubber worm, ......

How strict is your host's definition of fly fishing?

Those small curly tailed grubs can be fished with a fly rod. Just keep the cast slow and gentle.....Since most of this type of artificial are scented, they'd be illegal on NJ fly only waters.

A long tailed bugger might serve the same purpose without the controversy.

 

[davethetrout]

hes not strict at all..nobody fishes it but me..I just told him I would use my flyrod and barbless hooks..other then that its fish on!

 

[Pete]

Just a thought....

Are they still "pellet fed"?

:evil: Seems like a pellet fly would be an easy tie, once you knew the size shape & color.

 

[davethetrout]

little brown pellets..

 

[Future Fanatic]

little brown pellets..

Well then it's settled. Brown "glo-bugs".

Here's a glo bug:

 

[JeffK]

I don't think there is any magic bullet to the slop. Keep your line floating high and your rod tip up to keep the most line off the water you can. Then use a strong back cast to pick up line quick. Keeping your bug off the weeds is only the first part of the problem - when a 10 lbs bass bores into the weeds you need a heavy line to pull it out.

Basically another of my old stories, but years ago I saw traditional fly guys outfish the casting/spinning guys in Currituck Sound in NC. Currituck Sound is a shallow brackish bay behind the Outer Banks that is filled with both weeds and huge bass. Basically the fly guys were paddled around in old wooden jonboats (two guys did this - one fished, the other paddled and they took turns) and hit each small pocket in the weeds with a deer hair bug, worked it a little, then picked up the line with a strong backcast and hit the next pocket. The bug basically never got pulled in the weeds with a good pick up (that's where the clean, well greased line helps) and the bug was working a pocket nearly all the time. It was a joy to watch these guys work. By comparison, the casting guys had to reel their lures in for the next cast which usually led to it fouling with a ton of weeds. It was a rare time when flyfishing was the efficient system for bass.

 

[Scott]

Use 20# braided line for your tippet, like PowerPro. 3-4 feet is long enough. Crank your drag down most of the way. Use a big deer hair mouse or frog fly with a 3/0 or 4/0 hook on it. Drag it over the top of the slop with a moderate but steady retrieve. When they blow up through the junk on your bug, wait a second until they take it under then set the hook with a hard strip strike. Hang on & have fun.

 

[sandfly]

put a few wraps of lead on a hook and spin some brown deer hair, then trim to a pellet shape. great on trout in the little lehigh...works any where fish are fed...size 12 or 14 mustad 9672 will work. or a 3366 in a 6 or 4... or try a couser floating minnow with a weed guard..