Ina Nektar Fly Fishing

Line Bass

Fly Fishing for Bass, Choosing the Best Fly Rod For Bass

Bass are one of, if not the most popular fish in the Americas.  Not only are they incredible fighters, but at least one species of bass can be found in almost any body of water from Canada, throughout the U.S. and into South America.  Although not near as popular as bait casting and spin fishing, one of the best thrills in fishing is catching bass on a fly rod.  Before you can do this though, you will need a Bass Fly Fishing setup.  Here we will discuss the aspects that should be taken into account when choosing the best fly rod for bass, which is not as straight forward as it sounds!  Bass come in many different sizes, strengths and species, and require different techniques for different situations.  Let's take a look at these aspects and then you can go through the link at the end to my website where we will talk more about brands and models of fly rods for bass.

Size: what weight fly rod will be best for Bass?

Bass come in all different sizes that vary widely with respect to species.  The species not only determines size, but also strength.  For instance, a Small Mouth Bass has the ability to put up as much fight as some fish twice its size.  This needs to be taken in to account when choosing the best fly rod for Bass.  All bass start out small, but can grow to large sizes.  Therefore it is suggested that you go with a bass fly rod that is designed for the larger end of the spectrum.  You will not want to be weak in back bone when you need it.  Here is a generic list of species and the weights that are recommended for each.

•    Small Mouth Bass (0-8 lbs):                        6-7wt

•    Large Mouth Bass (0-10 lbs):                       7-8wt

•    Striper Bass, freshwater (5-15 lbs):               8-10wt

•    Stripers Bass, Saltwater (10-30 lbs):                10wt

•    Peacock Bass (3-20 lbs):                       8-10wt

•    Rainbow Bass (1-8 lbs):                           8wt

Rod Action: determines how a rod casts.

When fly fishing for Bass, typically you will be using heavy flies that will take some back bone to get out of the water and to get any distance.  A stiff, fast action fly rod will be able to best cast weighted flies, sink tips and wind catching poppers.  If you go with a rod that is too soft, you will be struggling to get the fly out of the water.

Fly Lines for Bass:

Bass can be fished with many different methods.  Different types of line will be needed to cover all tactics.  For instance, when using top water poppers, a floating line will be needed.  When using bait fish imitations, a sinking line will be the best to get the fly to the fish.  For this reason it is best to use a line that can be used for multiple situations, which is a line that has interchangeable tips: floating with multiple sink tips for different sink rates.  For more information on lines, follow the link at the end of this article.

Rod Quality:

Rod quality ranges widely.  With increases in quality, obviously price will increase.  There is a wide range in prices from the cheap Wal-Mart combo setup at $40 to a high end $700 dollar rod.  There are two criteria I suggest everyone stick with for any rod for any fish.  Number 1: buy the highest quality rod you can afford.  Number 2: Make sure any rod you purchase comes with a lifetime warranty.  To get a rod with a lifetime warranty, you will need to spend at least $200.  It may sound like a lot, but it is worth it when you figure you will be making an investment to last a lifetime.  You have probably broken a rod or several in the past, and most likely it will happen again whether it be on a fish or your car door.  When choosing the best fly rod for bass, remember that you will be using hard to cast flies, so you the better the rod, the easier time you will have.  Those spendier rods do work hard and are worth it if you can fit one into your budget.

Conclusion:

Several rod makers build rods that are designed for bass of all species.  There are many different sizes to choose from, and they do get expensive, so you will want to make sure you go with the right Bass fly rod the first time.  To narrow your search down to specific brands and models click here: www.OnlineFlyFishingGuide.com and then click on rods.  Then click on the rod size is best for your situation. Click here to go to The Online Fly Fishing Guide.

About the Author

Chris Jackson is an avid outdoorsman living in the Northwest in the state of Idaho.  He spends as much time with his wife, daughter, and friends in the outdoors as he can.  Fly Fishing and archery are his passions, as well as anything else he can do to get outside and experience all that the Northwest has to offer.  Chris is the owner of the popular fly fishing website "The Online Fly Fishing Guide.com"

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