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Kentucky Afield Outdoors: Float and fly catches bass From Commonwealth News Center It is now mid-January and the excitement of the holidays is gone till next December. Credit cards bills arrive in the mailbox and its a long slog before warm weather or any significant time off. The biggest bummer is the water temperature in most Kentucky lakes and rivers. It hovers in the mid-40s, which for most anglers means no fishing for at least the next six weeks. Dont despair. The float and fly method suspending a light fly underneath a bobber lifts the wintertime, post-holiday doldrums with chunky, mean smallmouth bass, plus spotted and largemouth bass, bluegill and even the occasional walleye. The float and fly method utilizes a long spinning rod, 4- to 6-pound line and a tiny duck feather or craft hair jig to fool suspended fish in winter. The technique works best in the toughest lakes to fish such as Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow Lake and Laurel River Lake. The float and fly will also work in the lower sections of Green River Lake, Paintsville Lake and Barren River Lake. The float and fly technique works well at Lake Cumberland and in lower sections of Green River Lake and Barren River The float and fly technique works best when the water is coldest in Kentucky. Water temperatures plummeting into the mid- to low-40s stress baitfish such as threadfin shad or alewife. They swim in circles and twitch erratically as they fight off death. Nature programs predator fish, such as smallmouth bass, to take advantage of the situation by eating this easily captured prey. The technique harkens back to your early fishing days of bluegill fishing with redworms suspended under a bobber. Youll need a rod at least 8 feet in length. Many manufacturers offer rods specifically designed for this technique that retail for under $50. Six to 9-weight fly rods and the long, fiberglass crappie rods have guides too small for casting the extremely light fly and bobber much distance, but work in a pinch. The fly of the float and fly is a small craft hair jig suspended under a - to 7/8-inch long, pear-shaped plastic bobber. Tackle shops around Lake Cumberland and Dale Hollow sell specially weighted Styrofoam bobbers designed for extra casting distance. They easily tip on their sides if a smallmouth bass takes the fly and moves shallower. These bobbers pinch the wallet, costing nearly $5 for two. The color and material of the fly makes a difference. Craft hair flies in combinations of chartreuse, white, pink, blue and grey work well. Duck feather flies with strands of chartreuse, blue or red tied into them excel when water temperatures drop below 47 degrees or when bass wont hit craft hair flies. A 1/16-ounce fly is the best weight most of the time, but 1/32-ounce triggers strikes on those tough bluebird days after a cold front. Suspend the fly about 8 feet under the bobber and adjust shallower or deeper until a smallmouth hits. Many float and fly specialists use petroleum jelly-based scent on their flies known as dope and available in tackle shops around Lake Cumberland and Dale Hollow. Some anglers trim their craft hair flies to parallel the bend of the hook or trim them to a point just beyond it. They then apply generous amounts of dope. This gives the fly a slimmer profile and more subtle action. Others dont trim at all and apply dope just to the jig head. This allows the craft hair to breathe and undulate in the water. Not trimming and applying dope just to the jig head seems to produce better in water with some color to it, but both ways catch smallmouth bass. You can either dope the jig head or the entire body when fishing duck feather flies. Cast the float and fly to main lake and secondary points. If there is some chop to the water, allow the bobber to ride the waves for a few minutes. This puts plenty of action on the fly. Reel in about 5 feet and repeat until a fish strikes. If the water is calm, youll have to impart some action on the fly. Move the rod up and down and make the bobber wink at you. Allow the rig to sit still for a few moments and repeat. Watch the bobber intently. Big smallmouth bass often barely take the bobber under because they inhale the fly and dont move. Trophy smallmouth bass coming from deeper water often take the fly and move shallower, causing the bobber to flop over on its side. Set the hook immediately if this happens. Some float and fly anglers use 4-pound green or clear monofilament as their main line and attach the bobber directly to it. Others use 6- or 8-pound monofilament or a thin braided main line from the reel to a 3-way swivel. They then tie an 8- to 12-foot leader of 4-pound fluorocarbon to one of the other loops of the swivel and clip the bobber to the other. Both catch fish. Those who use the 3-way swivel believe it makes for easier casting and imparts more action on the fly. Those who go plain feel more comfortable with one knot instead of three. Again, both ways fool big smallmouths. To see the float and fly in action on Lake Cumberland, watch Kentucky Afield television at 8:30pmET/7:30CT, Saturday, January 26, on KET 1. The show repeats the following Sunday at 4:30pmET/3:30pmCT. This story was posted on 2008-01-21 14:04:07
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Have comments or corrections for this story? Use our contact form and let us know. More articles from topic News:
Query on Isaac Hagan brings possible family connection Reader sends reminder of CJ story on KY 90 project cut Decision to raise Lake Cumberland to 690 feet due late Feb. Lance Bean Travelogue: A visit to salt source ACHS Cheerleaders advance to KAPOS State Competition Adair Co. Fair fares well at 2008 state convention G.R.A.W.L. meets Feb. 5, 2008, at Chamber building An invitation to send items for the Community Events Calendar Letter: Congratulations to the ACHS Academic team Academic team 1st at ACHS ever to qualify for NAQT Nationals! View even more articles in topic News |
 
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