Fly Fishing

Was interested to see how many of you have fly fished for shallow river smallies. Also what I should be looking for in a rod setup as I am as green as they come in knowledge of fly fishing.

I started asking around a few years ago with the same questions. 8or9 wt rod was what most people suggested. I made mistake of buying a very cheap 5 wt and regretted using it for smallies every time. I would struggle to cast larger flies and any wind would make it impossible to cast. Streamers and poppers would be my first fly’s to buy. Rootski had alot to offer when I was asking a few years ago.

dbright wrote:

I started asking around a few years ago with the same questions. 8or9 wt rod was what most people suggested. I made mistake of buying a very cheap 5 wt and regretted using it for smallies every time. I would struggle to cast larger flies and any wind would make it impossible to cast. Streamers and poppers would be my first fly’s to buy. Rootski had alot to offer when I was asking a few years ago.

X2 A seven or eight weight will keep you fishing on a windy day and actually is less fatiguing to use with bigger flies. I’d look for a kit. This is a great way to get started.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/SCIENTIFIC-ANGLERS-FLY-FISHING-OUTFITS/2138464.uts?productVariantId=4397800&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=04309704&rid=20&gclid=CN7In6bGmM0CFYkCaQodoeIBWQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

http://www.cabelas.com/product/FARBANK-DS-REDINGTON-CROSS-WATER-COMBO/2063885.uts?productVariantId=4295995&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=04261878&rid=20&gclid=CKD3jr3GmM0CFZCIaQodTP0Bng&gclsrc=aw.ds

Have fun and keep asking questions, there are some very knowledgeable folks on this site that are always glad to help.

SR

I’ve done a little more fly fishing the past few years with my 7 wt. rod for both Smallmouth and Canadian Brook Trout. I’ve been using some of the smaller hair bugs (2″-2.5″) such as Dahlberg Divers, Moorish Mice, etc. I’ve also thrown in Strip Leeches, Wooly Bugger variants and balsa poppers. I’ve found some of the smaller balsa poppers (upsized from a panfish popper) can sometimes fish better than the larger poppers. These sized flies work great for the 7 wt. When I’ve got into the larger hair bugs (3″ plus) or some of the bulky foam flies it gets more difficult to cast. This would also hold true in more windy conditions. If you wanted to try to mix a little largemouth & smallmouth you may want to consider something bigger than a 7 wt.

I’ve fly fished for bass since my grandfather thought I was old enough to handle a fly rod (about 7 or 8, I think).

If I was strictly going to use my rod for shallow river smallies, I’d probably look for a 6 or 7wt rod. Generally speaking, smaller rivers don’t require real long distance casting or even big flies. And a 6wt can be used for fishing trout, bass, panfish and even carp as well. It’s a great multi-purpose rod weight. The 7wt is starting to get up out of the realm of something I’d use for either trout or panfish though.

So, either look for a 9′ 6wt or a 9′ 7wt. There are infinite possibilities out there as far as brands go, so just try to find something that fits your budget and has a decent warranty. Don’t worry too much about the reel, as that will act as just a a line holder when you’re fishing for smallies. Pick a large arbor with a WFF line to match the rod weight you get.

After that, all you’ll need is a couple of leaders (I like nylon tapered leaders, like those from Rio), and some 1-3x tippet (or just regular flouro/mono works too).

I’d outfit yourself with a few black wolly buggers, a few white ones, a couple of yellow & black Boogle Bugs, a couple of chartreuse/white Clouser minnows and some of my personal favorite Tequillys (sp?). You could add a few Dahlberg divers too that, but I find that slowly fished Boogle bugs are king when it comes to small stream smallmouth.

Seems like I asked in the right place! Thanks for all the input!