Everybody knows largemouth bass. Tournaments tie heavy purses to them. Kitschy wall decor celebrates them. They’re America’s fish. And even though catching one can be as easy as putting a worm on a hook under a bobber, tangling with the biggest specimens takes some real know-how. Understanding behavior and seasonality is essential for quality and …
For the last 24 hours, I’ve enjoyed some very aggressive bass and panfish. And while I have no reservations using streamers, I’m more than happy to toss topwater flies if they’re what is on the menu. Today I share some topwater fly tactics for warmwater fish. I discuss some of my preferred approaches to gear, …
My kids get excited about southern panfish. They talk about the brook trout and the largemouth bass, but it is the sunfish, bluegill, and pumpkinseed that they look forward to when we get close to our annual summer trip to Virginia. We have plenty of panfish in New England. They are as willing to eat …
Like many a dace that have taken a dry fly, only to get hook-set into the streamside vegetation – I bit off more than I could chew last week on the podcast. When I thought about talking predatory fish, I figured I could shoehorn carp into the discussion. They aren’t predators in the same way …
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 …
