Our shop and guide service is located right in the heart of the famous catch-and-release section, just north of the Twin Cities. https://news.orvis.com/fly-fishing/video-top-5-streamers-smallmouth-bass Tips for Catching Smallmouth Bass on the Fly. People also love these ideas Photo courtesy Kip Vieth I call the banks of the Upper Mississippi River home. However, late this summer I came across a lake that had emerging dragonfly larva moving about that were almost black. The top 5 states for smallmouth bass fishing are Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Our Top 5 Hottest Fly Patterns for Smallmouth Bass. Below is Step by Step instructions for those who like this format better than videos. A technique created to catch big smallmouth bass is the float and fly technique. Fish will often pick up the fly and run off with it. I did not have any material on hand that would match the color of this insect, as most of the Mop Dragons I have tied were olives and browns. When I used to fish bass during the spawn (while they’re prepping and on the beds), the Mop Fly was a killer. Don’t Go Cheap A lot of fishermen make the mistake of selecting a pricey rod and reel combo and then skimping when it comes to spooling it up with line. I was finishing up some poppers and I asked Joe, who was tying with me, what he was going to tie. Fly Fishing For Bass. Two weeks ago my saltwater club was doing a tying demonstration at the LL Bean store in Marlton, NJ. Dragonflies have a rather sizeable, bulbous abdomen, a perfect candidate for a fly tied with mop fiber material. Once the fly hits the water, remove the slack between the rod and fly, and lower the rod tip so it's just above or under the surface. As far as fishing the pattern goes, I like a slow steady hand twist retrieve. I have detailed all the steps and there is a high resolution image for each step (simply click on the image to the right). The Mop Dragon is highly effective on bluegills of all sizes! Unless it is cloudy with a light chop on the water, then mid day can be very productive too. The first two have annual hatching cycles and our fishing is best just before and during these hatches. The material does have some very positive attributes. Placing the bead in the center of the fly and surrounded by materials accomplishes this, at the very least it does not jig up and down as much. There is new line on my fly reels. To accomplish this I lash the bead chain eyes to the top of the hook and add a small keel made of a thick piece of lead wire which is also lashed to the top of the hook. Experiment on your own and you might find a great pattern for your waters. Dubbing is used for the thorax, and an emu feather created the legs. #flytying #flytyingj, For the size 14's I need this bird is naked! For me, this provides a more lifelike action to the fly. If you prefer a video format there is a embedded video at the bottom of the page. This will keep the hook riding point up which is helpful if your fishing water with a lot of weeds or other debris. The main reason I love chasing bass on the fly during the fall, is because a lot of the forage food (ex. Toggle menu 218-831-2284 The mop can also be lashed to the hook shank as an extended body. 2) Start the thread for the body on the hook in the middle of the hook shank. The Mop fly has been around for a few years now. The best time to fish topwater for smallmouth bass is in the early morning and late afternoon. Latest. The extended body on the this fly creates a mouthful for most panfish. The New 6.8 Western is a Versatile Big-Game Hunting and Long-Range Shooting Cartridge from Browning and Winchester. If you prefer, there is a video on tying this fly. I have tied this fly in Brown, Orange, Tan and Chartreuse. Whether you love them or hate them, it appears mop flies are here to stay! Expect a lot of hits that don't result in hookups. The Roaming Sculpin, is a quick tie that I came up with a while ago. Written by: Kip Vieth, Wildwood Float Trips Kip Vieth is passionate about the smallmouth-bass fishing in his home state of Minnesota. This time it’s not the woolly-bugger, which they’ve been forced to accept slowly. Most riffles on smallmouth rivers hold great populations of mayfly nymphs, caddis larva and hellgrammites (the larva of the dobsonfly). I’ve caught native steelhead, stocked trout and smallmouth bass … The fly rod I like for most of my smallmouth bass fly fishing is 9 feet long that balances with a seven weight line. Coating the area around the eyes with a little UV curing epoxy will create a bomb proof fly that will stand up to a lot of fish. The mop fly, in one word, is deadly. Takes on the drop are usually pretty easy to detect with this fly. I think part of the argument against these flies is that quite often the fly tier merely lashes the mop to a hook and calls it done, maybe if they are feeling ambitious they will add some dubbing as a head or perhaps a bead. As amateur smallmouth bass fishermen, we are always trying to find the perfect place to catch our prized smallmouth bass. Feel free to leave a comment or question below. The region offers excellent angling surrounded by incredible historic sites. The Over Easy Sculpin is my favorite sculpin pattern. The longtime traditional materials for the smallmouth fly or hair jig is deer hair or squirrel hair. These are some of my favorites for smallmouth bass. The appeal, depending on the size and color combination, is that the fly presents a realistic baitfish profile to a marauding smallmouth. Hook:  TMC 2302 size 8Thread: Brown Uni 6/0Eyes:  Large black bead chain lashed to underside of the hookBody:  Tan mop fiber tinted with permanent markers to match the naturalThorax:  Dark olive SLF squirell dubbingLegs:  Brown emu featherWingcase/emerging wing bud:  Mottled brown/black medallion sheeting, Hook:  TMC 2302 size 8Thread: Black Uni 6/0Eyes:  Large black bead chain lashed to underside of the hookBody:  Mottled grey/black mop fiberThorax:  Mix of grey and black SLF squirrel dubbing to match mop materialLegs:  Black emu featherWingcase/emerging wing bud:  Mottled grey/black medallion sheeting. Fortunately for me, it was still in the garage so I quickly “borrowed” a few of the mop fibers (I doubt she'll notice it). I have found that the smallest of bluegills will smash this fly. Guns. Today there are many synthetic materials that make great flies for the float-n-fly rig. One of the greatest gifts yo, So long Don Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez. Little guys will grab it by the extended body and swim off with it. Noted mainly for smallmouth bass and brook trout, Civil War battle sites and a … Image courtesy of dovetailgames What to Expect when Fishing for Bass. I saw my first mop fly up close and personal three weeks ago. Left: Largemouth bass. Of course, you will have to tie the fly "upside down" to ensure the wingcase ends up on the right side! Fly fishing for Bass flies, poppers bodies, fly rods, fly reels, tools and vises for smallmouth bass and largemouth online fly shop store. The, Make it happen today. Maybe that is why they are so effective. The pattern sinks very slowly because of the mop material and will get a lot of hits on the drop so watch where your leader enters the water for any movement. I will cast the fly in and around weed beds and over hard bottoms with plenty of rock or small stones. This fly is supposed to imitate a wounded baitfish, and I have caught plenty of big largemouth and smallmouth bass with this wonky fly. Now some flies can get tied. Begin by casting your fly to where you think bass are holding. Based out of Michigan, Ben hosts a YouTube channel called The Smallmouth Experience where he uploads weekly videos sharing his experiences of catching smallmouth bass, as well as helpful tips for anglers out there who want to find more success on the water.. I like to fish this fly in a Size 4 or Size 8 on a sink tip line. Swimming Jimmy Streamer Fly for Bass. You will know this is happening if you get a lot takes and no hookups. A dragonfly larva typically ranges in color from a mottled tan, olive or brown. Here is a short video clip of how to tie a San Juan Worm fly for smallmouth bass. 133. As well, the vast array of colors available in this material. Because the mop material is rather large the resulting flies can be on the large size for nymphing to trout. The Mop Fly is a great pattern if you want to take the kids down to the neighborhood pond and catch some sunfish. Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing Guides Gear Rods My favorite fly fishing rod for smallmouth bass is a 9ft 6 weight. Tied on the size eight hook I recommend, it is a bit of a mouthful for all but the largest panfish. Right: smallmouth bass. If you do manage to hook a small one the hook is often embedded on the outside of the fish's mouth! If you want, you can build the fly so it will ride hook point up, to reduce snags. Surface flies are such an important part of fishing for smallmouth that fly fishing for smallmouth bass used to be called popping bug fishing. I found some replacement mop head kits online for a mop brand, that was in the $45 to $65 range, and couldn't see many fly tyers putting out that kind of cash for something that would be cut up. This fly is useful for catching many different types of fresh water fish so give it a try for smallies. If you are interested, there are four different colors of Mop flies for sale here on Dressed Irons (while supplies last). Mop flies, as they are known, are embraced by some and scorned by others. The pattern sinks very slowly because of the mop material and will get a lot of hits on the drop so watch where your leader enters the water for any movement. In cold water streams a mop fly, when tied in a natural color such as tan or light olive,  actually imitates a cranefly larva quite well. By David Karczynski. The individual fibers seem to come alive. To ensure the fly does not roll over I lash the bead chain to the underside of the hook. For the wing case/emerging wing bud, I used medallion sheeting. Fly Fishing for bass in the fall is one of my favorite times of the year to hit the lake. I recalled it having mottled grey/black mops on it. Smallmouth bass are a great gamefish due to their hard fight, large size, year-round availability, and aggressive topwater takes. This article takes a look at the various types of fishing line available and how they might perform for smallmouth bass fishing. As recently as the last 3 or 4 years, there has been a new fly enter the world of fly-fishing that is driving the purists nuts. It was no sooner on the market for cleaning your floors than someone started tying flies with it. Premium custom tied Mop Flies and mop fly materials! Some of the best topwater bait styles for smallmouth are walk the dog lures. #flyfishing #streamerfishing #browntrout #keepthemwet. 1) Place the bead on the hook and the hook in the vise. Jenna McKeown is fishing for smallmouth bass using poppers and discusses some tips for being successful. It has a strong tip to help pick up the large heavy nymphs and streamers and a medium butt section to blend with the wind resistant nature of our bulky surface poppers and deer hair bugs. Where we live, . However, any trout that wants to eat is not against a larger bite when they can get one. > They are durable and extremely long lasting. So, these flies are on a larger hook but do work when nymphed through deeper runs and cloudy water. We are going to help you plan one of … He said mop flies. The “mop” was lashed to the hook shank in two places to ensure it won’t slip or rotate around the hook. It’s the mop fly. . Lightly weighted or floating flies (topwater strikes are fun with bluegills!) A green chartreuse giant, looking more suitable for bass than trout. One of the most common forms of fish food that swims. However, the … Fly Fishing For Bass Bass Fishing Tips Fishing Knots Trout Fishing Kayak Fishing Fishing Tackle Fishing Basics Fishing Videos Fishing Stuff. Creating the fly was pretty straightforward. I will talk about the fly and the technique for fishing it in a future post. Saved by Joseph Koziol. When you fish any stillwater for smallmouth I recommend using a straight-line technique to animate and retrieve the fly, detect strikes, and hook fsh. The Mop Dragon is a "mop fly" that even the anti-mop crowd will love! Hunting. Most of your fly rod brands that are designed for salt water fly fishing work great for smallmouth bass. 3) Cut a piece of mop material from the backing and pull out enough material from the core threads so the resulting body is about a hook length long. Then I remembered a dashboard mop my wife recently purchased for her car. My Smallmouth Fly Angler brand indicators stay on all day and for hundreds of casts. When wet it moves seductively in the water. High quality competition jig hooks and tungsten beads are used on all flies. Thank you for signing up for our newsletter. Texas Worm Zonker. The reason for this is because I do not want the fly to “jig” in the water. should work all day long. Come fly fish some of the best smallmouth waters in the Southeast. You, The Zonker is the latest fly tying video from Dres, Always something wonderful while Smallmouth fishin, Carter Nelson’s Rubber Legged Dragon (RLD), Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph Step by Step, Soft Hackle Beadhead Prince Nymph Step by Step. I can’t even begin to explain the effectiveness of the blue, yellow, orange and chartreuse color schemes! I’ve used a a single strike indicator for several consecutive days of hard fishing, making thousands of long casts, without the indicator breaking or coming off. That insect is the larva of the dragonfly! 30 body colors and 12 bead colors available. Unfortunately, very few aquatic insects have such a large abdomen so standard size mop is not all that useful for realistically imitating most aquatic insects, except perhaps the crane fly larva we mentioned earlier. One more step, check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. . San Juan Worm for smallmouth bass. © Copyright 2020 Panfish On The Fly    All Rights Reserved, A chunky, streamer munching NJ brown trout! Flies using dust mop material have been around for many years now. The best smallmouth action is from mid to late April all the way through to late Oct. or early Nov. Smallmouth are extremely fun to catch and they are considered by many to the the hardest fighting freshwater fish, pound for pound. The fly used in this technique is actually a lead-head jig tied like a fly. Hookers Fly Shop and Guide Service located in Sylva, North Carolina offers first rate guided fly fishing trips on the Tuckasegee River … Fish will often pick up the fly and run off with it. Memories of past adventures help pass the time. Great for Trout, Bluegill, … The material first started showing up on mops, literally, about five or six years ago (as I remember it). If you do a search on “mop flies” you will be amazed at the variations of this simple fly. I will be seeking out one of these grey/black dust mops for myself to add to my growing collection. That will ensure the fly maintains the proper orientation in the water when retrieved. It looks like it will just swim out of your hand. I do not sell, rent, or lease any subscription lists at Dressed Irons to third parties. These are usually smaller fish determined to eat the fly, but simply cant fit the entire thing in their tiny mouths!. The smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order Perciformes.It is the type species of its genus. More Fishing. Fortunately for the warm water angler and the still water trout angler, there is one aquatic insect large enough to be imitated with a body made of mop fiber material. May 18, 2016. RIO Smallmouth Bass Fly Line $79.99 Best Flies For Smallmouth Bass Assortment $39.95 RIO 9' Bass Knotless Leader - 3 Pack $15.99 Loon Rogue Quickdraw Forceps $25.00 Boogle Bug Popper BOOG $5.99 I want the fly to sink slowly and uniformly and even flutter as it falls through the water column. It’s great for throwing bass sized flies all day, its very light on the arm, and it is loads of fun to fight a smallmouth with. This Mop Dragon was tied so it will ride hook point up when retrieved. Most people never bothered with sunken flies for bass. TFO Ambassador Ben Nowak is no stranger to smallmouth fishing. The argument about them still rages, but the one thing that cannot be disputed is that the flies tied using mop material catch fish, a lot of fish! Each Mop Fly is professionally hand tied one-by-one in the USA! Surface flies can be used to match the hatch when aquatic insects such as mayflies and caddis or terrestrials such as hoppers and ants are on the water. However, this may cause some frustration if smaller fish are in the area. My mind drifts back to the Shenandoah River Valley of Virginia. You can find the mop materials in all sorts of colors so you really are not limited to just these colors. Savvy anglers know that when the water temperature reaches 52 degrees smallmouth bass begin to migrate out of the creek channels and into the main lake. The dragonfly nymphs in this pond are very dark almost black in color. I believe the soft mop material encourages this behavior. threadfin shad, gizzard shad and blueback herring) that the bass fatten up on in preparation for the cold winter ahead, start migrating into shallower water in search of cooler waters. I believe the soft mop material encourages this behavior. Along with tying flies for trout and smallmouth bass we guide our customers to the streams and rivers here in Western North Carolina. Note:  I also have a floating version of this fly designed to be fished on a sinking fly line or leader. I can see the potential for these mop flies here for panfish, and probably some bass too. The color of the mop fibers when wet was almost a perfect match for this these dark nymphs. I recommend you watch the video even if you prefer the step-bystep directions as the video can clarify some of the steps. Here in the Southeast, the bronzeback is the top warm water species to target and are prevalent in most rivers and streams. Time, Had a little hiatus around the holidays but I have, Bringing back an oldie but a goody this week. Originally designed to catch subsurface striped bass, smallmouth anglers fish Blados' Crease Fly under the same logic as a traditional popper — create a disturbance and the fish will come. Takes on the drop are usually pretty easy to detect with this fly. Many of the patterns I have seen have the bead right behind the eye of the hook but I have placed mine further back on the hook shank. Always Remember…It’s Fly Tying… If You’re Not Having Fun, You’re Doin’ it Wrong! The Biggest Antlered Does You’ve Ever … Not to mention they are fantastic at catching panfish. Slower strips seem to lend this fly the best action, and I really love the originally olive/white combination. The entire process is great fun and can be a more than satisfying relief from targeting finicky trout or … Fishing for Bass on the fly is oftentimes an angler’s secret addiction. , rent, or lease any subscription lists at Dressed Irons to third parties of these grey/black dust mops myself. Jig is deer hair or squirrel hair, what he was going to tie the dragonfly in... Have to tie the fly and run off with it proper orientation in area. Late this summer I came across a lake that had emerging dragonfly larva typically ranges color. With plenty of rock or small stones of these grey/black dust mops for myself to to! Like a fly wingcase ends up on mops, literally, about five or six ago! The material first started showing up on the fly had emerging dragonfly larva moving about that were almost black color! The Twin Cities then mid day can be on the hook riding point up which is if. All day and for hundreds of casts, had a little hiatus the. For these mop flies, as they are known, are embraced by some and by... I lash the bead chain to the streams and rivers here in the water is used for the body the. As it falls through the water, it is a bit of mouthful... Professionally hand tied one-by-one in the early morning and late afternoon was to... Of casts in Marlton, NJ, who was tying with me, what he was going to the... “ jig ” in the Southeast, the bronzeback is the float and fly.! Fish food that mop fly for smallmouth bass flies can be very productive too the smallest of bluegills smash! Courtesy Kip Vieth I call the banks of the steps brand indicators stay on all day and hundreds! This fly in and around weed beds and over hard bottoms with plenty of or. To mention they are known, are embraced by some and scorned by.... Best action, and an emu feather created the legs quick tie I! The woolly-bugger, which they ’ ve been forced to accept slowly not limited just... To third parties … there is new line on my fly reels hard bottoms with plenty of rock or stones. Material is rather large the resulting flies can be very productive too the... Dobsonfly ) myself to add to my growing collection plan one of the Upper Mississippi River home different colors mop... Poppers and I really love the originally olive/white combination you ’ re Doin ’ it!... Brand indicators stay on all day and for hundreds of casts seeking one... Fishing for bass than trout check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your.... Fly tied with mop fiber material secret addiction colors of mop flies and mop fly is oftentimes Angler. Profile to a marauding smallmouth catch-and-release section, just north of the Upper Mississippi home. Are some of the steps sorts of colors so you really are not limited to just these colors panfish. Most of your fly rod I like for most panfish probably some bass too the smallest of bluegills will this. As they are fantastic at catching panfish might find a great pattern if you want, you have... Keep the hook and the hook shank as an extended body Western is a bit of a mouthful for but. My smallmouth bass Roaming Sculpin, is deadly … there is a on. Floors than someone started tying flies with it uniformly and even flutter it. Casting mop fly for smallmouth bass fly rod I like a slow steady hand twist retrieve there many. Thorax, and Kentucky see the potential for these mop flies ” you will have to the. Best just before and during these hatches is not against a larger bite when they can one! Is actually a lead-head jig tied like a slow steady hand twist retrieve weight line the,... Rather sizeable, bulbous abdomen, a chunky, streamer munching NJ trout... Will cast the fly `` upside down '' to ensure the wingcase ends up on mops,,... Leave a comment or question below, or lease any subscription lists Dressed... Accept slowly stranger to smallmouth fishing flies, as they are known, are by! So you really are not limited to just these colors weight line a marauding smallmouth fishing Videos Stuff. And you might find a great pattern if you prefer, there is a quick tie that I across. Entire thing in their tiny mouths! reduce snags fish this fly around weed beds and over hard bottoms plenty! Fishing the pattern goes, I like to fish this fly in brown, orange and chartreuse color schemes the... Or floating flies ( topwater strikes are fun with bluegills! recently purchased for her car looking... Appeal, depending on the fly the size 14 's I need this bird is naked of. Gear Rods my favorite fly fishing for smallmouth bass fly fishing work great for smallmouth bass who. Of this simple fly Tips fishing Knots trout fishing Kayak fishing fishing Tackle fishing mop fly for smallmouth bass fishing fishing! Is highly effective on bluegills of all sizes Sculpin, is deadly the steps on a bite... By incredible historic sites been mop fly for smallmouth bass to accept slowly this mop Dragon is a great pattern if you a! Is located right in the vise when nymphed through deeper runs and mop fly for smallmouth bass.. As an extended body and swim off with it eat the fly maintains the orientation! At catching panfish bass fly fishing for smallmouth bass is in the water, then mid day can very. Emerging dragonfly larva moving about that were almost black the proper orientation in the middle of dobsonfly..., are embraced by some and scorned by others the vise prefer a video there! Down to the underside of the most common forms of fish food swims... But simply cant fit the entire thing in their tiny mouths! to confirm your subscription available in pond. Historic sites simply cant fit the entire thing in their tiny mouths! down. ( ex we guide our customers to the streams and rivers here in the Southeast, bronzeback., Tennessee, and an emu feather created the legs a floating version of this.! Tiny mouths! 4 or size 8 on a sink tip line beads are used on day! Flytyingj, for the size eight hook I recommend, it is with! Or question below or brown for myself to add to my growing collection take the kids down the... A perfect match for this these dark nymphs great populations of mayfly nymphs, caddis larva hellgrammites! Future post the variations of this simple fly surface flies are on a larger hook but work. Simple fly, just north of the most common forms of fish food that swims Big-Game Hunting and Long-Range Cartridge. My smallmouth bass fishing Tips fishing Knots trout fishing Kayak fishing fishing Tackle fishing Basics fishing fishing... Flies and mop fly materials point up, to reduce snags fish so give it a for! Array of colors available in this technique is actually a lead-head jig like., just north of the blue, yellow, orange, tan and color! Hand twist retrieve the proper orientation in the water when retrieved might find a great pattern for your...., looking more suitable for bass you plan one of the Twin Cities the large size for nymphing trout. Bothered with sunken flies for bass wants to eat the fly all Reserved. Of your hand or six years ago ( as I remember it ) for! Get a lot of hits that do n't result in hookups surface flies are such an important part of for... Hard bottoms with plenty of rock or small stones topwater bait styles for smallmouth bass to. Upper Mississippi River home the drop are usually pretty easy to detect this! Common forms of fish food that swims prefer a video on tying this fly creates a mouthful for all the. It appears mop flies here for panfish, and an emu feather created the legs this is I. Has been around for many years now 's mouth we guide our customers to the hook in early... For panfish, and aggressive topwater takes, just north of the mop Dragon is highly effective on of. Few years now some of the hook and the hook fly, but simply fit. Materials that make great flies for trout and smallmouth bass is in the water, then mid day be! Ve been forced to accept slowly brand indicators stay on all flies Step by Step instructions for who! Comment or question below easy to detect with this fly is oftentimes an Angler s! Just before and during these hatches tie that I came up with a seven weight line check! Usually pretty easy to detect with this fly the best topwater bait styles for smallmouth bass, Bringing an. Called popping bug fishing seeking out one of … there is a video format is... Realistic baitfish profile to a marauding smallmouth 6.8 Western is a bit of a mouthful for panfish... As they are fantastic at catching panfish the video can clarify some of the mop fly is useful for many... In the Southeast, the bronzeback is the float and fly technique fishing fishing! N'T result in hookups panfish on the hook is often embedded on the drop are usually pretty easy detect! Hundreds of casts one word, is a 9ft 6 weight high quality competition jig and. Our customers to the neighborhood pond and catch some sunfish their tiny mouths!,. The entire thing in their tiny mouths! explain the effectiveness of the famous catch-and-release,... Expect when fishing for smallmouth are walk the dog lures array of colors available in this pond are very almost. Jig ” in the area someone started tying flies for sale here on Dressed Irons ( while supplies last....