As a fly angler and guide, who regularly guides conventional bass anglers, I’ve learned that adapting to their proven tactics can significantly improve fly fishing success. Smallmouth bass, especially in deep and clear lakes, such as Georgian Bay and lake Simcoe, require specific techniques that conventional anglers have long mastered. Here’s how we can translate their success to fly fishing.
Getting Deep, Fast
Smallmouth bass in many fisheries spend a lot of time in deeper water, making it critical to get our flies down quickly. Conventional anglers rely on techniques like the Ned rig, drop shot, and football jigs—rigs designed to reach the strike zone fast and stay there. In fly fishing, we can replicate this using:
- Full-sinking fly lines (Type 5-7) to achieve rapid depth. The heavier sinking lines allow flies to reach smallmouth in deeper zones where they often hold, especially during mid-summer.
- Heavy dumbbell-eyed flies , such as Clouser Minnows and Jig Buggers, which provide a jigging action similar to conventional baits. The sharp drop and upward movement can trigger reaction bites from bass relating to structure.
- Big, tungsten beads- A lot of my bass flies incorporate 5.5-6mm tungsten beads. Sometimes more than one! Using them tied in like the beads on an Avalon shrimp fly, allows you to add multiple beads to your fly, and even creates a great rattle!
- Short, aggressive strips will help keep the fly near the bottom and trigger reaction strikes. Smallmouth bass are opportunistic feeders and will often hit a bait that suddenly drops into their field of vision.
The Power of Multiple Rods
Conventional bass anglers always have multiple rods rigged and ready to go. As a fly angler, I do the same, carrying rods equipped with:
- Floating line for topwater presentations, poppers, and unweighted streamers.
- Intermediate line for mid-column retrieves, perfect for suspending baitfish imitations.
- Type 3 sinking line for slow-sinking presentations in 5-10 feet of water.
- Type 5 sinking line for deeper retrieves down to 15 feet.
- Type 7 sinking line for getting down to 20+ feet, essential in midsummer and post-spawn scenarios.
This system allows for instant adjustments based on fish behavior and water depth, maximizing time in the strike zone without re-rigging or changing flies frequently.
Check out the Scientific Anglers Titan taper lines at www.driftoutfitters.com
Moving Beyond the Woolly Bugger: Matching the Hatch with Big Flies
Gone are the days of only throwing small streamers for bass. Big bass often eat big meals, and we need to offer something substantial. Some of my go-to flies include:
- Game Changers – These articulated flies swim like real baitfish and push a lot of water, mimicking the movement of soft plastics used by conventional anglers.
- Swim flies– Flies with bulky heads and long profiles that create turbulence, perfect for mimicking larger prey sources.
- Murdich Minnows– A larger pattern that moves naturally and trigger aggressive eats, particularly in open water and along deep drop-offs.
Jigging Action: Clouser Minnows and More
The Clouser Minnow remains a staple in my fly box because it mimics the hopping and darting motion of a jig. The weighted eyes create a downward snap on the pause, triggering predatory instincts. Similar patterns like the Half & Half (Clouser/Deceiver hybrid) offer a blend of action and profile, making them highly effective in deeper water.
To mimic a vertical jigging approach, use short, sharp strips, letting the fly free-fall between strips. This movement replicates the classic "hop and drop" motion that conventional anglers use so effectively with tube baits, drop shots, and even the deadly strolling technique.
Leader Setup: Strength vs. Stealth
Leader choice can make or break a day on the water. I generally opt for heavier leaders than traditional fly anglers, often using 15 lb fluorocarbon to handle aggressive smallmouth and prevent break-offs when fishing around rocks and wood structure. However, in pressured fisheries or ultra-clear water, I’ll scale down to 6-8 lb test to get more strikes.
Using a shorter leader (5-6 feet) on sinking lines helps maintain better fly control and ensures the fly gets down quicker. Conversely, a longer leader (9-12 feet) on floating lines allows for more natural presentations in shallow water.
Electronics and Mapping: The Power of Garmin Livescope and Navionics
Livescope has completely changed the way I understand fish behavior. Watching smallmouth in real-time react to my fly has allowed me to refine presentations on the spot. Electronics help me:
- Locate suspended fish and cast at the right depth, adjusting fly choice and line type accordingly.
- Watch how bass react to different retrieves, refining strip speed and pause duration for maximum effectiveness.
- Identify key structures like drop-offs, sunken logs, and bait concentrations, allowing for targeted casts rather than blind fishing.
With Livescope, I can now see how bass interact with my flies in a way that was impossible before. Sometimes, they’ll follow for several feet before striking, giving me insight into how subtle changes in presentation can make a difference.
Beyond real-time sonar, Navionics mapping plays a huge role in pre-trip planning. The Navionics app and Garmin ActiveCaptain allow me to:
- Scout potential fishing spots from home, identifying key structure, depth changes, and seasonal movements.
- Log waypoints on my phone that automatically sync with my boat’s head unit, ensuring I hit productive areas efficiently.
- Adjust on the fly, marking new waypoints when I identify patterns, creating a real-time fishing strategy based on what the fish are doing that day.
If you're in the market for anything Garmin, check out Bear Repair in Parry sound, or www.bearrepair.ca
Shallow Water Flats in Early Season
In the early season, smallmouth move onto shallow flats to feed, making them prime targets for fly anglers. Unlike conventional gear, which can create splashy presentations, flies land softly, making them perfect for these conditions. Unweighted patterns, like craft fur baitfish flies or deer hair divers, are ideal for tempting bass in shallow water.
Fishing early season flats is all about stealth. Moving slowly, making accurate casts, and utilizing natural, neutral-colored flies can produce big fish when they are most aggressive!
The Best Smallmouth Bass Fishery in the World
Georgian Bay and the lakes and rivers of Southern and Central Ontario offer some of the best smallmouth bass fishing on the planet. It’s not uncommon to land 30-50 fish in a day, with an average size of 3-4 lbs. Every year, I see more 6+ lb fish, proving that our fishery is only getting better.
The sheer diversity of habitat—from rocky shoals to deep basins—ensures that every angler, regardless of skill level, can have success. Some lakes produce numbers, while others are trophy waters where an 7 to 8-pounder is a real possibility.
I’ve had anglers from around the world come to experience it, and they leave in awe of the sheer numbers and size of the fish we have access to. If you love smallmouth bass fishing, there’s no better place to be.
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By combining fly fishing tactics with the knowledge and best elements of conventional bass fishing, we have become more versatile, effective anglers. Whether fishing deep or shallow, using big flies, small flies or adapting leader setups, there’s always a way to fine-tune our approach for more success on the water.
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