[jerrybait]

first post ,hello all and the question is/ been going to the local reservor and no luck at all useing popers i've been told by locals small month and bluegills are abundant and are easy ,as the site is way under fished,,locals are not fly fishermen...any help?????very new here to flys......

[dogger]

I have never had luck with poppers, I can't explain it. Went with flies, fish, fish, fish. Poppers, cast, cast, cast, cast, cast,cast.

Back to flies, back to fish.

It's possible that the timing wasn't right for poppers

[hardhat]

Very funny dogger, great reply. When I fish an unkown lake or pond for pan fish I start out with some wooly buggers or leeches. I hope I can be like Dogger and fish fish fish.

[Frank Whiton]

Hi jerrybait,

Welcome to the forum.

Here is a good article on catching Smallmouth on the surface.

If surface flies are not working you have to shift gears and try something else. In this case I would be fishing sub-surface especially for Bluegills. Bluegills like flies with rubber legs and not too big.

For the Smallmouth I would try something with movement like a Bead-Head Wooly Bugger. Get you some Clauser Minnows and Deep Clauser Minnows in size 6.

Below are some of the best Smallmouth Flies for topwater and sub-surface action.

• Stonefly Bugger - size 6
• Franke Hellgrammite - size 4
• Clouser Minnow - size 6
• Clouser Deep Minnow - Size 6
• Gaines' Sneaky Pete - size 4
• Crayfish - size 8
• Popper size 4 - 6
• Zonkers size 4 - 6
• Bead Head Woolly Bugger size 4-6
• Dragonfly size 4-6
• Foam Slider size 6
• Sculpin size 8
• Woolly Grubber Size 6 - The Wooly Grubber is a Woolly Bugger with a twister tail

[Fishstick]

What's the water temp and depth? Often, this late is the season when the heat is on the fish stay and feed in the deeper/cooler water.

[tightlines57]

It was 100 plus in Phoenix late yesterday AM. In 2 hours time I caught and released a dozen bass, all on yellow or green poppers. Lots of various bugs flying around in the summer, probably why poppers work so well.

[jerrybait]

thanks for the info guys....i will not give up !!!!!frank's info on flies great what if i use a smaller fly /popper 8-12 in those patterns will i get hit ..or will it be harder to hook?????i"m set up for 8-12 size hook 0n a 5 wt.i know its a hand "fool "for a big small mounth but just give me a try!!!!

[Frank Whiton]

Hi jerrybait,

No problem with the smaller poppers but you will catch mostly Bluegills. If you want to catch Bluegills I would try a Yuk Bug.