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Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the Fish-Hawk forums. After visiting the Fish-Hawk forums for quite a while, I finally decided I should join and make some posts of my own.

I got out today for some urban smallmouth on the Rideau River in Ottawa. The fishing was hot for the first 20 minutes before the sun went below the horizon. I landed 7 with the largest one being about 15".

<img src="http://www.algonkinflyfishers.com/coppe ... Bass_2.jpg">

The fishing slowed down for the next hour and a half. I only landed 4 small ones.

All in all it was a great evening out. My top fly for this evening was an Olive Rubber Legged Woolly Bugger.

Cheers,

Salar

Nice flyrod smallie. They have a hard time resisting an olive wb. What size of gear were you using?

Welcome aboard and feel free to join in on the group outings that get posted here.....

Welcome to Fish-hawk! Another fly-fisher...you guys are picking up momentum

Great report. Thanks for sharing.

Yep sure looks like a fly fisherman . Orvis breathables, Columbia vest...is that a Sage rod too.

Welcome aboard

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum.

The setup I was using is a 9ft 5wt Sage Fli with a type III full sink line and 5ft of 3x fluorocarbon (approximately 6lb test). I find I have been doing well catching smallmouth by dredging the bottom of the deeper pools on a full sink line with Woolly buggers and crayfish imitations. I usually manage to land a few even when they’re being tight lipped. I caught my first walleye on the fly this season using the same method.

Cheers,

Salar

I thought it was pretty funny that I was analyzing the gear in your photo and then read another post about your gear later on. I started last year with the same waders and the same rod. I switched to the same same size and weight rod by Loomis later in the summer because I liked the feel so much, but I still like the Fli for a backup (which I was glad to have late last season, when I broke my Loomis on the Salmon River -- You gotta love the lifetime warranties so many manufacturers give). My waders need the occasional patch, but they sure are comfy.

I added what looks like the same wading staff earlier this summer. I seldom use it during the day, but it has made a huge difference at night.

I would suggest that, at least earlier in the summer, you try a floating line and a popper or a dry fly. Either way, smallmouth are a blast. Sure, woolly buggers and crayfish may well be more efficient, but the way they hit something on the surface is serious fun. With trout, the efficiency of a nymph or streamer compared to a dry fly usually makes me go sub-surface, but there is enough top-water action with bass, at least in July, that I usually can't resist.

From "regular" (i.e. non-fly-fishing) books I have read, it sounds like the bass go deeper and hit something on the surface less often as we get into August and September. That is something I have been meaning to test. If you have experience with this it would be interesting to hear. In any event, you should look for some some surface action when you can find it.

Nice report. I hope you will provide more about bass. If you have not done so already, at some point, give trout a try.

Manfred

Although my experience with poppers is somewhat limited, I find that it’s hit or miss on whether the bass are in the mood for poppers. I’d have to admit though that there are days when a Chernobyl Ant will out-fish subsurface methods. I agree with you that earlier in the summer is best when trying a surface presentation.

The majority of the fly fishing that I do is for trout. I prefer short line nymphing on streams and rivers (Salmon, Chateaugay, Ausable, etc.). My favourite species on the fly would have to be Atlantic Salmon. I have been fortunate enough to fly fish for Atlantic Salmon for each of the past three years on the Margaree River in Nova Scotia. Last year I landed my first one. It was a beautiful 12lber

Cheers,

Salar

beachburger and I were out on the Rideau yesterday evening and couldn't keep the smallies off the poppers. My personal choice for the Rideau are the small panfish poppers (#10 - Black). #8 Stimulators and foam stones worked as well, given the nice Hex emergence yesterday evening.