Warmwater flyfishing is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the sport overall. Muskies and largemouth bass get more social media love than ever before, but it’s fair to say that smallmouth bass have grabbed the most limelight. For anglers who have been targeting bronzebacks on fly for years, there is a sense of “finally, these fish are getting due credit as fly targets.” But so much of what you see revolves around Midwest rivers that require a drift boat or raft to cash in most effectively. Not all of us have those, nor rivers close to home that would even support such crafts. What many people do have, however, is access to a wade-friendly smallmouth stream or river that’s just begging to be fished with flies.
This, of course, can be daunting for some. You simply can’t cover water the same as you can with a spinning rod and Rebel Pop-R. So, the trick becomes knowing what water to skip and where to focus.
My buddy and guide, Jacob Ott of Otters Guide Service, is based in West Virginia. He has access to many great float-able rivers, namely the famed New. But he also spends a lot of time guiding foot clients on the Greenbrier River and several others. With a couple of key flies, a simple rod and reel setup, and some insights on when and where to put yourself, Jacob can get anyone dialed in on smallmouth water anywhere. So, grab an old pair of tennis sneakers and remember these tips.
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Buckets of Fish
If you really want to drill down on the sexiest, most appealing form of smallmouth fly fishing, it’s casting surface flies like Boogle Bugs and Mr. Wigglies. These patterns imitate big insects like cicadas, and bass love to slurp them. The problem is they’re most effective from a boat because they drift along with you, therefore covering long stretches of water. On foot, this presentation is more challenging, which is why Ott says looking for specific structural targets is key.
“Wading for smallmouth is a lot more like trout fishing,” he says. “You’re casting at upstream angles, and you have to mend your line sometimes to get the perfect drift. So, what I look for are buckets and drop-offs in the middle of the river just above a faster riffle. I want to be able to stand in knee-deep water but be able to reach those troughs and depressions where the water is more like waist deep.”
Ott also notes that while oxygen levels are not as important to smallmouth as they are to trout, as summer wears on, the bass’s location will change. The steamiest months are when you want to target faster moving water, even if it’s on the shallower side. Riffles provide more oxygen, as well as steady summer food sources which you can easily match with just a couple of flies.
Clawing Away
Poppers like the aforementioned Boogle Bug are summertime staples. They’re also the most fun to fish because nothing beats a surface eat. However, Ott says it’s not uncommon for them to work best in the early morning or evening. At midday with sun high overhead, subsurface flies tend to score bigger numbers. A small Clouser Minnow is an absolute must-have (and arguably one of the most potent smallmouth streamers ever tied). But the pattern many people overlook according to Ott is a crayfish.
“The secret is you want to imitate a little crayfish,” he says. “One of my favorites is the Near Nuff Crayfish. You want to fish these like a nymph. Find a deep spot just below a riffle, chuck that thing out there, give it a mend, let the line belly out, and as it swings around give it some short strips so it looks like a fleeing crayfish.”
Many crayfish patterns feature heavy dumbbell eyes and full claws, but these are meant to be stripped across the bottom and won’t be as effective. Ott says lightly weighted patterns measuring two inches or less are the money and given that they work best in current with a bit of speed, hyper realism is not necessary.
The Middle
Seven- and even 8-weight fly rods are commonly recommended for chasing smallmouths from a boat on big water, but for a wading attack you can get it done with the outfit you likely already have. Ott says a 6-weight is perfect, but even if you have a 5-weight combo, you can be perfectly effective if you tailor your leader to turn over the surface flies, which tend to be a bit bulkier.
“The longer your leader, the better,” he says. “However, if you’re fishing a 5-weight, ditch the 9-foot light leader and swap it for something shorter and heavier, like a 7-and-a-half foot 1X or 2X. If you need tippet, a chunk of regular 10-pound monofilament is fine. By keeping your leader more compact you’ll turn over a Boogle Bug or Dahlberg Diver with no problem.”
Read Next: The Best Bass Flies
According to Ott, if you already have common larger trout flies like a Chubby Chernobyl or Stimulator, bring them along. These patterns—which cast with ease on a 5- or 6-weight rod—are equally appealing to summer smallmouths. Though they might not make as much noise as a popper, they won’t go unnoticed if you’re making precise casts to those juicy buckets and ledges.
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