I’m on my way down to the Mid Atlantic. Trout are in the plans, but the real target that I have is smallmouth bass. These fish are so incredibly fun on the fly rod. They take dries, nymphs, and streamers. And you may have heard that they’re willing to chase a popper, too. There are …
You can catch so many panfish with the flies in your trout fly box. So many. In fact, give me a well stocked trout fly box over a typical panfish fly assortment any day. But… having some of those poppers helps. And make sure there are a few leggy nymphs. Oh, and a couple of …
Some folks are convinced that the Loch Ness monster is just a sturgeon or a catfish. Such people are plagued by the chronic condition of being unimaginative. Devoid of whimsy or wonder, they suffer from the kind of hyperrealism that leads them to tell children that Santa is made up. And, I’m confident they begin …
You absolutely can (and should) fish for panfish with whatever gear you own. Fish for trout, stripers, and peacock bass with whatever gear you already own, for that matter. Of course, you’ll have a slightly easier and more enjoyable time if you have equipment that is either specifically designed for the particular pursuit or within …
Most trout anglers have been enlightened by the joy that comes from tangling with a big smallmouth on a fly rod. Aside from the aggressive, powerful fight, the entire process is refreshingly different than the usual 5X tippet and tiny nymph scenario. Tossing a popper while wet wading in sandals is more casual Friday than …
Yes: you can fly fish for panfish and bass. Before the seasoned and refined fly fisher scoffs at this question, it is important to realize that this is actually a very common query among new anglers. In an incredibly cursory manner in today’s show, I go over how and why the trout angler can and …
Serious panfish anglers know that you do need particular gear to chase the biggest bluegill and sunfish. There are tried and true panfish flies that will consistently produce. But say you’re just taking your trout rod on a walk at the local pond? Or what if your life rhythm has made regular excursions untenable? Panfish …
Bass anglers learning how to fish for trout have an uphill climb. There is an entirely new lexicon to master and lots of tiny, particular gear to figure out. However, trout anglers – specifically fly fishers – have a lot to learn when it comes to chasing bass. One hurdle they have to overcome is …
The small college I attended in South Carolina was situated on a significant piece of land in the state’s Piedmont region. There were rolling sand hills covered in pine trees, and sharp bluffs overlooking a broad river. We also had two ponds. Each held significant populations of the premier fish of the American south: the …
Bass are unaware of Daylight Savings Time. They don’t have an emotional response to the first frost or “sweater weather.” They certainly aren’t swayed by the pumpkin spice-ification of the world. This does not mean that bass, like any other fish out there, are not impacted by the temperature shifts that accompany the change of …
