Perch and bass fly patterns

[Flyfisher87 0]

I haven't tied many flies for freshwater. What are some good patterns for both bass and perch? Thanks in advance.

[perchjerker 0]

The same basic patterns for trout are great for 'perch', assuming you mean sunfish, as well as LMB on occasion. Remember, mayflies, caddis flies, grasshoppers, crickets, etc., are ubiquitous and are fed on by most all freshwater species; especially the sunfishes.

[deeky 0]

If you are talking yellow perch, they are big minnow-feeders and feed near the bottom. The few perch I've caught on the fly have been on Clousers. When they are on, they can be aggressive feeders.

 

Deeky

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

also try wiggler flies and grub flies for perch

[mainbutter 0]

To target perch on the fly, you need to consider what they are eating with regard to the season.

 

Perch behavior starting in fall goes like this:

 

Fall - minnows

Early winter - minnows

Late winter - minnows start to die off and become much more difficult to prey on, and bugs on the mud flats become prime forage

 

In MN near the metro right now, perch are still on a bug bite. I'll fish anywhere with shallow mud that might be warmer than other parts of the lake. I like a #16 scud hook that I tie with a simple bit of orange-y dubbing and a short tail of any fiber I have lying around to mimic a freshwater shrimp or other generic water "bug".

 

After you start seeing minnows around in the shallows you can feel free to start using minnow patterns. Keep it small, keep your minnow patterns skinny. I'd probably stick to a #10-#6 streamer hook. Sometimes downsizing can be the key with perch.

 

Fish deep. Fish slow when you are on them. Pound those bugs into the mud and let them settle, then start to swim them slowly. The small mud cloud will bring in perch nearby.

 

I haven't chased LMB much on a fly rod. I've caught a few on panfish poppers on my 4wt, and a few on small woolly buggers. My list of current top choice LMB flies awaiting opener:

 

- dalhberg diver

- deer hair mouse

- meat whistle

- EP baitfish

- clouser

- lefty's deceiver

- a few crayfish patterns

- various rabbit strip flies

- murdich minnow

[tidewaterfly 0]

In some places, "perch" are the what the rest of us call Crappies. Makes no difference, White Perch, Yellow Perch or Crappies will all eat the same things. Anything such as dry flies, nymphs, wet flies & streamers will all work. As some of the others have said, time of year & where you are will usually determine what they're actively feeding on, but I've never found them to be particular. All the flies already mentioned have worked for me.

 

I often tie Bonefish style flies, such as Gotcha's & Crazy Charlies for chasing all three.

 

One of my favorite flies for shallow water has been a simple feather wing streamer, or wet fly. Use a streamer or nymph style hook, a tinsel body, a couple of hackles for the wing, a couple of strands of flash (usually pearl) & a wrapped hackle collar. I primarily tie them in basic colors, such as white with a red, pink or chartreuse collar, or all white. Sometimes yellow & red, and black also. Most of the flies I use for these species are tied on size 2 to 8 hooks, and most of the fish are in the 6 to 13 inch range.

 

Many years ago, I caught an 18" Crappie in a pond, on a 2/0 size bass popper, while fishing for bass, so it's a good idea to experiment with sizes some. Any of these species can get large so you never know what you might catch!

[Glista 0]

Some good advice on this thread for sure. If you want to target perch and bass at the same time I would go with deeky’s advice and go with the Clousers. Perch are big minnow eaters as are Bass.

[perchjerker 0]

My all-time favorite fly for bream was the open-cell foam spider bodies that Herter's sold. They sank quite well, and with a few very flexible white legs, that fluttered as they sank, they were DEADLY! Wish I could still get them. Everything available today is 'closed-cell' and floats. As far as bug size goes, I have caught 3-4 lb LMB on #12 poppers and bluegills on #1 deerhair bass bugs! Go figure!

 

One interesting side note is that the big bass I catch on the smaller bugs are almost invariably hooked in the tongue! It sure makes hook setting a snap. Rarely, they are hooked in the roof of the mouth; but never in the jaw.