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panfish flies for bass?

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If you were going to be limited to more "panfish" sized flies using a 4wt, but still wanted to have a shot at some LMB, what flies would you choose to use? I've had decent success in the past with small panfish poppers, but what other options are worth a shot?

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the bass around me don't seem very picky especially in the hot summer months... if you put something in front of their noses and it is something they haven't seen before they tend to inhale it. With that said, lots of little streamers work for me... wooley buggers, little clouser minnows (tied with bead chain eyes and marabou in place of buck tail), sometimes some bigger foam spider type patterns will work too.

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LMB will take anything that a "panfish" will take; including nymphs etc. They are non-discriminatory feeders. Small crayfish patterns can be deadly, as well as damsel fly and dragon fly patterns, including the nymphs.

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LMB will take anything that a "panfish" will take; including nymphs etc. They are non-discriminatory feeders. Small crayfish patterns can be deadly, as well as damsel fly and dragon fly patterns, including the nymphs.

Perchjerker hit the nail on the head. But...at least to my experience, I had caught both them suprisingly well using a sz 12 tan Caddis larva; a caddis larva tied with pearl green & olive Lite Brite; a sz 6 yellow wooly worm; and in the fall, a hopper.

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Small frog of some type woolly buger and don't over look the foam dragon fly I have also hooked several lmb on bluegill poppers from wallmart just look up bass flys and tie some smaller vertions just be ready for a monster bluegill I caught a 2lb bluegill on a small frog fly once thought I had a 4 lb bass lol

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Bass will definitely eat up the nymphs and small buggers, Clousers, etc. If you do want to stretch the size a little, use all synthetics in a streamer. It will shed water and allow you to cast a little larger fly on your 4-weight than you could if it were tied with a zonker or other water-absorbing material.

 

Deeky

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Small frog of some type woolly buger and don't over look the foam dragon fly I have also hooked several lmb on bluegill poppers from wallmart just look up bass flys and tie some smaller vertions just be ready for a monster bluegill I caught a 2lb bluegill on a small frog fly once thought I had a 4 lb bass lol

 

The small frog interests me. Could you expound a little more or include pic or pattern. Small hair bugs? or small Poppers?

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A couple times while out chasing gills on the 3wt I was using a my #12 poppers with #18 red yarn worm off the back 12". I get all the gills on poppers and bass would take the tiny lil worm. Had fun at that.:)

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Largest bass I've caught was on a #10 white sponge spider on my 4wt - although that is only 4lbs. it was a thrill. That being said, you will increase your chances of bass by throwing a #6 fly either floater or subsurface however, that can be hard to do if the panfish are not that big. If you have a bunch of big panfish and throw a #6, you will catch them as well as interest more bass. Granted, bass will eat tiny flies, I've caught my share on #10 and know others that have caught bass on #12 & 14s, just saying the number of bass will increase with a little larger bug. Also, what someone said above about early in the year bass seem to eat small stuff much more. I've been catching quite a number of bass on 1 1/2 inch sliders and woolly buggars.

 

Kirk

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Ok small frog the complicated one made from craft foam and rubber legs

 

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Tie on back legs then push foam on hook

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And next to less complicated one no front legs on a nickle

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And I ment a panfish popper caught this little largemouth on this popper I bought at Walmart

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