BUSTING BASS ON BUGS
The
Hexagenia Limbata Fly
Editor's Note: Tom Schneider has fished with a fly
rod since 1988, and has guided fly-fishermen since 1992.
He guides primarily for saltwater stripers, hybrid-striped
bass, spotted bass and largemouth bass on Lay Lake.
But he also has access to some private ponds and guides
some small streams in Alabama.
Question:
One of the flies you tie looks like a mayfly. Why do
you tie this fly?
Answer: The technical name for this fly is Hexagenia
Limbata. This fly is what you will often find on large
lakes in Alabama where the water table is very stable.
These flies often will hatch from the late part of May
until September. The hatch occurs late in the afternoon,
and often you will see thousands or maybe even millions
of mayflies on the lake. When the water temperature
is approaching 80 degrees, you often will have a mayfly
hatch every hour from 4:00 p.m. until dusk.
The fly also has a small quill to keep it straight up
in the water. I use a Mustad hook, and I tie this fly
on hooks as big a No. 3/0 but usually the bass prefer
a No. 1/0 hook. Bluegill primarily feed on this fly,
but where you find bluegill you will also locate bass.
As the season progresses, I will tie this fly on a No.
2/0 hook later in the season because the flies get smaller
and smaller.
Sometimes I will use leader material to tie on a mayfly
as a trailer tied onto the shank of a big popping bug.
Using this technique, you can often catch two fish at
one time. I use a goose biot for a tail, and then I
dub the body with a yellow or brown dubbing. I overlay
with a turkey quill that is striped
and laid in, on top. Next, I use either marabou or chickabou
feathers, which are a hackle-type feather; then I use
a dumbbell eye with an ostrich herl wrapped behind the
dumbbell eyes.
To learn more about how to catch bass with flies, or
to schedule a guided trip with Tom go to www.sunriseanglers.com;
call Tom at Sunrise Anglers at (205) 669-2110 or (205)
410-0964; or e-mail Tom at kingfisher@sunriseanglers.com.
TOMORROW: SCHNEIDER'S BAMA SLAMMER
|