Bass fishing and fly fishing are usually considered two very different fishing methods, but some overlap exists. Some anglers target bass with a fly rod, some cast hair jigs with spinning gear, and others use techniques like the Float ‘N Fly or Bubble ‘N Fly with great success.
Tournament angler and St. Croix Rods pro-staffer Mitch Vitkovich fits in that category and utilizes flies for bass across all of Arizona's popular bass fishing lakes, from Pleasant and Roosevelt to Mohave, Havasu, and Powell.
When fishing with a bubble, Vitkovich experiments with different leader lengths, altering from a leader the length of his rod to much shorter depending on the fish activity and where they are positioned in the water column.
“With the Bubble N’ Fly, I can use it as a search technique and cover water, where a Float N’ Fly is good, it’s also much slower,” said Vitkovich. The Float N’ Fly is an excellent technique for colder water when the fish are moving slower, but I’ll fish the fly on a bubble all year long. It’s deadly anytime but spring when the fish are shallow and spawning.”
Working the Float N’ Fly entails working your rod to move the float and the fly pendulums back with every start and pause. With the bubble, Vitkovich fishes it almost like a topwater walking bait. “I’ll use a ‘pop, pop, pop’ and then kill it and let the fly sink," he said. "Nothing imitates a small baitfish better than a fly made from hair.”
“Fly” Fishing For Bass
It's possible to catch numbers of bass with flies without learning the difference between a 3-weight and 5-weight or even learning to cast a fly rod. The two most straightforward methods to do it are with a cork (Float ‘N Fly) or a plastic bubble (Bubble 'N Fly) that you can fill with water.
“The Float ‘N Fly is a great technique for the winter months when the fish are lethargic,” said Vitkovich. “With a slip bobber, the depth you can fish them is unlimited. It’s a slow technique and a lot of waiting, but it works. Using a plastic bubble, you can fish even faster and in all seasons.”
Flies, Gear, and Tricks
Among the best flies for bass, according to Vitkovich, are shad-imitating streamers between ¾-inches and 2-inches long. He prefers Diamond Hair Streamers tied by John Rohmer, with a green back and white sides or white sides and a black back. He believes the UV-enhanced skirt adds a crucial visual attractant.
“One of the most important things to know is to tie the fly to your leader line with a loop knot,” he said. “This allows the fly to move freely. Any other knot and you destroy most of the action.”
Vitkovich uses different rod models when fishing the flies depending on bubble or bobber size and leader length.
“My standard rod is a 7-foot, 6-inch St. Croix Legend Elite medium power, fast action spinning rod,” he said. “It's got the right length for longer casts and the tip is not too soft. It’s a very well-made rod with enough power to set the hook with a long leader.”
When fishing a smaller bubble and using a shorter leader, he opts for a 7-foot, 2-inch medium power and a St. Croix Legend Xtreme baitcast rod and fishes the fly and bubble in a similar fashion as a topwater, using the bubble to attract and cause a commotion and the fly to trigger a bite. Because of the added weight from the water inside the bubble, he can comfortably make long casts and fish the rig on this rod with a reel spooled with a 30-pound braided line.
When using a bubble, how much water you put into the fly can significantly change where you can position your fly in the water column. Filling it roughly halfway allows for great casting distance and will keep the bubble on the surface, much like a bobber. For fishing in deeper water, Vitkovich adds more water. He’ll also utilize a clear glass bead between the bubble and swivel for more sound.
“If you fill it completely, the bubble will sink and the fly will have a slow drop to it, which is important in places like here in Arizona where we may be fishing on the surface and down to 60 feet,” he said. “I watch my electronics to see the depths with the most fish activity to gauge how much water I put in the bubble. I’ll also add lead tape right on the seam of the bubble if I need it to go even deeper.”
Fishing flies for bass is nothing new, but there’s been a resurgence in recent years as more anglers learn their effectiveness at imitating baitfish and catching bass. Flies have a place in bass fishing, whether with a fly rod or on a conventional tackle with a float or bubble.