I have been fly fishing salmon and other big species of fish for 30 years or more and I always tend to start with a big goofy looking top water fly but the truth is I have caught far more large fish on smaller flies, like I use on small streams and brooks for brook trout. I guess I always think big flies catch big fish so I always give them the first shot.

Heck I remember a particular day that I was the only one hooking Atlantic salmon, on almost every cast I made. The guys around the pool started asking me what I was using after the third or fourth hook up. Of course I played the guessing game for a while. Then I gave in and shared two of my flies with my fly fishing buddies.

I lost a couple of those flies, one landed way up a tree I wasn’t ready to climb, another I broke the hook on a big rock that kept getting in the way of my back cast and a couple, well the salmon liked them so much they kept them when they got away.

Before long I was down to my last fly, maybe I should have kept them secret. Anyways we decided to drive back to the closest town that had a fly shop, as I didn’t bother bringing my fly tying kit with me on that day. DUH!!

We got back to town, a 30 mile trip, and I purchased a handful as did my two fishing buddies and we headed back up to our camp site for lunch and then back to the salmon pool. That’s a weekend I will not soon forget.

My point is that small flies will some times catch fish that aren’t looking at big flies. And sharing with friends is a good thing. I would much rather have everyone having a good time as long as I am catching fish.

It looked like a green machine, made of brown deer hair and tied on a hook between #12 and #16, so it’s not very big at all. It had no hackle, just the brown deer hair but it worked like I have never seen a fly work on Atlantic salmon.

Note: The day we fished with this little deer hair bug fly it was hot and had been hot for a week or so. The water level was extremely low and the water temperature was much higher than normal for that time of year.

So the materials for this Deer Hair Salmon Fly:

Wet Fly Hook: #12 – #16

Thread: Black

Body Material: deer hair

Fly fishing for trout and salmon is great fun and I have been doing that for 30 years or so but I don’t like to stop there when it comes to fly fishing. Chain pickerel and smallmouth bass love to smash big bugs too. If you haven’t tried fly fishing for pickerel, pike and bass then you are missing out on an awesome experience. Once that you will want to have over and over just like I do.

This year my fishing buddy Jamie is going to experience fly fishing for New Brunswick’s chain pickerel and smallmouth bass and I guarantee you that he will be dreaming about how much fun it is. Jamie and I been fishing together for a couple of years now and he’s never given it a try. He does fly fish for trout but has yet to experience what a pickerel or a big bass can do for one’s fly fishing experience.

The video above is an example of how you can create a big bug that these pickerel and bass love to annihilate. It’s a very basic video but really it’s all you need to know. Once you have the deer hair bug all tied up you can then shape it into whatever you want to throw. I love through mice a bass and pickerel and I don’t even need to put those little eyes and ears to get the job done. The fish don’t seem to mind a bare bug at all.

You don’t need much for fly tying materials to tie up a bass bug. Just need a hook, thread, deer or elk hair, a hair stacker and some head cement to secure the thread and make the head shiny.

• Hooks: Bass Bug Hook in what ever size you want. I usually go big or stay home.
• Thread: I keep a dozen or so colours and use the colour that matches the fly.
• Deer Hair: I use deer hair that has been died various colours so that I can tie my flies in the colours I prefer. But I do like the nature colour of deer hair.
• Hair Stacker: A hair stacker will help you to get the butt ends of the hairs to all line up for easier spinning on the hook.
• Head Cement: This is what you use to secure the thread to your fly. Usually used on the head of the fly.

Go ahead, give fly fishing for bass and pickerel a try and I am sure you will be tying a lot more flies and having an entirely new fly fishing experience. Enjoy

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I have had the desire to be in a big bass tournament for many years but life has just been too busy. It would also be great if it were a fly fishing bass tournament, now that would be really awesome.

But I know that there are many fishers who would jump at the opportunity to enter a pro bass trophy fishing tournament. When I am out fishing with my buddies the subject comes up at least once any time we are bass fishing on the fly rod.

I can’t really blame anyone as I know a few people that are in bass tournaments so it’s just a matter of taking action steps necessary to enter a tournament.

The following are some pro bass fishing tips to think about.

Tip #1. Being involved with  pro bass fishing means you need to educate yourself in all things bass fishing. I personally enjoy bass fishing, well fishing all species here in New Brunswick but I just fish to have fun and don’t necessarily remember all the things I should to do well in a tournament.

Tip #2. It will also help your chances in a bass fishing tourney if you have the necessary equipment. Some how I don’t see myself winning a pro bass fishing tournament from my float tube or canoe, but day to day fun fishing they work great.

Tip #3. Proper fishing rods, reels and tackle along with the skill to use them in the right conditions, so it’s worth spending a bit of extra cash to get the best you can get for tournament fishing. Nothing is more depressing than losing your catch because of poor equipment.

Back To Basics

You might want or think that you have to own all the pro bass fishing equipment that there is on the market, but of course this isn’t feasible. A good way to go about it is to buy equipment steadily over time as you gain more experience. However, to begin there is equipment that is essential to have. One such item is a pro bass fishing rod. These rods come at a very steep price, and can cost thousands of dollars. But if you expect to compete at the highest level, then is the type of equipment you will need.

Before buying any equipment, know how much money you can spend. With all the wonderful equipment that is available on the market, one might get a bit over zealous and spend more than they can truly afford. An item that is not so expensive, but can help with technique and understanding more about pro bass fishing is the Pro Bass fishing game. You will have fun playing it while learning more about the sport.

An important aspect of successful pro bass fishing is selecting the correct lures. Understanding the various lures is necessary because on the market you will find thousands of different baits available. The easiest to master and provide the greatest consistency. You will have your choice of a wide selection of these as well. The spinner bait gives far greater versatility though. Looking through a quality bass fishing guide will assist you considerably in this area as well.

Remember, in order to achieve greatness at pro bass fishing as with anything else in life, you must have the prerequisite knowledge to do so. The more you know, the greater chance you have at succeeding. As you get more experience, over time you will increase your knowledge of the sport. Also, the evolution of equipment will continue to grow so don’t be in a hurry right away to buy the best pro bass fishing equipment.

See Also: Pro Bass Fishing Tour: What is the best location?

Fly fishing vests are an indispensable part of your fly fishing equipment. With the different styles of fishing such as dry fly and wet fly, carrying the equipment for each style required can become quite a load. A good quality fly fishing vest is designed to keep everything organized and within easy reach, and in doing so make each outing an enjoyable and hopefully unforgeable experience.

As an illustration a days outing on a far-flung river requires that you carry certain supplies. The fishing could change from fishing fast water where you are fishing with a heavy nymph, or to clear deep pools using a sinking line and streamer fly. You also could to encounter back eddies and shallow ponds where one could use a floating line and a dry fly. All of these conditions require varying lines and fishing flies. Being caught out by not carrying the right gear or equipment can be disappointing.

Depending on the time you have you may also want to carry some nourishment. Should I spend a day on the river I would usually take lunch, a small billy and gas cooker if the area to be fished was in a fire restricted area. Also wet weather gear and spare clothing in the way of light weight but warm polypropelene shirt, socks and leggings. All of this gear requires a serious, good quality fishing vest.

Not only is the fly fishing vest a great way to keep organized, but also ensures that you have everything you need. By setting up your vest properly you can leave everything inside ensuring that the next time you venture out everything is where it should be. Get used to having the same things in each pocket so you can instinctively find whatever it is you need. The majority of vests these days have a host of pockets and compartments for whatever it is you need. Camera pouch, cell phone compartments, sunglasses, fly boxes, the list goes on.

Most people will have need for different fly vests. Its a good idea to have two, one to for fishing from a boat, canoe or where you know what to expect such as my preferred and lakes rivers an streams. This is a general pupose vest for general gear such as flies, leaders, a spare line, and a few tools. On the other side is a full day pack / vest that can house various reels, lines and apparatus for a long day hike.

Obviously the fishing vest you choose will suit your style of fishing, be prepared to spend a little extra and opt for quallity fly fishing vests such as a simms fishing vest, Like the rest of your fly equipment good quality will give years of enjoyment and fond memories.

People tend to think of fish as having small brains and relate that to them not being to bright, but I have always thought otherwise.

At first I thought I was maybe just getting a little sloppy with my casting or fly tying over the years, or maybe it’s my approach to the water when I am fly fishing, but sometimes it seems tough to catch those trout like I used to. Perhaps it’s because they aren’t as limited to learn as we once thought.

I was just reading a great little article about the memory of a fish. Take a couple of minutes and visit The Bow River Blog and read the article for yourself.

I am sure they are looking at my artificial flies and laughing some day, maybe I need to do a better job to make them appear more real or find murky water.