Smallmouth flies

[coinman66 0]

The Shad is articulated with 4 segments.The white fly is craft fur and head is coated with Seal-All.

[jamesbrock3 0]

These will hunt!

[mikechell 0]

I am partial the the white fly. I like the looks of those bait fish imitators better than the game changer types.

[TheCream 0]

I don't know what it is about smallies and big Game Changers, but I have seen in person that they crave the Game Changer. Last fall I was fishing a local smalljaws flow with a friend, I was tossing a size 4 single hook streamer, he was tossing a 5" Game Changer. We both caught fish, but he caught two over 17" and my best was around 14". He fished the same section without me a week later and landed another 17+ inch smallie and had a larger fish chase down and attack his Game Changer but miss the hook. I'll be carrying a few of them this summer, for sure.

[tidewaterfly 0]

 

 

I don't know what it is about smallies and big Game Changers, but I have seen in person that they crave the Game Changer. Last fall I was fishing a local smalljaws flow with a friend, I was tossing a size 4 single hook streamer, he was tossing a 5" Game Changer. We both caught fish, but he caught two over 17" and my best was around 14". He fished the same section without me a week later and landed another 17+ inch smallie and had a larger fish chase down and attack his Game Changer but miss the hook. I'll be carrying a few of them this summer, for sure.

 

Were the two flies you guys using similar in size? You said on a size 4 hook, but didn't mention over all size. IMO, if you were using a 3" streamer & his Game Changer was 5", that may have been reason enough to try something bigger.

 

I've only seen those Game Changer flies in video's they do look like they have an action to them that would be productive. I'm just wondering if it's really that good compared to a different style fly that may just be of similar size. I know it's been discussed at great length here & on other forums, and I've said before I'm a fan of using bigger flies for Smallmouths & other fish than many will generally use. I feel that for targeting larger fish, size matters much of the time. I like bigger flies for bigger fish. Not always as nothing is always true in this sport, but more enough of the time to warrant fishing with bigger offerings if larger fish are the target.

[TheCream 0]

 

 

 

I don't know what it is about smallies and big Game Changers, but I have seen in person that they crave the Game Changer. Last fall I was fishing a local smalljaws flow with a friend, I was tossing a size 4 single hook streamer, he was tossing a 5" Game Changer. We both caught fish, but he caught two over 17" and my best was around 14". He fished the same section without me a week later and landed another 17+ inch smallie and had a larger fish chase down and attack his Game Changer but miss the hook. I'll be carrying a few of them this summer, for sure.

 

Were the two flies you guys using similar in size? You said on a size 4 hook, but didn't mention over all size. IMO, if you were using a 3" streamer & his Game Changer was 5", that may have been reason enough to try something bigger.

 

I've only seen those Game Changer flies in video's they do look like they have an action to them that would be productive. I'm just wondering if it's really that good compared to a different style fly that may just be of similar size. I know it's been discussed at great length here & on other forums, and I've said before I'm a fan of using bigger flies for Smallmouths & other fish than many will generally use. I feel that for targeting larger fish, size matters much of the time. I like bigger flies for bigger fish. Not always as nothing is always true in this sport, but more enough of the time to warrant fishing with bigger offerings if larger fish are the target.

 

 

My fly was much smaller. Half the size, I'd guesstimate. It was a size 4 Dirty Hippy on a 4XL streamer hook in size 4, and the wing hardly went much past the hook point. He was using a 5" or so Game Changer. My streamer was more in the 2.5" range, maybe 2.75".

[tidewaterfly 0]

 

 

My fly was much smaller. Half the size, I'd guesstimate. It was a size 4 Dirty Hippy on a 4XL streamer hook in size 4, and the wing hardly went much past the hook point. He was using a 5" or so Game Changer. My streamer was more in the 2.5" range, maybe 2.75".

 

Then in my opinion, it has to warrant the question, was it the fly pattern he was using, or the size difference between his fly & yours that made the difference in the number of larger fish he caught? Of course, there are always other variables, like perhaps he simply placed his fly in front of more of those bigger fish than you did.

 

I think I would be adding some of those Game Changers to my fly boxes as well if in your shoes, but wouldn't overlook the size difference issue either.

 

When I read such stories as yours, it always make me wonder what caused the big difference in productivity. On a bass site I frequent, I've read many such posts & a lot of times guys are asking opinions on answers to why. Too many times they say both anglers were fishing exactly the same or very similar gear. IMO, no matter how good we think we are, it's impossible for any two people to fish exactly the same. In most cases there's something different being done by one that's not being done by the other.

 

To me, it stands to reason that such a size difference in your flies might be a good place to start, but the action of the two flies could certainly be the "Game Changer"!

 

Sorry, couldn't help the joke!