What to throw for bass/ where to buy it?

[nnflyfishing]

Hello again! So I finally decided on a setup and just went for it (like everyone’s been saying), now onto the next step, where should I start? Streamers, dry, poppers?

Also is there something I can throw to practice casting that has no hooks or do i just tape up the hook, heard it’s better to practice without hooks in case i catch myself.

I decided on (7wt setup)
Battenkill III
Echo Lift 790
and SA Bass Bug
(thank you to the ppl who recommended the rod and line)

I’ve been watching fly fishing videos lately and game changers look fun to throw

 

[Merle]

Hello again! So I finally decided on a setup and just went for it (like everyone’s been saying), now onto the next step, where should I start? Streamers, dry, poppers?

Also is there something I can throw to practice casting that has no hooks or do i just tape up the hook, heard it’s better to practice without hooks in case i catch myself.

I decided on (7wt setup)
Battenkill III
Echo Lift 790
and SA Bass Bug
(thank you to the ppl who recommended the rod and line)

I’ve been watching fly fishing videos lately and game changers look fun to throw

Sounds like you got a good set up!

I’m no bass expert but if I were to hit some Florida ponds the first fly I’d grab is a Clouser minnow. You could probably find some cheap on STP.

For casting practice just tie a small piece of bright colored yarn to your tippet, it will let you see the end of your leader and prevent the “cracking the whip” effect.

Have fun!

 

[nnflyfishing]

I’m no bass expert but if I were to hit some Florida ponds the first fly I’d grab is a Clouser minnow. You could probably find some cheap on STP.

I did a quick search and found some, they are size 4… not sure what size of what to throw on the 7wt but i’m assuming yes.

UMPQUA Mojo Minnow Steamer Fly - Half Dozen - Save 43%

UMPQUA Mojo Minnow Steamer Fly - Half Dozen in Yellow Perch at Sierra. Celebrating 30 Years Of Exploring.

www.sierra.com

 

[RCF]

If it were me, I would visit a fly shop or get a certified casting instructor to help tune your casting for the rod you have bought. Easy to learn how to cast well but harder to unlearn bad habits and develop correct ones.

Casting a popper on a floating line can be different than a streamer on a weighted line.

Even some of us go back to casting instructors to fine tune our casting.

 

[nnflyfishing]

If it were me, I would visit a fly shop or get a certified casting instructor to help tune your casting for the rod you have bought. Easy to learn how to cast well but harder to unlearn bad habits and develop correct ones.

Casting a popper on a floating line can be different than a streamer on a weighted line.

Even some of us go back to casting instructors to fine tune our casting.

will look around, hopefully there’s someone local to me that’s willing to teach… i’m assuming if they are certified they have some sort of certificate?

or make a day trip to one of the fly shops if they offer lessons

 

[Josh]

Bass on poppers is the funnest way to catch them. That said, they can be a bit of a pain in the rear to cast as a beginner. A casting lesson or two might not be a terrible idea.

 

[Rick Davis]

For a 7wt, you’ve got a versatile rod that can handle a variety of flies. I’d start with streamers if you’re targeting bass; they’re fun to fish and can produce some aggressive strikes. Practice casting with a small piece of yarn tied to the end of your leader. It mimics the weight of a fly without the risk of hooks.

 

[Northern]

Hi - welcome to the forum!

Here's my advice for a beginning caster targeting bass: start with a fly that's easy to throw and easy to fish.
Topwater flies are fun because you see the takes, and you're less likely to snag up constantly among bass cover, but big poppers can be difficult to cast without good technique. A foam fly like a gurgler or stealth bomber is light and less wind-resistant than a popper. They will never start sinking until they are completely shredded, and that takes a lot to do. A size 2 or 4 (based on a bass bug type hook, so a 2-4" long fly) will take bass of all sizes. I've probably caught more bass on this stealth bomber fly than all others combined:



They're also cheap and easy to tie, so less pain if you lose a few! Game changers are cool, but pricey to buy and time consuming to tie. Bass are not picky eaters.
When you strip a stealth bomber, it makes a shallow dive and leaves an audible bubble wake before rising back to the surface. That and the wiggly legs are pretty irresistable. I even get the occasional trout grab, lol.
White has been hands-down the most effective for me in both topwater and streamers. Keep in mind that if you go streamer, it will need to be weighted - like the recommended clouser - on that bass bug line. If you go that route, simple bunny jigs work well, also:

 

[Shad]

Don't overthink fly selection. Clousers and gurglers are my most productive patterns, but lots of other stuff works when they're in a good mood. Size 4 works great for me in both patterns, but I'm not sure fly size makes a ton of difference either. Small bass can eat big flies, and big bass will eat small ones. Just make sure to use hooks with a fairly wide gape.

Start on top early in the morning. Use short, quick strips to make your gurgler (or popper) "pop." Vary the timing. Topwater stuff seems to work best on cloudy days, but they will come up most clear mornings before the sun gets high in the sky.

If or when they stop coming up, switch to the Clouser and use slow, steady strips. If that's not working, vary your retrieve with some occasional jerks and speed changes. If that's not working either, you can try switching up your fly, but you're probably done catching for the day (or until whatever condition put the fish down changes). There are days (mostly clear days with high barometric pressure) when they suspend in the water column and just don't bite much of anything. If you keep at it, you may pick up one or two on the Clouser, but it will be brutally slow fishing compared to a good day.

As for casting, you don't have to be great, but learning to "haul" (see YouTube, as with all of life's other mysteries, piscatorial and non) can be very helpful in getting more distance without a lot of false casting, which is especially important when fishing from the bank, where you often have less backcast space.

If fishing ponds, concentrate on fishing tight to the banks, and look for any kind of structure (sticks, grass, drainage pipes, whatever). Bass are generally very structure-oriented.

Have fun! It's easy to get them on the good days, and even the tough days can be rewarding.

 

[Matt B]

I love that the PNWers are giving bass fishing advice to the South Florida person.
It ain’t the easiest but we git-r-dun up here.

 

[nnflyfishing]

thank you everyone for the advice and input… will definitely look into everything… especially learning how to haul

okay just to update everyone the two fly shops close to me specialize in saltwater lol, mostly tarpon and reds

and i actually found out that orvis does free FLY101 lessons and im traveling to chicago soon so i will do a lesson there to get the basics down… also heard they give a discount after the class is done

as for streamers, i’m still not sure what size hook i should throw and just making sure for the clouser minnows they are fine on floating lines correct? would it be with a flouro type leader? similar to fishing flukes?

and is BIGYFISHING a good site for flies until i learn how to tie my own?

 

[clarkman]

Bigy is ok at best.

I'd suggest just ordering a few from whatever shop is closest, or one of the privately owned fly shops out here in the pnw. I'm partial to Caddisfly in Eugene, Red's up in Ellensburg and Musky Fool near Madison, WI for almost everything I can't get local. Ymmv

 

[Zak]

As you're just starting out, you could pick up flies from Sierra Trading Post for about a buck a piece. But I think they are made by 7 year olds in Indonesia.