Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Bass Fly - Clouser fly - largemouth bass fly fishing

When you think of Clouser flies, you probably think of Stripers, Smallmouth Bass or saltwater species. Does a Clouser make you think of largemouth bass?? Probably not. I'm the idiot that will stand in the blazing July sun drifting nymphs for spotted bass. I have caught large smallmouth bass on small sparkly crappie flies. If it catches fish on a fly rod, I'm gonna use it. I have been fishing ponds lately. I am used to fishing streams a lot more than ponds and lakes. Usually, I only go out to the lake a few times each year. But since I head out to fish just about every weekend, I am trying to cut back on fuel useage. So, to the ponds and lakes I go! On thing I have had to concentrate on is bedding bass. I love using bass bugs for top water action. I go top water fly first thing and then switch to a streamer or wet water pattern. When I use streamers or want to get down to the bass and crappie, I used sinking line. However, when fishing for bedding bass, I am using floating line and a weighted fly as to jig it over the bass beds. The Clouser has been successful for me to land bedding bass. I do practice catch-and-release, so the momma bass with their bellies full of eggs go right back into the water nearest to the location where they were caught. When I watch or read magazines about bass fishing with terminal tackle for bedding bass, it is almost always suggested to use soft plastics which are usually Texas rigged to be swam or jigged over the beds. That is what I am doing with the Clouser. It's weighted eyes make it perfect to jig and see-saw. Plus, I can tie tons of them fairly easily with craft fur that is sparkly and more full-bodied than those that come from the outdoor shop or fly shop.

2 comments:

  1. Josh
    I will be going tomorrow and will have to give the clouser a try. Nice bass there, what weight rod was you using? Thanks for sharing

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  2. I've caught pass on clousers many times. Mainly Chartruese and white. They work well when the bass are busting shad in the shallows.

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