Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing Tips

 
Erin Kimsey lives and fishes in northern Virginia just outside of Washington DC. She’s been fly fishing for 7 years and is a Facebook moderator for United Women on the Fly. Smallmouth bass are her favorite warm water species to catch on the fly.
 
This week Erin gives an introduction to the bass species including smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and spotted bass.  

Range and history of Smallmouth bass in the Us

The original range of the smallmouth bass included the Great Lakes and St Lawrence Seaway drainages, stretching from southern Quebec and New Hampshire to North Dakota, as well as the Mississippi River drainage as far south as Alabama. The construction of the Erie Canal in 1825 allowed the species to spread into central New York. During the mid-to-late 19th century, smallmouth were transplanted via the nation’s rail system to lakes and rivers throughout the northern and western United States, as far as California. It’s said that cooks transported them to waters along the railroad to feed railroad crews. In addition, on many traditional trout and salmon rivers, dams caused the water to warm and smallmouths were often stocked to replace extinct coldwater game fish.

Erin Kimsey's Video Timeline

  • 0:00 – Intro to Erin Kimsey
  • 0:35 – Smallmouth Bass Intro and History
  • 1:58 – Water Temps and 4 Stages of Fishing for Smallmouth Bass
  • 2:26 – Pre-Spawn Water Temps and Depths
  • 3:00 Spring Spawning Water Temps and Depths
  • 3:44 – Post Spawn Water Temps and Depths
  • 4:11 – Summer Water Temps and Depths
  • 4:37 – Where Bass Live
  • 5:11 – Artificial Habitat
  • 5:50 – When Choosing a Fly, Consider
  • 6:23 – Wet Flies/Streamers
  • 7:03 – Chuck Kraft Bass Flies
  • 7:42– Top Water Bass Flies

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