# Most underrated fish on the fly?



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

I was thinking about this one a few days ago, throwing it out to you folks. What fish, in your opinion, is most underrated in terms of sport on a fly rod? Most would throw carp out there, but carp do get a little love from fly fishermen. Maybe bass? I rarely see anyone fly rodding bass. But here's my vote: crappie. I have crappie fished about all my fishing life, but it had always been with tube jigs or minnows under floats on light spinning tackle. In my experience, when I am stripping a streamer and a crappie takes the fly, it is about as aggressive a take as any bass I have ever caught! I've had crappies take streamers so aggressively it practically rips the line out of my stripping hand. And once you hook them, especially on my 5wt, I get a great battle from good sized crappies. I had a near 16"er pull my kayak several feet last spring! 

What are your thoughts?


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## Andrew S. (May 22, 2010)

Bass get plenty of love from fly rodders. I agree they're a great fish, but I wouldn't call them underrated.

I've never fished hard for crappie, nor do I hear to much about them as a fly rod target, so you might have a good candidate there.

You don't hear too much about people targeting a lot of the other "rough" fish (besides carp), but I'd imagine that some of them must provide both challenge and fight. I'm not thinking of the little suckers, but things like the buffalo suckers. Seems most catches I hear about are incidental (which reminds me....are y'all doing another "Rough Fish Challenge" this year...I loved that idea, and might even have the time to participate.)


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Long Nose Gar, White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Yellow Perch and Quillbacks...
PS I love getting crappies on the long rod!! Im gonna try for some later today in my pond

Salmonid


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

Catfish!.......................


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## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

Carp are a blast.

I use a fly rod for almost any species in Ohio. I do fish with other tackle but a Carp in the spring can make a steelhead seem tame. Not to pick on steelies, that is great fun too. It is just about the only fish I can compare a large carp too.

When perch'in I use one spinning rod and keep a wet fly in the water with another. Pick a walleye once in a while and a big sheephead is a riot.

Here are some fly patterns for carp. http://www.flytyingforum.com/speciesCarp.html


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## OhJoe (Mar 9, 2010)

I would agree with every statement so far.....I think catfish are tons of fun on the fly but they give a good fight for everything ( I caught a 28 lb shovelhead last year that gave me everything it could and is definately the most fight I have every had on a fly) My vote for most underrated on the fly would be a drum and especially when it hits a nice current after taking the fly in a more mellow area. I used to fish an area of the LMR that has a real nice sand bar on the other side you can see especially in the right light and you could see drum and others kind of hovering around doing its thing and we would throw over with our spinning gear but it spooked them a little so we started throwing onto the sand and slowly dragging the bait back into the water eventually getting them that way. I decided to try to put a fly into the area even thought it was all I had to get it there and the current in the middle would almost instantly start pulling the line to fast but with a little patience it paid off and getting the fly to sink quick enough made a world of difference. Once hooked I loved them slashing through the current getting back across for the release.


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

skipjack, white bass, catfish


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

We should definitely do the Roughfish Challenge again this year. Last year I think we pretty much forgot about it ( I didn't, I just didn't care about anything that didn't have stripes down its sides ) 


To the original question... the lesser known carp suckers, i.e. redhorse, quillback, etc. would be my vote. Very tough to get a take & they fight hard. 

Skipjack would be my next choice, though anyone that fishes for them on the fly knows they're awesome.


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## OhJoe (Mar 9, 2010)

OK, I have seen a couple of votes for skipjack....what would you use and where would you fish to get them? I have used them for bait but would love to try and catch them too....


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

creek chubs and striped shiners


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

OhJoe said:


> OK, I have seen a couple of votes for skipjack....what would you use and where would you fish to get them? I have used them for bait but would love to try and catch them too....


Ohio river tribs near the mouth.. dams in the same places you catch moronids, warm water discharge!

When they're in, you fish for them just like white bass. I caught one that was close to 20" very, very far up the LMR. It was the most beautiful fish I've ever pulled from the river, with purples & other irridescent properties. It took the fly and immediately began leaping 1-2' out of the water over & over, much like a tarpon...which is why they are called Tennessee Tarpon.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

fishinnick said:


> creek chubs and striped shiners



Funny, I agree with Nick too. Those two species are especially fun to stalk in clear 18" deep creeks. Nobody targets them. They take nymphs voraciously!


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## Andrew S. (May 22, 2010)

fallen513 said:


> Ohio river tribs near the mouth.. dams in the same places you catch moronids, warm water discharge!
> 
> When they're in, you fish for them just like white bass. I caught one that was close to 20" very, very far up the LMR. It was the most beautiful fish I've ever pulled from the river, with purples & other irridescent properties. It took the fly and immediately began leaping 1-2' out of the water over & over, much like a tarpon...which is why they are called Tennessee Tarpon.


They sound a lot like the hickory shad we sometimes got in Connecticut. 

You use an 8 weight for them, right?


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Andrew S. said:


> They sound a lot like the hickory shad we sometimes got in Connecticut.
> 
> You use an 8 weight for them, right?


LOL< you beat me to it.


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## jkurtz7 (Jan 17, 2008)

fishinnick said:


> creek chubs and striped shiners


I totally agree with you. The larger ones are a blast on a 1wt or 2wt rod.


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

fishinnick said:


> creek chubs and striped shiners


confirmed, saved many days from being fishless, often times they are the top predator in small streams


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Andrew S. said:


> Bass get plenty of love from fly rodders. I agree they're a great fish, but I wouldn't call them underrated.
> 
> I've never fished hard for crappie, nor do I hear to much about them as a fly rod target, so you might have a good candidate there.
> 
> You don't hear too much about people targeting a lot of the other "rough" fish (besides carp), but I'd imagine that some of them must provide both challenge and fight. I'm not thinking of the little suckers, but things like the buffalo suckers. Seems most catches I hear about are incidental (which reminds me....are y'all doing another "Rough Fish Challenge" this year...I loved that idea, and might even have the time to participate.)


I love me some smallmouth buffalo:










The single slimiest fish I have ever handled, by a long shot.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

steelheader007 said:


> Catfish!.......................


I was in my kayak yesterday, stripping a white rabbit streamer near cover looking for crappie or bass, and stung a 12-13" channel cat! I usually catch a few channels on the fly rod every year, but so far never a flathead.

Here's a pic of the channel cat from Saturday, busted a white #6 bunny baitfish:


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## oldstinkyguy (Mar 28, 2010)

Theres some pics and info on flyfishing for suckers here:

http://stevenoutside.blogspot.com/2011/03/sucker-for-rough-fish.html

I think redhorse suckers and buffalo are awesome fish on a flyrod. And a big buffalo or carp is as spooky to hook and then hard to land when hooked as any fish anywhere...


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