Bass Fly: Selecting the Best One
- John Wielinga
- Jun 2
- 3 min read
Picking the right Bass fly or flies can be difficult. Add in the fact that there are thousands of options on the internet now makes it even more overwhelming. This article is going to cover all the flies you need to successfully target bass on the fly. The easiest way to break this down is by the season, or the phase the fish are in. We will start with the early season when our bass are prespawn.
Before we dive in, there are three major components to consider when selecting a fly, profile, movement and color. When looking at the profile we are considering not only length but body as well. Two flies measuring at exactly 5” can have very different profiles. Movement is self explanatory, but there are a few key options. Flies that swim very natural and lifelike like a game changer, jig flies that have a jigging motion both in streamers and bottom flies, and a jerk changer that works just like a jerkbait that swims, kicks turns and glides and topwaters that are either poppers or something that slides and dives. We will cover color at the end Now we’re ready to get into the best fly by the season.
Prespawn fish are aggressive and heavily on the feed. They are chasing bait and capitalizing on cool water temps and big baits. As a result this is one of two seasons I throw big, articulated flies that push a lot of water, have a big profile and get those big fish to move, chase and ultimately eat. My favorite flies for this are various game changer and jerk changer platforms, however, any large profile fly that pushes water and has good movement like a double receiver or yard sale will get the job done. This time of year I am fishing my flies as aggressive as I can most days, put them tight to the structure and work them hard with good pauses and be ready for some epic eats.
I generally leave these fish alone during the spawn and do not promote targeting spawning fish so the next category we are going to cover is the post spawn. My fly selection doesn’t change too much here. If I am not getting the action I think I should I may try a smaller profile. One difference is I am going to tame my presentation a bit. There are certainly days that post spawn fish are acting similar to prespawn, but generally I am going to slow my retrieve down and focus on my pauses in strategic places. I am still fishing my game changers, jerk changers and double deceivers.
As we roll into summer and water temperatures start to warm up things really start to change. Temps are warming and generally the water starts to clear. Smallmouth start to move from their early season locations and their habits start to change primarily they are looking up. This is a great time to break out the top water. Poppers and gurglers are a great bet this time of year. If you are still fishing swim flies, downsizing will be effective, fish subsurface or on the bottom and slow things down. This is also a great time to bring out some jig flies to help with those lethargic fish. My favorite flies this time of year are variations of poppers, micro changers and Murdich minnows.
As work into fall and temperatures drop bass are putting the feed bag back on before winter. We are going to adopt a very similar program to prespawn. Big flies that move a lot of water and have a big profile. I am going to resort back to all of my favorite prespawn flies again.
When it comes to color I keep it pretty simple and the main thing I am considering is water color. There are 4 main staples are use White and, and black and. Meaning white and red, black and chartreuse etc. are two of them. These are the most versatile and work in almost any water clarity. Next we need naturals keep it simple with olive and browns, I typically bring these out when water clarity is very clean. Lastly, I like to have some flies that are really loud and gaudy. Red and Chartreus, Yellow and Chartreuse pink and blue, pink and yellow etc. These come out when the water is stained and dirty and fish are aggressive. If you're in a pinch or working on budget throw in some variations of black and whites and you'll be good to go.
These tactics are primarily focused on smallmouth bass but they
apply to largemouth base as well. Now that you have the breakdown of your fly selection by the season, hit the vice or your local fly shop and get ready to hit the water and tear up some bass!
John Wielinga
269-277-9293
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