What to do to take advantage of high water this season.
The Mississippi and most all contributing watersheds are running at near spring time heights here at the beginning of August. The low water dog days when smallmouth are concentrated and easy pickins probably won’t happen this season.
The fishing is still good as the fish adapt to high water. Since it is relatively clear, the fish have no problem seeing your offerings and reacting accordingly. If a recent rain muddies your favorite waters, wait a few days for it to clear somewhat and the fishing should be tremendous.
Here’s a late summer twist you rarely get to experience.
Small Rivers Yesterday we kayak-fished a small northcentral Minnesota river and had a blast. There was plenty of clear running water and lots of active smallies hitting poppers with reckless abandon!
The high water has allowed these small rivers to stay viable, probably for the entire season now. Many times tributary streams get so low, fish will migrate to the main river to find suitable cover and food. Check out a little one near you.
Bombing the Banks Another technique to take advantage of high water is a canoe or boat float trip. If you’re a “died-in-the-wool” wade fisherman, call up a buddy and try a float trip. High water means extra care may be required for safe trip. Having someone guide the craft, while the other(s) fish is the way to do it. Kayaks are OK, but you’ll miss a lot of opportunities steadying your kayak and trying to fish at the same time. The key is having an anchor aboard to stop and either fight out a fish or set up on a good looking area.
The fish don’t mind the high water at all. Actually the water creeping into standing vegetation opens up an additional food source for river and lake fish alike. At this time, “bombing the banks” is a great technique for these shore hugging fish looking for the latest morsel to fall into the rising waters.
You want to have some bug-free fun right now? Hit that small river you wrote off about two months ago or hop in your boat, put someone on the oars or paddles, and do it to it.
When river fishing, it’s common to see boats drifting down a bank working flies off the shoreline. Smallmouth bass often will hold close to the bank and this method of “bombing the banks” can be a very effective way to fish smallies any time of year. Another twist to this technique is to drift mid stream reefs and structure to target fish that see little pressure.
Alternatively, a very effective and simple way to get the most out of specific area is to wade fish. Many smallmouth and trout anglers prefer this method since one can scour an entire area, working different kinds of water thoroughly, before moving.
Drift fishing and bank bombing are largely targeting the more aggressive fish, tempting them to react quickly to an unexpected meal. Time of day and presentation method vary.
For example, in Minnesota smallmouth surface activity is generally best in the afternoon. I presume this has to do with rising water temperatures, but I am unsure exactly why fish look up more in the afternoon than earlier in the day. After fifteen years of experiencing this behavior I know for a fact they generally will turn on a popper better later in the day.
The prime summer time hours for top water are from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Often, the hour just before dark in not as good as earlier in the evening. Obviously dark, cloudy days and other factors can initiate surface activity all day long, but rarely. To stack the odds in your favor, if you want top water, go in the afternoon.
Last Saturday, on a trip through the Beaver Islands south of St. Cloud, MN, we had the privilege of floating some of the finest bronzeback water in the country. Fist-sized rocks and large boulders scattered about and few weeds make this a joy to fish in and around the myriad of riffles, runs, pools, reefs, and rock fields.
We started by parking on a gravel bar and wade fishing an area. Most of the action was subsurface and the size of the fish ranged from 12 to 15 inches. I like to pull out a popper periodically to “check” and see if they will hit one. If I don’t get a strike in slower water, adjacent to a seam or eddy within ten minutes, I will switch back to subsurface.
We caught fish on a variety of patterns including:
I had the pleasure of catching my first fish on a homespun tube fly in a chartreuse and white design. I used the HMH equipment, including their super Spartan Vise to craft several flies both weighted and unweighted.
At 3:00 p.m., right on schedule, the top water activity commenced. Remember to keep checking throughout the day to determine when (and if) they start looking up. The rest of the afternoon was spent in bronzeback heaven as big fish blasted ourin-shore poppers in a lime color.
To wade or drift…? Be prepared to do both and give the fish what they want!
In response to the previous post and the question: “What could be better?”
I have an answer: Dragonflies!
Keep your eyes peeled in your area for dragonflies. This time of year there are hatches of several different species and it’s like ringing the dinner bell for bass.
Observe the surface of local lakes and rivers under calm wind conditions. You might see bass busting dragonflies on the surface. Dragonflies eat and mate this time of year.
Often, during the mating process they are injured and will drop to the water - such is the price to pay for love!
Just about any popper will work for most fish under these circumstances since they are looking up and turned on to these big food items. Get the All Purpose Popper Selection Here.
A better option is to at least match the general color of the dragonfly with a popper. If that in sub-optimal, then go for a large Hexigenia-type pattern with spread wings - you will not fail. If standard popping doesn’t produce, try shivering the fly. A wounded or nearly spent dragon will hit the water and struggle for a while. A tight “shiver” performed by simply shaking the rod tip, will replicate an injured dragon and bring big results.
Yesterday on a small mid-Minnesota lake I caught a bunch of largemouth greedily snarfing up most anything that hit the surface. Two days later we smacked ‘em good on a small tributary to the Mississippi.
Tie into this action on your local waters before the Dragons of June are gone.
Memorial Day weekend in Minnesota means the official opening of bass season. Reports have been varied across the state, but most smallmouth anglers had decent action, largely based on spawning fish. I assume it will be similar for largemouth as well.
We had a weird thing happen. My brother took his son fishing on a small mid-Minnesota river via canoe. He was steering the boat and trying to fly fish periodically while his son was throwing a wood popper plug off the bow.
The boy had good action going 13 for 17 on smallies up to 18 inches with the plug. My brother did not get a hit on his fly popper. Hmmmm.
Anyone else out there have anything weird happen this weekend. I believe this anomaly might have something to do with spawning fish.
A larger plug might have created a more formidable intruder in or near a nest instigating a more forceful reaction. The small popper moving along the surface may not have been invasive enough to cause such a response. I doubt that’s what happened, but it’s possible.
They’ve been all the rage for the big trout and salmon crowd for several years. Bass hounds have been experimenting with them for a few years now as well and I figured I better get current on these babies.
This video explains the concept and basic tools to get started with your own tube flies.
I’ve just discovered a fly rod making company that goes to extra lengths to get it right. Everyone likes their own custom fly rod, tied to perfection. Often these rods can be a bit cost prohibitive. On FlyBass.biz we review a rod that has a custom look and feel, but is in fact a production rod from an American rod making company.
It’s one thing to have good looks, it’s another thing to ensure the unique qualities of a specific blank are addressed when rod building. Static Deflection Testing sounds like something out of NASA. It is a technique for testing the flex of a rod, with the guides taped on, before guide position is set.
Each rod is tested to ensure guide placement provides for optimal stress along the length of the blank. Traditional pre-designed guide spacing might not fit every blank. Too little or too much stress, at specific points along the blank are avoided using this technique.
Once the rod is flexed and the guide placement adjusted to the optimal positions, the guides are wrapped, glued and the rod is ready for market.
I have been evaluating these rods on FlyBass.biz and you can get the full scoop HERE.
