A couple smallmouth

[zum]

Pretty much a beginner with a flyrod,only using it a couple times a year,fishing for brookies in small steams.A few times last year I brought the flyrod out,to try for some smallies and pickerel,lake fishing.Landed acouple but would always keep going back to a baitcaster or spinning reel.This year is going to be different,havn't even brought a baitcaster or spinning reel in the boat with me.
I must say I was pretty tired the first time out.All that casting,false casting,stripping line and wind can really tire a fella out.I'm so used to running a gunning that I have to learn to slow down a bit.
Anyways,went out yesterday and landed a chain pickerel and 20+ small smallmouth,2 weren't to bad,the second being over 2 lbs.


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2juaOhYmjA&feature=share&list=UUKNJyqMRClrjQwSRnjvmBbg]Smallmouth topwater flyfishing - YouTube[/ame]

I'm using a 7wt rod(shorestalker),ovris bass taper with a ross fly start reel.
I found I was loosing a few fish with a steamer(conehead zonkers?),so switched to top water,lots more fun to video.I was finding that the fish would follow the steamer right up to the boat,a few real nice ones but then they would just swim away.I must not be giving the fly the right action,need more practice.
Acouple more questions come to mind,like when to you decide to play the fish on the reel or how often do you change up the fly when you know the fish are there?
Sorry for the longish post and if you watch the video,don't blame me for the music,I don't have any(music)on this computer and the daughter put it on for me.

 

[mcnerney]

Congrats on sticking with the fly rod and the nice work on the video! Smallmouth on a fly rod sure is a lot of fun. From habit I like to get a fish on the reel as quick as possible, but for smaller fish it doesn't really matter all that much, you can fight the fish holding the line. As far as changing flies, I will usually stick with a particular fly until I see tha it isn't producing and then change.

 

[riverbilly]

Bass on top are a blast. That's a fun video.

I've found that if fish are following your fly but not taking it - I call it "eyeballing" - using something with more flash or more movement can help. I'll tie something shiny, like with ice dubbing, and for movement maybe some rubber legs to make it look more natural.
I'll also use long quick strips to get a reaction bite.

As for playing fish on the reel, I never do with bass. I like to fight them myself - rod bending, line streching, fish jumping, that's the fun of it. I use a heavy tippet though (1x or 2x usually), with lighter tippets you may need the drag to keep from breaking off.

Yea, put those baitcasters in the closet and go have fun.

 

[zum]

Thanks for the replies.
Not sure on what type fly I was even using,thinking a swimming frog?Looks similar to a sculpin/zoo cougar or a dalberg diver.Probably going to have to learn how to tie a few,as catching bass/pickerel took it's toll.
I've been lurking this site for awhile now,not asking to many questions but I certainly do a lot of reading.
As far as tippet size,I was using mono at first about 4' of 30 and 2' of 20lbs(6'),was thinking maybe that's why the fish weren't biting the steamers.Switched to fluorocarbon,still thick at 4'-40lbs to 2'-20lbs.I use it that thick because at times I can catch more pickerel then smallmouth.I like the way the fluro would sink a bit making the fly dive and then surface when stopped.
I still have to see how it goes without the baitcasters,I love throwing a buzzbait and big stickbaits in the fall.I thick a fly might resemble a big stickbait but the buzzbait...