# Fly fish for shoal bass



## guywholikeshunting (Sep 6, 2013)

Any tips on fly fishing for shoal bass in the ocmulgee?  Wanna try it..


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## thedudeabides (Sep 6, 2013)

Small plastics - crawfish


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## Paymaster (Sep 6, 2013)

Stealth Bomber flies and woolybuggers.


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## flyhigh420 (Sep 8, 2013)

thedudeabides said:


> Small plastics - crawfish



that wouldn't be fly fishing


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## Paymaster (Sep 9, 2013)

flyhigh420 said:


> that wouldn't be fly fishing



Would be with these.


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## thedudeabides (Sep 9, 2013)

flyhigh420 said:


> that wouldn't be fly fishing



If it's done with a fly rod, the argument can be made that it is fly fishing. Probably best not to open up a can of worms though. 

Paymaster, those are sweet.


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## Randy (Sep 9, 2013)

flyhigh420 said:


> that wouldn't be fly fishing



Oh yes it would.  And you'd catch plenty of fish too.  You want to fly fish the Ocmulgee?  Come go with me.


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## Randy (Sep 9, 2013)

Stealth Bombers
Any crawfish imitation
Any baitfish imitation like Cowens Coyote.


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## flyhigh420 (Sep 15, 2013)

Paymaster said:


> Would be with these.



yeah, those are awesome. using soft plastics with a fly rod defeats about 50% of the purpose. That's awesome you can cast but using a machine created soft plastic crawfish puts you on the same level as a gear chucker


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## fredw (Sep 15, 2013)

> using soft plastics with a fly rod defeats about 50% of the purpose.


  Of your purpose perhaps?  Are you one of those elitist fly fishermen we hear about?


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## thedudeabides (Sep 16, 2013)

flyhigh420 said:


> yeah, those are awesome. using soft plastics with a fly rod defeats about 50% of the purpose. That's awesome you can cast but using a machine created soft plastic crawfish puts you on the same level as a gear chucker



Well that's just like.... your opinion. Man


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## Randy (Sep 16, 2013)

flyhigh420 said:


> yeah, those are awesome. using soft plastics with a fly rod defeats about 50% of the purpose. That's awesome you can cast but using a machine created soft plastic crawfish puts you on the same level as a gear chucker



As opposed to using flies tied in Mexico?  It's about catching fish or at least teying too, not casting a line.


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## FERAL ONE (Sep 17, 2013)

if ANY material in the fly is not natural it is no different than using a small plastic bait. the delivery is with a fly rod and the limitations or lack thereof are the same.  i'd say you are "making folks who actually fly fish" look bad .....


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## thedudeabides (Sep 17, 2013)

Probably best not to open up a can of worms though. QUOTE said:
			
		

> Annnnnnd it's open


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## Paymaster (Sep 17, 2013)

Using a flyrod does not constitute flyfishing. Using a fly with your flyrod does.


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## centerpin fan (Sep 17, 2013)

Jack Ellis, a big fan of throwing soft plastics on the fly rod, refers to the practice as "bassin' with a fly rod":


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## thedudeabides (Sep 17, 2013)

So are these fly-fishing ?? Seems a little fishy 

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=63tt


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## Paymaster (Sep 17, 2013)

When someone uses the term "soft plastics", I consider them speaking of a lure, with a hook attached to the end of a leader and an interchangable plastic body that can be replaced without removing the hook from the line. The orvis pic is, in my opinion, a fly though not a made with natural materials, a fly none the less. To change out, the hook would need to be removed from the line and a new fly placed.When I was a kid, I used to cat fish with a flyrod with spin cast reel and chicken liver. I was not flyfishing.


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## Randy (Sep 17, 2013)

Call is what you want.  I just want to catch fish.  And throwing soft plastics on a fly rod is totally different that the throwning them on spin gear.  I don't always use plastics either.  Sunday I caught over 50 bass on the river including a 5 pound spot.  Most caught on a stealth bomber.  But when the fishing gets tough, I have no problem throwing small plastics.  As for giving fly fishermen a bad name, most of the elitests do a good enough job of that.  I am friends with some very well known fly fishermen.  Many that even design flies.  The say that using a fly rod with soft plastics is fly fishing.  I respect their opinions highly so.....


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## Paymaster (Sep 17, 2013)

Randy said:


> Call is what you want.  I just want to catch fish.  And throwing soft plastics on a fly rod is totally different that the throwning them on spin gear.  I don't always use plastics either.  Sunday I caught over 50 bass on the river including a 5 pound spot.  Most caught on a stealth bomber.  But when the fishing gets tough, I have no problem throwing small plastics.  As for giving fly fishermen a bad name, most of the elitests do a good enough job of that.  I am friends with some very well known fly fishermen.  Many that even design flies.  The say that using a fly rod with soft plastics is fly fishing.  I respect their opinions highly so.....



Yeah and I am friends with folks that cook in a crock pot and call it BBQ, so there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## thedudeabides (Sep 17, 2013)

Paymaster said:


> When someone uses the term "soft plastics", I consider them speaking of a lure, with a hook attached to the end of a leader and an interchangable plastic body that can be replaced without removing the hook from the line. The orvis pic is, in my opinion, a fly though not a made with natural materials, a fly none the less. To change out, the hook would need to be removed from the line and a new fly placed.When I was a kid, I used to cat fish with a flyrod with spin cast reel and chicken liver. I was not flyfishing.



Well yeah.... but you were using a spinning reel and chicken liver.


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## Georgia Hard Hunter (Sep 17, 2013)

I'm not too concerned about using "natural materials" being fly fishing. I do hold to the idea that to be considered a "fly" all materials must be tied onto the hook not glued or hooked thru the hook. Using this definition I was able to adapt a plastic crawfish into a fly by tying it on but truth be told a Woolly Bugger works better, is easier to cast, and is more effective in catching fish.


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## thedudeabides (Sep 17, 2013)

Randy said:


> Call is what you want.  I just want to catch fish.  And throwing soft plastics on a fly rod is totally different that the throwning them on spin gear.  I don't always use plastics either.  Sunday I caught over 50 bass on the river including a 5 pound spot.  Most caught on a stealth bomber.  But when the fishing gets tough, I have no problem throwing small plastics.  As for giving fly fishermen a bad name, most of the elitests do a good enough job of that.  I am friends with some very well known fly fishermen.  Many that even design flies.  The say that using a fly rod with soft plastics is fly fishing.  I respect their opinions highly so.....




You should take me next time


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## Randy (Sep 17, 2013)

thedudeabides said:


> You should take me next time



You're welcome to go any time.


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## franklinZappa (Sep 17, 2013)

flyhigh420 said:


> that wouldn't be fly fishing



Were you born on April the 20th?

If it ain't got feathers or fur, it ain't fly fishing.

The fly in fly fishing is, well, a fly.

Otherwise I'd be flying around real high while I was flyfishing.

Wait, what?


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## Sweetwater (Sep 17, 2013)

thedudeabides said:


> Well that's just like.... your opinion. Man







franklinZappa said:


> Were you born on April the 20th?
> 
> If it ain't got feathers or fur, it ain't fly fishing.
> 
> ...



I'm confiscating that and taking it straight to the evidence room young man. No No:

After hitting the krispy kreme for donuts and doritos.


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## friendlyfisher15 (Sep 18, 2013)

centerpin fan said:


> Jack Ellis, a big fan of throwing soft plastics on the fly rod, refers to the practice as "bassin' with a fly rod":
> 
> 
> View attachment 751012



well if jack ellis is doing it than i guess its alright.


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Sep 19, 2013)

Honestly, it doesn't matter.  Every sportsman places restrictions on himself in some way or the other.  Some deer hunters only bowhunt because they like the challenge.  Some anglers only use a fly rod.  And some of those fly anglers will only use flies constructed of feathers and fur.

I love the extra challenge of fly-fishing but I'd much rather shoot deer with a rifle than a bow.


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## Randy (Sep 19, 2013)

He got banned after one post?  Lol


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## centerpin fan (Sep 19, 2013)

Randy said:


> He got banned after one post?  Lol



Despite his name, I guess he's not very "friendly".


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## Peter D (Sep 19, 2013)

Dave Whitlock's Scorpion uses a soft plastic curly tail and soft plastic legs.  I certainly never heard anyone refer to him as a ''gear chucker.''

Personally, I do not and would not use a soft plastic zoom worm type lure that is synonymous with conventional tackle fishing, on my fly rod (but that's just me).  I do, however, use many different flies tied using synthetic materials--polar fibre, craft fur, 3D plastic eyes, sparkle yarn, flash materials, soft plastic legs, epoxy, etc.

I say, when in Rome.  I.e., if I'm in England on the Oakley beat of the Test, then I will wear tweed and use a bamboo rod, casting a silk line and only cast that line upstream with dry flies tied only with fur and feather to rising fish only (all part of the glorious tradition and sport, I say).  But, If I'm on the Calcasieu river chasing largemouths, I'm using a Pig Boat.  Or stripers and Albies off Montauk and they're only touching a Gummy Minnow, well...

I think some of the best flies ever created (both from a practical fish-catching standpoint as well as an aesthetic one) are those which utilize a combination of natural AND synthetic materials.

To say that someone is not fly fishing if they are casting a soft plastic lure whilst using a fly rod, rigged with a fly reel, spooled with a fly line, is to my mind, completely incorrect.  The line and rod are what ultimately separate fly fishing and fly tackle from conventional tackle fishing.  

It's all enjoyable, it's all a form of fishing, we all obviously love it and if someone wants to mix and match lures, lines, flies, rods and what they're all made of, then by all means. 

 To each his own, as they say.  So long as they comply with rules and regulations set forth for a particular body of water.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 20, 2013)

centerpin fan said:


> Despite his name, I guess he's not very "friendly".



Do you believe in reincarnation? 

I would not consider using manufactured soft plastic lures with a fly rod to be fly fishing. But it might be a good method of catching fish. Most of the serious trout bait fishermen around here use fly rods. If the plastic parts are tied onto a hook, I would consider it a fly. I tie a few nymph patterns with rubber legs.


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## franklinZappa (Sep 20, 2013)

Doc_Holliday23 said:


> Honestly, it doesn't matter.  Every sportsman places restrictions on himself in some way or the other.  Some deer hunters only bowhunt because they like the challenge.  Some anglers only use a fly rod.  And some of those fly anglers will only use flies constructed of feathers and fur.
> 
> I love the extra challenge of fly-fishing but I'd much rather shoot deer with a rifle than a bow.



So when that one guy put a live trout on the end of his fly rod, you consider that fly fishing?


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## centerpin fan (Sep 20, 2013)

NCHillbilly said:


> Do you believe in reincarnation?



Absolutely!


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Sep 23, 2013)

franklinZappa said:


> So when that one guy put a live trout on the end of his fly rod, you consider that fly fishing?



I've seen some of the "flies" you've "tied."  Looked awful rubbery to me.  

I say if you can cast it on a fly rod (and I mean cast, backwards and forth, false cast, haul, etc) then it is fly fishing.


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## Peter D (Sep 25, 2013)

I disagree that using live bait on a fly rod is considered fly fishing.  Fly fishing was invented as an artificial lure fishing technique, to use live bait places it in the live bait fishing category and defeats the whole purpose of fly fishing.  F.M. Halford would be turning in his grave at this discussion.


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## fish hawk (Sep 27, 2013)

Funny....The guy just wanted  some tips on fly fishing for shoal bass.Then.....after about the third post it started.Just throw poppers,it don't have to be as complicated as the  have made it out to be.If you want to know how to catch shoal bass on a flyrod I'd take randy up on his offer,it's not like any of the  elitists have offered to take you.


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## JustUs4All (Sep 27, 2013)

*↑↑↑ bingo ↑↑↑*


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## franklinZappa (Oct 1, 2013)

Doc_Holliday23 said:


> I've seen some of the "flies" you've "tied."  Looked awful rubbery to me.
> 
> I say if you can cast it on a fly rod (and I mean cast, backwards and forth, false cast, haul, etc) then it is fly fishing.



Yeah. That's called trolling. Guess you didn't get it...


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## Nitram4891 (Oct 1, 2013)

I had to do it the other day as I left my fly box at home and all I had was one trick one and one worm hook.  It's very effective, I'll give you that.


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## Randy (Oct 1, 2013)

Nitram4891 said:


> I had to do it the other day as I left my fly box at home and all I had was one trick one and one worm hook.  It's very effective, I'll give you that.



Lol.  Another one bites the dust.  Next time you aren't catching fish on a fly you will be looking for those small plastics.


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## Paymaster (Oct 1, 2013)

Ya know, it is really what ever floats yer boat. Some like to catch 20-30 a day and some, like me, are quite satisfied with catching 4 or 5 on something they tied themselves, on their own vice. Just stirring earlier. As long as you are legal, fish how you like and with the equipment you want, and for that matter, call it what you want.


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