Fast forward a few weeks from the time of the trip in the last post. A return trip, this time with flyrod in hand, to that river yielded #17 on the flyrod list – Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu, and lots of them. An unpredictable combination of destination and tackle choices lead to a delayed inclusion of this species on the 2018 fly fishing list. Better late than never. Better small than nonexistent.
Unlike last time, I was not fishing solo. I met up with a long time fishing partner for this one. Like my last trip, the river had a “B” side.
I wasn’t successful right out of the blocks this time. After half an hour or so, I had only landed one tiny smallie on one of my trusty streamers. I crossed paths with my buddy. He stared at me in disbelief when I told him of my sparse results. He said, “I’ve got at least six so far.” That second rod just shortened the learning curve for me.
Back in the flybox went my streamer. Out came a woolybugger and a Clouser crayfish for a tandem rig. It wasn’t exactly what my friend was using, but my combo was quite similar in appearance and productivity.
By swinging tandem nymph rigs, we both ended the morning well into the double digits. My friend even had a two species double with a smallmouth and a rockbass together on his rig. That change in tactics saved my day.
“The 2018 Fly Fishing List” so far:
- Brown Trout – Salmo trutta
- Brook Trout – Salvelinus fontinalis
- Rainbow Trout – Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Landlocked Atlantic Salmon – Salmo salar
- Creek Chub – Semotilus atromaculatus
- Northern Pike – Esox lucius
- Largemouth Bass – Micropterus salmoides
- Chain Pickerel – Esox niger
- Black Crappie – Poxomis nigromaculatis
- Bluegill – Lepomis macrochirus
- Bowfin – Amia calva
- Pumpkinseed – Lepomis gibbosus
- Common Shiner – Luxilus cornutus
- Redbreast Sunfish – Lepomis auritus
- Rock Bass – Ambloplites rupestris
- Green Sunfish – Lepomis cyanellus
- Smallmouth Bass – Micropterus dolomieu