2020-09-23 Fly Fishing Report
by T. Allen Wyatt
Report is: Good
Surface Temp is about 79
Weedless Poppers, Dragon Fly Patterns, and Baby Batifish patterns
Fly Tying Club returns, first and third Tuesdays at 6pm in October. Because of Social Distancing, Seating is very limited.
Fast retrieve baitfish and streamers will create reaction strikes. Deep is the key; we suggest Clouser Deep Minnows-White, Sexy Shad, Baby Bluegill and Chartreuse are good colors. For Larger bass-cast 10 to 30 feet out from the traditional structure. Count the fly down 10 seconds for depth. Then use a moderate retrieve to swim the clouser. Crayfish patterns in Blue/Black or Olive/Pumpkin should be fished be fished on the bottom with a slow crawl retrieve. Buck Bass are focused on grass lines and shoreline. Weedless poppers and frog patterns will be productive in grass and lilies. Use a heavy leader with a fly w/weedguard to prevent getting hung. The panfish will be found in shallow water, hanging around lily pads and cattails. Small foam spider with rubber legs, trailing a beaded pheasant tail or rainbow warrior-only a slow twitch. Five minutes of extra slow retrieve is normal for this technique. It is easy fishing that will drive Bluegill nuts.
With continued heat and afternoon storms, we expect deep clouser methods to produce. Pheasant tail nymphs, squirmy worms, and dragonfly nymphs are perfect for bluegill fishing subsurface. Small foam spiders and dragonfly dries will tempt the bluegill and bass on the surface. Searching for shadows, close to woody structure are key in the afternoon. Rivers provide an excellent shelter on those windy or crowded days; however, storms have dramatically raised rivers, and we recommend shore casting only.
Best techniques for the week include Technique 1) Fish Clousers deep, cast and count them down (5 to 10 seconds) then use a steady retrieve to generate a reaction strike. Try counting down 5 sec, then 6 sec, then 7 sec... Add a Sink Tip or a new Sink polyleaders to your line, and you can fish deeper and faster. These tools can double the depth of a clouser. A Fluorocarbon (Mirage) leaders, this will get the fly down faster than a mono leader. Sink tip lines and full sinking lines take this to a new level, (and are a perfect use for that old rod you never use anymore.) Technique 2) Poppers (with rubber legs,) fished slowly during low light conditions, and even during the day under shady over hang and around docks. Technique 3)Heavy rain creates flowing water, Largemouth bass will flip into Ambush mode. Struggling Baby Bass, Baby Bluegill, and Baby Tilapia, and Golden Shiners are targets. Swing Puglisi style baitfish and wooly buggers in the current. These places include: canals, culverts, and/or drain pipes. 4)Rubber legged spiders above or Wilson's bully spider below the surface for Bluegill. Move slow. They will be next to solid structure like metal sea walls, dock pilings, or knock down cypress.
Allen Wyatt
Author