Bass Fishing Information

Paul Winter asked:


Fly-fishing is a form fishing that uses a different method of catching the species that live and breathe under water. The method is referred to as angling. This method is used to target mostly trout and salmon. Recently the target list has extended to fish like bass, pike and carp. Historically fly fishing an ancient method of catching fish that originated in Scotland and Northern Europe.

There are many and various types of flies being used in fly-fishing. In modern fishing methods there are various types of fish being used to catch the designated target. The following is a list of types of fish; dry flies and emergers (for example midges or stoneflies), nymphs (for example mayflies or eggs and worms), streamers wet flies (for example buggers and leeches), saltwater flies (for examples sailfish and marlin), bass and panfish flies (for example crawfish and eels), salmon and steelhead flies (for example Atlantic salmon flies).

Certain gear is needed when fly-fishing. The first item on the list is fly rods, in which size and usage is important. It is important to match the fly rod with the fly line according to weight. Matching the weight of the two items is important to have positive casting results. The size of the fly rods can be anywhere from #0, #1, #2 and are used for the lightest trout and panfish rods up to powerful and heavy #16 rods for the largest saltwater game fish.

Another item needed for fly-fishing is a bamboo split cane. This allows for a better performance in the freshwater trout fishing situations. Synthetic fly rods are usually used and offer a greater versatility, stiffness, power and performance than a bamboo split cane. The advantages are that they are less expensive and require less maintenance. Finally, fly reels are manually operated. Although in recent years, more advanced models have been developed to deal bigger fish and more demanding situations. These models increase the drag and retrieval performance.

Fly-fishing is an ancient method of catching fish. It is more demanding because you are limited to the types of fish you can catch. You need the appropriate gear to catch the trout or the salmon. Today’s modern techniques used in fly-fishing have been developed to meet more challenging situations, such as bigger weight of the fish. These modern advancements prepare the fly fisherman to successfully meet his quota by using the methodology appropriately.

There are many popular locations for fly-fishing mostly in the Northern United States and Canada. Alaska is another popular place for the activity. Some places in the United States are Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Montana and California are just a few places.

Steve W Sharpe asked:


Fly fishing for steelhead fish can be a challenging and rewarding experience. These amazing fish share their heritage with the Atlantic and Pacific salmon. Although they are native to the West Coast of the United States as well as in Russia, they can also be found in the tributaries of the Great Lakes. This is because they were planted in the lakes many times in the 1800’s.

There are numerous places you can go when fly fishing for steelhead. As we’ve already said, they are most plentiful in the Western United States. You can find plenty of steelhead in the rivers of Northern California, Oregon, and Washington state.

Steelhead are cousins of the rainbow trout and have a decidedly chrome-like coloring. They are amazingly acrobatic and can provide any fly fisherman with a fulfilling challenge when trying to catch them.

Most of the fly fishing techniques used to catch steelhead are based on those historically developed to catch Atlantic salmon. Flies are cast downstream from the angler on a floating or sinking line. The take, which can sometimes be quite violent, usually occurs towards the end of the swing. You can also use nymphing methods usually used by trout anglers.

Winter steelheads are often considered the “hard core” of fly fishers, sometimes enduring hours of repeated casting in cold water and freezing conditions for that one tug that can occur when you least expect it. Many fly fishers will spend a lot of time trying to land that prized steelhead only to be frustrated near the end.

The main thing to keep in mind when fishing for steelhead is to practice a lot of patience. For people who fly fish for steelhead regularly, the success of a day consists of one good hook. You will not see big numbers of catches like you will on trout rivers. Keep a positive attitude and watch what the fish are doing.

Most steelhead pockets are found downstream, but other anglers know this as well. Steelhead are most plentiful in the cold, winter months, but you can often find several other fly fishers trying to fish the same spot in hopes of landing their fish. As you can imagine, this is not especially good for the fish or the fisherman. Practice appropriate etiquette when on the river fly fishing for steelhead.

You will probably need a 9 foot single hand rod or a 12-15 foot double handed rod for best results. Line weights should range from 7 to 9. The best flies to use when trying to land a steelhead include the Wooly Bugger, the Conehead Zuddler, and the Black Bear Green Butt.

Fly fishing for steelhead can be an amazingly gratifying experience when you are patient and wise when it comes to the natural patterns of these fish. When you are able to land one, you will be surprised at how much fun it is to reel it in!