fly fishing for bass ?s

I've been doing it most of the summer in both the bay, lake, and creeks.  Get the 7wt.  It'll be good for steelies AND bass(especially if you get into the whole float tube and kyack thing like me).  Leaders don't matter for the largies, but don't go too heavy for the smallmouth.  And even though you don't need it, you should use a tapered leader because those flies are big and hard to turn over.  To start go to elk and fish clousers and buggers in the deeper holes.  Vary your retirieve and they will bite.  Do this only after a rain and the creek is up, othewrwise it can be really unproductive.  It will be easier fishing elk than locating fish in the bay and lake.  Make sure that you fish the big holes.  The smaller ones hold only the occasional small bass.  Really for the creeks a 5 wt. is best.  That's what I use and it makes fish of all sizes fun, but the 7wt. will be fine if you want to use that.  Have fun!
 
Mike

rap11, i use a 5wt. 9' or 8 1/2' on the clarion. i plan on getting a 6wt. 9'. i think this will be a bit better. stick with a med-fast rod. you'll need the stiffer rod to throw the heavier streamers and buggers. i have the 9 1/2' 7wt. clearwater and use it for steelhead. it is a great inexpensive rod but for smallies i think it's too much and don't need it. last weekend my friend was using poppers on his llbean 6wt. and was having no problems with casting the cork poppers. i plan on getting a fast action 6wt. set up because i canoe and float the river and a quicker rod will let me pitch smallie buggers and flies a better distance and quicker as the canoes moving.
as far a leader, i use a 5x. i had a few break offs with the 6x and didn't have any with the 5x. also i use dry flies for smallies and if i think the smallies can detect the tippet in the clear water i tie on a 6x flouro that worked well also. flouro. might be better for a tippet for the poppers because it's suppose to be stiffer so there's less slack stripping the poppers in. not sure what's best for the lake but for the clarion river this is what i'll go with.
 hope this helps. ~dt

Question about using large poppers for Largemouth bass:
 
I like them, they are effective.  However, due to their shape, it seems like a large percentage of LM Bass that take them and turn on them in such a way that they end up hooked in or around the gills. 
 
Any way to limit this?  Am I setting up too slowly?

I use 9' 6wt - 8wt for my bass fishing. It depends on the place I'm fishing and what flies I plan to use. For my Largemouth fishing it's always the 9' 8wt. I almost always use big bushy flies or long, rabbit strip, plastic worm type patterns (which need a "beefy" rod). The heavier line helps me cast further with more ease, covering lots of water when there is no visible structure. The stronger butt section also let's me hoss out a hog when he buries himself in weeds. I will sometimes use the 8wt for smallmouth on big rivers when I may be targeting carp or muskies as well (mainly for the strength needed during the fight.)

D,
 
Spirit River offers pre formed foam popper bodies in several sizes and colors. They are easy to use. Simply slid them over a straight shank hook, apply super glue, and DONE! You can reverse them for a slider pattern.
 
I prefer to make my own out of foam cylinders. I cut the cylinder into the lengths that I need for a particular size. Then, use a double edged razor to cut the bottom 1/5 - 1/4 of the foam cylinder off, forming a flat side that will sit in the water. If you look at it from the front, it will resemble a "D". Next, hold the cylinder in your hands with the flat side down, and use the razor to taper the rear half to a blunt point. You can do this with 3 cuts. First, cut the top, then each side. If you want, you can then cut the little ridges that form from the first 3 cuts, but that is optional as the fish won't see the top. NOTE: Do NOT taper UP from the flat bottom. Only taper down from the top, and in from the sides.
 
After you reach the shape you want, push a needle through the bottom half of the foam head. This creates the hole for your hook to slide through.
 
It's easier to buy the heads completed, but cheaper to make them on your own. You pick.
 
For tying the best topwater popper I use, start by gluing a white foam head onto the hook.  Next, wrap a thread base on the remaining hook shank. Once you have a solid base, gather 4 long webby white saddle hackles, and tie the tips off the back of the hook. The tips can be as long as you want, but make sure you split them for added action when stripped. Two on each side. To finish the body, wrap the butt sections of the saddle hackles to the back of the foam body. This will give the popper a full bodied look, with plenty of movement. I don't mind if some of the marabou on the hackle stems is left on the fly as well.
 
You can fish the fly as is, or add legs. I always add 2 pairs of white rubber legs.
 
To do this, push a needle through the foam body, creating two holes to pull legs through. To pull the legs through the foam, I use a piece of stainless steel wire, but a bobbin threader will work if the wire is small enough. Push a loop of the wire through the hole in the foam and out the other side of the body, insert two pieces of white rubber leg material and pull back through. Do this the same way as threading a bobbin. To keep the legs in place, I will add a drop of glue to the pieces of rubber, then pull the section with glue inside the body. It will catch fairly quickly, giving you a solid set of legs. Two pairs, or 4 pieces on each side, works well.
 
This fly works unbelievably well for smallmouth and largemouth. It's nothing special, simple to tie, and has allot of movement with the tails, hackle and legs.  White works so well that I don't tie it in any other color. But I would expect that the standard green, yellow, and black do some damage.
 
 
 
Best,
Mike