Smallmouth Bass, Excitement For The Fly Rod Fisherman

Hard as it is to believe, in this age Of tourism, chamber of commerce fishing contests and fish management geared to sell licenses, Wisconsin has one relatively unexploited game fish resource.

This sleeper, this under publicized fish with the great potential is our northern smallmouth river bass. Inhabiting rocky, moderately swift streams, it delights in clean water flowing over gravel and stones, and as a rule, unlike its largemouth cousin, avoids areas with muddy bottoms or weeds. There are still extensive waters of this type in southwestern and northwestern Wisconsin and to a lesser degree throughout the rest of the state.

Being exceeded only by trout in their fondness for clean, cool, flowing water, these river smallmouth are tremendous scrappers and a pure delight as table fare.

Traditionally, and logically, the fly rod and river bass fishing go together. They are eminently suited to each other, and here are some reasons why.

The smallmouth, as a rule, spends the brightest part of a day in deeper holes or beneath rocks, ledges or undercut banks, then moves into shallow water in the evening to feed on small fish, aquatic insects, cray-fish or any terrestrials unfortunate enough to fall to the water.

All these are easily suggested with fly rod lures, and the gentle spat of a fly or bug striking the water at the end of a cast doesn't seem to spook these fish. On the contrary, this often appears to attract them, while the splash of larger lures will send them streaking for deeper water.

The most widely used lure types for smallmouth flyrodding are streamers and floating bugs. Except for the evening feeding hour, the streamer is probably more apt to be effective because most of the smallmouth's food is found under water.

Streamers or wet flies rigged with small spinners ahead are traditional small mouth baits. Three popular ones are the Yellow Sally, Gray Squirrel, and Mickey Finn.

To fish a spinner fly in broken water, work it slowly upstream with starts and stops around and among current buffers such as projecting rocks, occasionally letting it drop back and start ahead again like a minnow losing headway against the current. Such fishing requires constant concentration for you never know when the strike may come.

Short, fast riffles are dandy places for smallmouths. The glide at the head of a riffle is also excellent. In the white water at the foot however, you are more likely to connect with heavy fish. These charming pools are deeper and it may be difficult to keep the fly near the bottom because of the force of the current, so it could be best to fish such places from the side or below rather than from above.

This tactic can be used anywhere the water is too fast to let the lure go down. No matter how fast the current may be at the surface, its force near the bottom, where the fish are, is mostly spent.

Fish these lures slowly, with frequent stops. This cannot be over-emphasized.

Wet flies with soft hackles and no wings, fished with spinners are also excellent.

Smallmouths are notional fish. There will be times when nothing will interest them, then for no apparent reason they may suddenly start a period of frenzied feeding. Storms and rising water almost invariably put them down, but once the water has crested, feeding will be resumed.

They are a very cautious, wary fish, especially in shallow water, so if wading, move quietly and slowly and stay as inconspicuous as possible. If fishing from a boat or canoe, make long casts, be quiet, and try to take advantage of broken water to screen you from the fish.

Make it a rule to try a wet fly or streamer first, for early morning fishing, and floating bugs in the shallows, for the late evening feeding time. If nothing happens, keep changing patterns. Conversely, sometimes a floating lure in the morning or an underwater one in the evening will bring results.

River bass like a little more color in sunken offerings than trout do. They seem to have a fondness for patterns with some yellow or red, or both, in them, especially when used in combination with a spinner.

When fishing deeper water, during mid-day, weighted nymphs will often produce. Muskrat fur and peacock hurl nymphs on size eight and six hooks are a good bet. Watch the line closely for any unusual movement or pause, and pull quickly. Like trout, they can mouth and eject the fly almost instantly.

Floating fly rod lures are, as a rule, very effective for evening fishing and an hour or two after dark. Deer hair and cork bugs are the most widely used. These are usually fished by the rest and twitch method. Don't be in a hurry to pick up the lure. The longer it is on the water, the more likely it is to catch a fish.

Fish it along brushy banks and in eddies and quieter water beside fast runs. By fishing it down stream in fast water, it can be held in calm water pockets above and below rocks. Sometimes pulling it directly upstream with starts and stops is productive in fast water. In other words, vary the retrieve. Smallmouth unlike trout, aren't apt to be put down by a dragging fly.

Cork bugs as a rule are less wind resistant than deer hair ones and so are easier to cast. Deer hair bugs float higher initially, but are prone to water-log and float semi-submerged. Gray and brown are good evening colors. Near dark and after, dark brown is usually best.

Smallmouth can be taken at night and some of your favorite spots will produce after dark even better than before. This is particularly true late in the season. If you wade, be sure you are very familiar with the spot you plan to fish at night.

For smallmouth river fishing, an eight or 8-1/2 foot fly rod that calls for a seven or eight line should be about right. A weight forward, floating line, light colored to better enable you to detect underwater takes, is good, and a 7-1/2 to 9 foot leader tapered to 2X will finish out the outfit nicely.

If the line consistently doesn't want to turn over at the end of a cast and lay out the streamer or bass bug, even with a short leader, try cutting a little off the front level, (ahead of the taper). Do this an inch or two at a time. Taking off too much will make the leader and fly turn over with a definite splash which you don't want.

The smailmouth is the only native clean water game fish, besides the brook trout, we have in Wisconsin streams. On any suitable tackle, it is an impressive antagonist, but taken on fly gear, it's spectacular leaps and magnificent fight are breath taking.

Perhaps some publicity will interest anglers and consequently more fish management personnel in the possibilities of this great fish, which in turn could help preserve its dwindling habitat.