fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Forgot to mention that when fishing top water with big bushy flies...much like when using a hula popper...a wise technique is to make your cast, let the fly land, and then briefly pause before starting to "twitch" the fly back to you in short erratic sequences. Sometimes let the pause between twitches be different. The same technique would also hold true for most underwater presentations...although certain streamers work best when a steady twitch and retrieve is done, with an occasional short "sweep" of the rod tip to impart some extra "fleeing" action. If you fly fish for other species, it is all ultimately the same idea...catch a fishes interest, then entice and tease to make them react!

Once in a while I have happened to land the fly within a few feet of a hungry bass, and the thunderous reaction from below can catch you right off guard! Be ready and enjoy!

If you buy a fly that has a "weed guard" in place, and your water body is free of surface vegetation, you might consider clipping it off. Sometimes that stiff mono can potentially hinder a bite...but that is rare.

Final comment...and sinker rig mentioned this...time of day can be crucial. Early mornings and approaching evenings tend to be best in small pond settings from my own experience...like a few hours after sunrise and a few hours before sunset....depending on the period we may be on the calendar (as days get longer and shorter). Mid day can be great too, but if the bass are on a specific feeding schedule they are less likely to pursue something edible if they are feeling lazy and just want to swim around.

We will be anxious to hear how it goes!

Andyconnor Loc: Ohio

fishyaker....thanks for the tips....I am fairly new at this but love the sport.....read a lot of books and watch video's.
Is it a good idea to use surface flies in the earlyam/ pm when the bass are active, then go below surface during the heat of the day? Also, this pond I fish is on a golf course...they say there are bass in there but I only catch bluegills. would love to catch a bass!!!!!!

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

That might be worth an initial theory to act upon...but keep in mind that there are no absolutes. Fish "eat" most of their meals underwater. Getting one to come to the surface for a treat is exciting...so I think that is what drives many folks to "dry fly" fish on top. Since frogs tend to stay near the surface, that is what makes them attractive for bass to rise for. By the way...large adult sized dragonfly patterns are also great for bass on top. Actually, if your frog fly gets super waterlogged, it would still work under the surface film too, you would just fish it in a slightly different way...sort of more like a streamer. I enjoy the top water approach most when the fly is at rest, and a big bass zooms up to thrash it!

Fishing on golf course ponds is especially fun and rewarding, and usually there is plenty of room for your back cast! I have spent many an hour fishing those ponds after a day of scouting...while playing golf. There are a few courses I have played over the years that I have done in sort of a "biathlon way"...meaning that I would quickly flyfish on holes with ponds, and play golf on the others! My playing partners know me well, and would always expect that of me with a good chuckle! Not all course's are "Kosher" with this, so I try to exercise good judgement....

In a golf course setting, the fish tend to hang close to shore...so I suspect that being in a water craft would not be necessary...nor allowed! In those situations, or indeed any typical pond, I try to cast "left and right" of my standing position so that I am not casting to fish directly in front of me. That is to avoid spooking them. Once I cover the water adequately, I step aside to start covering new water. If you are very stealthy, and can stand far back from the pond to "scan" the waters, you may even be able to spot fish ahead of time and then move into a safe position for your cast to deliberately target specific fish.

Be sure to pinch your barb down so the fish can be released unharmed, and I'm sure that you have already thought about this.

This next comment will probably sound weird, but in certain cases, where I know that I will be catching a lot of fish...and then releasing them, I have even gone so far as to take a pair of small bolt cutters, and clip the entire hook bend off on a fly...leaving only the body...making a solid hook up impossible. In my mind, and after catching thousands of fish over the years...mainly stream trout, my biggest thrill comes from getting a fish to come out of cover to strike. I still like to bring them to hand for a picture...but not always. To me, that is the very best way to "catch and release". This is especially true of when I fish waters close to where I live, and I want strong healthy fish to be there when I go next time...or if another fisherman is plying those same waters. You miss out on the tug of war, but the fish goes away safely with only a simple case of embarrassment. In the golf course setting, I think just pinching down the barb would be enough!

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Sounds like you are not sure if there are bass in the pond. I would grab my spinning rod and wacky rig a 4 or 5 inch Yamamomo Senco type worm. That should discourage most except the larges bluegill. If still no bass, you might be chasing ghosts. If you find a bass, there are more. Time to switch back to the fly rod. My fly rod popper of choice is similar to the standard cork body panfish poppers, except the body is about 3/4 inch long and with the feathers is a total of about 4 inches. I cast and let the rings disappear. I then give a very light pull trying to create a new set of rings without moving the popper forward. I then let the rings disappear again. I continue this, often taking several minutes to retrieve my popper. If this slow presentation is putting your nerves on end, you are probably doing it right. Most strikes will usually come when the popper is dead in the water. It is amazing how many strikes I have had when I put my rod down to do something and the popper does not move for a minute. Keep in mind that a minute seems like a year when fishing poppers or Texas rigged worms.

Cyclops313 Loc: Alabama

I fly fish primarily for bluegill in a farm pond of approximately 12 acres. Over the past couple of years I have caught 3 bass ranging from 7 to 9 pounds that attacked bluegill that I had hooked on bream bugs. Yesterday I caught a 3 pounder the same way.
The bass are fun but the bluegill are fine eating.

Grizzly 17 Loc: South central Pa

Lol i was thinking the same thing. Big ole yellow eyes. What more could a fish ask for 😂😂

And Marvin Loc: Lawrence, Ks

100 oz crappie jigs

Slimshady Loc: Central Pennsylvania

All these good and I do mean good suggestions and no one mentioned a grass hopper fly. Being it’s a golf course, I would think there are a ton of live hoppers around

Asente Loc: Live in Saugerties, NY

Mouse

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

Boogle Bugs or Accardo Pecks Popping Minnow.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

you might consider getting a small (3 ft) cast net and catch some grasshoppers. it will work! Just Sayin...RJS

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

I have also used a thick bodied Muddler fished on top and it worked very well.