Fly Fishing for Bass: The Float and Fly Rig

[@fishhandsfranky]

Spotted bass get no love. Great fish. Cool technique with the swivels. They are key to keeping line twist out of heavy/awkward rigs.

[@larryperkins8462]

beautiful lake and some good fish

[@nmflyfisher]

I’ve had really good luck with poppers and kreelexes. Never thought to try something like that, pretty neat

[@dbatesiv4921]

Use a version of this technique with crawfish flies under a bobber for small streams and smallmouth. Downstream mends and jerks to give the flu some action. The takes are so aggressive. Great way to fish.

[@AboutTrout]

Awesome!

[@GunBrosShooting]

love learning new techniques like this

[@AboutTrout]

Great to hear! It was a blast trying something new.

[@RoryLynott]

Awesome. For those touchy fish. Bobber down!!

[@huntsail3727]

Interesting. Would like to have seen how this rig casts, and if you guys altered your casting stroke in any way to accommodate the unusual setup.

[@AboutTrout]

Fishing these longer rigs and heavier set ups we used a “scissor strip” when setting. Casting wise the 6wts did a good job of turning the rig over. Hesitating on the back cast and letting the rod properly load was key.

[@huntsail3727]

@@AboutTrout Thanks, makes sense. Will give it a try.

[@worange6208]

Awesome video, Ima try this on my lake! I seen James on the Juan and he may think you’re his friend “Chris,” but he is cool guy and he is NOT a jerk on the water lol.

[@AboutTrout]

😂😂😂😂

[@jimholland1592]

Hey James ☕️☕️ I do bass fish and catfish, but when it is to warm for trout I love hooking into a god catfish 🤣🤣🤣 thanks for all your content 😉👍

[@AboutTrout]

Have you tried the float and fly before? Or do you mostly strip flies?

[@jimholland1592]

@@AboutTrout Yes I do. Ok, when I target catfish, I use a Y2K or a squirmy worm. The squirmy I call the Medusa, I put two or more squirmy on a jig hook with a 3mm tungsten bead. I just have to find what part of the water column they are in. It takes a little time but it will happen. I never fish it right on the bottom. This chapter of my life all I am able to do is fish from a boat or still water. I am have both knees and hips replaced. Then my back, I still water fish from a chair. And I am learning a lot, I am out almost every day. Really enjoy your content it a fresh perspective.

[@dantheman7624]

Bass on Morgan James....lets go!!!

[@AboutTrout]

Let’s do it!

[@LetYourSpiritFly]

Whaaaaaaaat? I didn’t know you knew fly fishing for bass! 😂😎

[@AboutTrout]

Gotta keep things mysterious

[@LetYourSpiritFly]

@@AboutTrout that’s good man! Glad to see you out there enjoying yourself 🎣

[@driftstone]

At those depths, I'd love to see a side by side with someone fishing a midge tip and stripping those leeches back.

[@AboutTrout]

I’m not sure. It would be cool to test. I know the Cali guys lead with this technique when guiding but indicator fishing is also the most user friendly for newer anglers.

[@pmdun45698]

Lots of bass fishermen use Thill pro series slip unweighted float with adjustable bobber stops. I bet your set-up could be used on a spinning rod too.

[@AboutTrout]

To my knowledge it was first done with conventional and adapted to fly. The conventional bass world is always on the cutting edge.

[@SeaSlider33]

What size bead on the fly that doesn’t overpower the float yet will allow it to work properly? Thanks

[@AboutTrout]

The Jaydicator is berry buoyant. I think the bead size on the leech was a 3.8 tungsten slotted

[@AboutTrout]

The Jaydicator is pretty buoyant. I believe the leech had a 3.8mm tungsten slotted bead.

[@pianomoverr]

My neck of the woods.

[@chrischapman2056]

How are you fishing this rig? Is it mainly just chuck it and leave it or are you twitching it back?

[@AboutTrout]

We just chucked it and left it for the most part. The bass were suspended off the banks. I have never fished this way and just let my guide buddy lead me through the process lol. Fun way to fish.

[@coreytohme9861]

​@@AboutTrout As "they" say, "don't guide the guide" and there's also "When in Rome....."

[@AboutTrout]

@@coreytohme9861 nah fam. Bens energy has opened my mind to all powers of fly fishing

[@coreytohme9861]

@@AboutTrout Exactly. And if you wouldn't have let him lead the way on his water, you would never have been enlightened.