Texas is known for its largemouth hunting; in fact, the biggest bass I’ve ever caught came from a private river in the Lone Star State. However, there are also opportunities to find the smallmouth bass, one of the hardest-fighting fresh fish available. Most frequently, they can be found in great, crystal-clear lake, reservoirs, and channels, particularly in areas with similar waters like Lake Texoma, Lake Whitney, or the Brazos River.
They can be caught on spinning equipment using standard topwater baits like crankbaits, pipes, dropshot insects and the like, much like largemouth. They hunt everything from frogs and badge to hellgrammites, carp, shiners, and shulpins. Although they are frequently referred to as” cool water” fish, they can function just fine in warm water if given the chance and the absence of other predators. I recently went out on the ocean with manual Nick Minesinger of Schultz Outfitters to find them in a completely different way, using the fly rod, to learn more about these terrifying fighters.
There is a growing trend of hunting for smallies on the fly because, as stated by Minesinger,” smallmouth are going to fight much harder than fish and from the fish stand if you’re clean travel trot fisherman, come fish for littlemouth.” Fly fishing is frequently thought to be based on targeting trouted and saltwater species such as redfish, permit, and tarpon. They will consume bugs in the same manner as the wildest mountain cutthroat you can find, eating and hunting them, and sipping them gently. As we swam down the river, catching one smallmouth after another, I witnessed this firsthand. The extreme smallmouth bass suddenly smashed the flies after we pulled modified hairy buggers through the waters, and we fought them valiantly all the way to the ship.
What fish equipment do I need is the most frequently asked question of all time. Minesinger advises starting with a six-weight perch and floating line in this situation. You can add a small amount of meat to the mix. We are currently throwing some three and four foot flies and some popper on six workouts, and we are doing just great. If you’re truly interested in throwing bigger casters, stepping up to a seven or eight pounds would be an excellent place to start. It’s not an understatement to say that you’re doing great. My companion and I were able to take in fifty smallmouth over the course of a few hours while we were outside with Minesinger, all using the mentioned products.
We’re all on a tight budget, as is frequently the case, and fortunately I’ve found some excellent alternatives for the fish looking to start catching smallies on the fly. After Nick and I had finished fishing, I hurried outside and grabbed an eight pounds to add to the series so I could begin pursuing smallmouth on my own. The TFO NXT Black Label combo and the Reddington Wrangler combo, both of which are currently priced between$ 170 and$ 250, are the two top picks I would suggest. Both come with everything you need to get out on the ocean, with the exception of a few flies, and both have warranties in the event that you break them. Don’t let the weight fear you very much; I started with the five bodyweight and then bought an eight bodyweight when I finally needed to put larger flies. No matter which pole you start with, you may also find fish.
When asked how to find smallies on river, Minesinger explains how they differ in some ways. Most of us are used to looking for largemouth bass in their usual covering places along drop offs, plant edges, rock piles and various different structures. ” Smallmouth are very recent dependent creatures, so look for moving water rather than muddy wasteland.” You can find the majority of them there. Smallmouth enjoys construction a lot as well. Keep an eye on anything like that, including wood, stones, and foliage. They move from crushing lure fish to much more subdued damselfly looking, smaller pods of bait, and other things as the season goes on.
In the past, I have successfully caught smallmouth on my own using traditional address in both rivers and lakes, but chasing them on the fly was a completely different expertise. I believe that everyone should be able to experience it at least once in their lifetime while standing on a fall vessel as it lightly cruises down an immaculately clear river, casting large streamers, and watching smallies spark up out of seemingly nowhere. In addition to being more difficult, it is also a completely different experience from watching your line get slammed in the depths below while standing on the guitar boat’s board or throwing your yacht off the side. Watching the fish precede on your fly and strike your line has a certain allure that is quite entertaining.
Fly fishing for smallmouths, ordering a new duo equipment online, or going out with help is most exciting pursuits for freshwater fish, regardless of whether you blow the debris off the old five-weight sitting in the garage corner. As Minesinger told me during our excursion,” I think traditional fishing pick up fly fishing so much faster than people who start out as fly fisher ,” I have discovered that it helps me break the habits I so frequently fall back on when spin fishing. They already have a solid foundation and are familiar with how fish behave, which accounts for 90 % of the fight. I had therefore urge you to go out and try fly fishing if the idea has always crossed your mind. There are many great smallmouth fish in Texas that are calling your name. Test them out for yourself!
( Aptitude Outdoors ) Paul Fuzinksi
