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I can't speak for the Snake specifically but fishing in a river situation more than once I've caught smallies right in the with the salmon and trout using the same flies. Especially so during streamer fishing. I've found they don't feed so different from salmonids. Black bugs with rubber legs too, fishied wet. Wooly buggers, nymphs. Around here in New England Black Nosed Dace and Grey Ghosts are a hit with them. They take on a little deader drift or slower retrieve than say a salmon might but faster than a perch or chub might.. Same for striped Bass in our estuaries. Smallies like nymphs. I've caught them on caddis in caddis hatches. Up here in NE the Grey Ghost is standard fare in rivers where there are smelt ( and other smelt patterns too). You just need to find out what standard fare is on the Snake !

 

I've never heard of a smallie that doesn't like a Wooly Bugger though. I've yet to see a water body, running or still, where at some point of the day bass refuse my particular Bugger pattern, large or small mouth, large or small fish. Oh and Muddlers too. Ya know ? Smallies really aren't very fussy !! Some day I expect a Brown Trout to show up with a magnifying glass attached to it by comparison. The Brown trout remembers what stung him once or twice for eterninty, the bigger the wiser.. The bass family are good to go after it again in 20 minutes.

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That's great ! So care to share what that is ? Never know someone here may be headed that way some time .

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I have never fished for smallies on the fly, but shad, or perch imitations seem to work well. Depends on what baitfish are in the river. Try tying representative flies. Oops, didn't read the whole thread, mentally kicking myself, sorry guys.

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double-xl-bomber-01.JPG

 

Brandon,

This is the "Doulbe LX Bomber" I use on river smallies. I tie it on a 1/0 or a 2/0 wide gap hook. The Schlappen feathers that are palmered really come alive in the water.

 

Michael

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I've never fished the Snake, or west of the Mississippi for that matter, but will agree with Dave G about flies for SM. They're take almost any fly you can cast and doesn't have to be a fly actually tied for them specifically. I generally fish patterns that will imitate baitfish, crayfish, leeches or various large insects, although in some small streams I've fished for them just as anyone might for trout.

 

I use the typical flies such as Clouser Minnows, poppers, Gurglers, Sneaky Pete style sliders & Buggers, but have used & caught them on too many to list. I like the various large foam flies, those that are often intended to imitate hoppers or adult Stoneflies. Most any of the big western foam flies used for trout are good. Even use many of the same patterns, such as Lefty's Deceivers & Seaducers that I'll use in brackish water for LM bass or Striped bass.

 

For Crayfish patterns, I've gone to patterns such as Gotcha or Squimp variations, just change the colors, two flies that are popular as shrimp imitations with anglers chasing Bonefish or Redfish. Many of the crab & shrimp patterns used for saltwater flats fishing will work for SM. I tie some on different hooks, like plastic worm hooks but also tie them on saltwater hooks since I also use them in brackish water for panfish & LM bass. The bass won't care what hook you're using.

 

Intruders, those popular now with Steelhead & Salmon anglers are great for SM's. MOAL flies too, or anything tied with rabbit strips.

 

Michael, that's a good looking fly too! I've also used Bombers, Glitter Bugs & Wakers for SM, and have tied one similar to your version, but mine had a marabou tail. Sort of a floating bugger version.

 

There's been some other threads about SM & LM bass flies, so a search should reveal many possibilities. The hardest part about selecting flies for SM bass is there are so many that will work well. wink.png

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When I lived in Kentucky I caught a lot of them on big woolly buggers. It's hard to beat a good wooly bugger. They look like nothing...yet can pass for just about anything. I wouldn't go bass fishing, largemouth or smallmouth, without a box full of wooly buggers. It's the tube jig of the fly fishing world.

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I've had good luck with this pattern. I've been tying it in different sizes and colors since the late 80's. In this size and color the Smallies take it for a crayfish, their favorite food.

 

Tail: gold tan marabou

Body: gold olive crystal chenille

Hackle: pheasant rump, 2 feathers tyed in together and doubled.

Head: bead head or lead eyes depending on deep you're going to be fishing.

Hook: your favorite smallie hook, I tye the pattern to be 1.5" to 2" long.

 

Mark

post-57046-0-19977500-1440820418_thumb.jpg

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For crayfish imitations I tie a big wieghted wooly bugger and just split the tail. Tie in orange, a kind of ginger or bronze that I keep ( my tying box isn't open lol), sometimes olive or a mix. Bass tying in general, they love chartruese and greens for what ever reason and yellows, it doesn't have to look good to us just to them lol ! tHey like big grizzly black and peacock herl Wooly Buggers in Maine rivers, they may take those for a bug or stone fly nymph, who knows who cares as long as they take it !

 

I forgot chub and yellow perch patterns in my other message. Bass eat minnows as well as crayfish. I don't have a good chub minnow pattern and those are in a lot of US waters.. Of course I'm thinking New England really. I have a good 3-3-1/2" perch minnow pattern but no chub pattern as yet and no blue gill minnow pattern as yet but bass eat those too. The perch is a swimming bug pattern ( not enough deer hair to make it float), it streams well and I've seen small perch school up with it. Bass either don't take it at all or just plain clobber it like a locamotive hitting a cyclist. I spun that fly variation up off a video I saw online about tying bass bugs, just altered the head real short so it tends to sink and swim. Next I'll tie in a weed guard for some weedy areas I fish in. Up in Maine is mostly rock or silt bottom so not so much into weed guards for up there. The Kennebecks West Outlet has large smallies in it and a great 7 mile or so canoe trip involved.

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