Bass on the fly to beat the summer heat

Originally published in Mid West Outdoors

In my home state of Tennessee July may be considered early summer but, the heat and humidity are simply brutal. That heat can make fly fishing for bass very tough on the bigger lakes in the area. High water temps coupled with bright sunny days make fishing tough, not to mention the volume of post covid pleasure boat traffic. I learned years ago to fish early and late if you want to maximize your time on the water, since 2020 that lesson has been amplified. Also focusing on smaller bodies of water can be extremely productive and can take most of us back to where things all started, in small lakes and ponds.

Fly fishing is not complicated at all. Its the fly fishermen tend to be way over complicated, when it comes to catching largemouth bass. Equipment will never trump a good cast and “fishy instincts”.

RODS & REELS

 Any good 6-8 weight rod and reel will get the job done. I prefer a Temple Fork Outfitters Mangrove Coast rod for most scenarios. I said pretty much any rod and reel combo would suffice because a quality line is what makes a rod cast well. When Bass are your target, especially when fishing from the bank, there is generally not much room for much false casting. That’s where a good quality shooting head style line comes in handy, the Rio outbound short is the best option available today. The heaving front section lets you make the most of reasonable casts with limited line in the air.

When it comes to flies for summer bass there are two very defined, and very opinionated, trains of thought. Both have equal merit but tend to spur some spirited conversations among fly fishermen.

We will call the first train of thought the Naturalist camp. This camp is more traditional and believes in “Matching the hatch”, theoretically speaking.  There is sound logic to this camp and when bass are eating shad, I would throw a shad type pattern.

The next camp we have the hardcore warmwater fly fishers. They understand you don’t have to “match the hatch” and could care less if a fly looks like anything from this planet at all.

When the day is done both camps catch fish, lots of fish. When it comes to bass all the rules go out the window because even the best science tells us they are ambush predators and opportunistic feeders. In other words, put a fly in front of a hungry, or aggressive bass and they will try to destroy it.

In the heat of early summer any baitfish pattern, popper, diver, or slider will get the job done, some better than others at times.

 Due to the heat, fishing early and late is generally the most productive time. Remember when the sun gets up in the sky fish will move deeper or move tight next to some type of cover. Afterall fish don’t have eyelids and can’t simply close their eyes.

When approaching a small lake or pond be cognizant that these smaller bodies of water transmit noise and vibrations much farther than their larger brethren. Stealth is a key component to a successful adventure. 

So don’t let the heat and humidity keep you in the house. Grab a rod and box of flies and hot up your local lake as the sun comes up.