# dry flies for smallies



## big_fish (Dec 21, 2004)

how many have had any luck with dry fly fishing for smallies one local creek we fish has a small caddis hatch but never have any caddis flies on us at the time always swear next time to have some but on the other hand we also don't see alot of top water action on the hatch we have seen it happen 2 times in al my years of fishing this creek


----------



## Utard (Dec 10, 2006)

Good question. I've wondered why bass don't spend as much time chasing insects as trout do. I've heard of people doing OK on little white caddis imitations at times for the creek smallies, but I've never tried it. If I was focusing on that though, I'd probably be more inclined to tie up a bigger wet fly caddis swimmer or nymph and try that way.


----------



## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

i have never tried caddis but i have done well on large green drakes on a few occasions in the past. the fish will rise to them but i'll fish a popper any day before dries to cover water, but having them in the box is never a bad idea.


----------



## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

green drakes, hendricksons, caddis I rather fish for smallies on a dry than trout..lol... I have caught more smallies on dries than I have trout....lol...


----------



## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

Stimilator type flies works rather for me and a few large dry #6/8 in bright colors.


----------



## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I don't really consider it a dry fly but I have caught bass on a regular black legged foam spider. only differerence is I made it with peacock herl under the foam body for a buggier fuzzy look. used green egg yarn as a indicator also as it seems to be the easiest to pick up in the water to me. this fly works great when you cast it and let it plop down under a tree or along the bank. then lil twitches to make the rubber legs move. sometimes the bass would watch it for awhile and follow it. if it stopped "struggling" they seem to turn and leave. if you keep working it they would tear it up. heres a pic of some I made. this is the same one I tied that I caught the bass on. I have caught creek chubs and bluegill and rock bass on this. smallies will hit it too I would think.


----------



## Janus (Jul 26, 2006)

I had luck with chernobyl ant patterns...but only when they started to sink. I would watch the fish staring at it until it started to sink slowly under the surface and then they would charge it.


----------



## flyguy (Apr 11, 2004)

I usually go with terrestrials, especially grasshopper imitations and white sponge spiders. The last couple of times that I fished the Kennebec River, I found that matching the hatch yielded a nice mix of smallies and trout.


----------



## jsalkas (Feb 18, 2005)

My problem with using dries has been that the creek chubs jump all over them before the smallies get a chance. I lean towards the philosophy that the caddis hatch will make the smallies look up, and I'll just throw a small popper.


----------



## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

On a river in southern WV there is a restuarant that feed these large trouts smallies and largemouth with a food leftover. Unbelievable they fight for every single piece of scraps and I have some flies made out of foam that resembles French Fry. Pretty Cool!


----------



## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

*now come on fishdog ya gotta post the recipe for the french fly!!! haha*
I love creek chubs. too me its like a blessing on some days. its like I got a bite! creek chub. I am not skunked woohoo! thats my feelings at least.. funny stuff I caught lots of rock bass on a black bugger and none fought like a chub or gill on nymph or top water bug or dry fly.. this was at the end of the year tho. so maybe they were getting slow? caught me this monster chub once and it was beasting my 8 weight for a few seconds lol. thought it was a catfish but ended up being the biggest chub I ever caught. I think they r just strong cause they r used to river and creek life. they are used to the current and build some power.


----------



## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

Well I get a picture of it and post it.
As for the creek chubs, I caught a 18 incher 2 years ago as they tend to get big down in some rivers. Another thing they fight to the end for sure and are a blast on 3 wt outfit and under.


----------



## Live2Fish (Apr 7, 2004)

Cooper Bugs, Humpys, and foam-back sliders have been killer top-water flys for me here in Columbus.


----------



## jsalkas (Feb 18, 2005)

Yeah, rock bass aren't the best fighters. They are nice and aggressive, but most of the time they come in like a wet dish rag.

FYI, being a panfish, if you have a body of water that is overloaded with rockbass, take a few home. They taste similar to bluegill to me.


----------

