Smallmouth Topwater

[feathers5 0]

Can anyone recommend a place to buy top water smallmouth flies and which flies I should buy to get started fishing? I've tied sinking patterns, but I don't have the time right now, to tie poppers. I tie my own trout flies and I'm in the midst of tying flies for my trip out West in about 20 days. I fished for smallies for the first time on Wednesday and had a good time. I figure it would be even more fun to hook them on top.

Thanks,

Bruce

[j74snook 0]

Your a bad boy feathers 5! We dont talk about buying flies. :j_k:

[silverbullet32 0]

bass pro chops carries quite a few poppers for bass and panfish, look at their selection

 

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s...p;currentpage=1

 

but you gotta try tying your own. im a beginner at tying and bass poppers are alot of fun!

[flykid 0]

Get ahold of Day5 who is a member here. His site may have some topwater bass stuff, but also maybe not. Either way he's got some great smallie stuff.

[younggun22 0]

Try to look up betts poppers on google. They have som totally sweet selections for any predatoyr gamefish including smallmouth

 

[flydude 0]

May i suggest silverbullet32. Not saying he will he might not be able to at the time but pm him and he can make some seriously cool and nice lookin poppers. Roby

[flydude 0]

Just asked him he said if you are interested to just pm him and he will talk to you and you can tell him what colors you would like and he will give you a price so pm him check out his avatar he posted on this thread. Roby

[feathers5 0]

Thanks, Guys: I tie my own trout flies. I'd enjoy tying smallmouth flies, but I wouldn't even know where to get started. Do I buy preformed colored popper bodies? What colors? What sizes? What size hooks? Where to buy them? What kind of poppers; short, fat. pencil, etc. etc. etc.? I could use help, that's for sure.

 

In other words how do I get started?

 

Like I said, I'm tying trout flies right now. :bs:

 

I guess you guys caught me. I'm just looking for the easy way out. :dunno:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just asked him he said if you are interested to just pm him and he will talk to you and you can tell him what colors you would like and he will give you a price so pm him check out his avatar he posted on this thread. Roby

 

[VERN-O 0]

I tie a few foam fly patterns for smallies.....crease flies, foam head minnows, foam hoppers,and STP Frogs.......send me a PM and we can discuss some other options......the foam cutters I get through www.riverroadcreations.com The other thing is are you fishing lakes/ponds or rivers for smallies???

[day5 0]

I use preformed bodies and color doesnt matter as much as presentation. White or orange bellies in the day red and black bellies at night. The tailing is not as important eaither it just adds a bit of flair. Makes other people go OOOOOO!!!! Some hackle some flash some feathers. DO not kill your self over it.

[feathers5 0]

Forgot. I'll be fishing rivers for smallmouths.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I use preformed bodies and color doesnt matter as much as presentation. White or orange bellies in the day red and black bellies at night. The tailing is not as important eaither it just adds a bit of flair. Makes other people go OOOOOO!!!! Some hackle some flash some feathers. DO not kill your self over it.

 

[day5 0]

rivers or lakes it dosent matter

[tidewaterfly 0]

Most any topwater type fly will work on Smallmouths. Like Day5 said, don't kill yourself over it. Keep it simple. Poppers, sliders, gurglers, divers. They all work.

Since you're already tying trout flies, many of the larger dry flies & particularly foam flies work just fine too. Try some Chernobyl Ants or Hoppers on size 4 or 6 hooks. They're easy to make.

 

The size of the fly will depend on the waters being fished, what size rod you're using & the size of the fish in those waters. Smallmouths will eat big flies, but on small or medium size streams you will be fine with flies in the size 8 to 2 range.

 

Check out "Lefty's Bug". It's a cork stopper or preformed head, & a short tail of hair. Add a few strands of flash & fish it. I've caught hundreds of bass on them & they work great in streams.You can make some with the small end of the cork at the front & they become a slider. Easy & simple.

 

Here's link to a Lefty's Bug

[JJD 0]

Simple + Effective topwater = Crease flies and gurglers. Tailing, craft foam, and a few minutes.

[getholdofjoru 0]

Alot of folks are using foam cut from flip flops. These seem pretty nice but I can't attest to how well they float. Personally, I buy poppers because I can't keep up the tying with my fishing. But yes, some of the cheaper ones have real crappy hooks, especially the Betts ones, you have to keep a file handy at all times to keep a point on the tip. Also, the paint is real crappy and chips off easily.