Moody Bass, Bream

[Frequent Flyer]

I fished the same pond 2 days this week - early aft and late aft.

On the first day, bass and bream hit hair buggs as long as they were moving and moving fast. Big bream with their eyes bigger than their stomachs and medium sized bass.

On the second day, I couldn't catch a thing on top until dark. Wooly Boogers (spelled for you, Drifter) worked, however. At dark, I took a few bream on small poppers and on a Royal Wulf - but, the flies had to lie motionless before the strikes. The one bass I took was on the trout fly - a very gentle take.

I guess you gotta try everything and assume nothing.

Loren

[Rod]

Loren,
I'll tell you what I do and you can take it our leave it at your pleasure.

I'm more stubborn than the average fish. I tie on a black bh wooly with a prince or sh or another wb as a dropper. The first fly is usually a 6 or 8 and the dropper is the same or a size or two smaller. Until yesterday I use 2x leader/tippet and attach the second fly to the hook with 5x....yesterday I hooked and got an, atleast, 4lber to the bank before it broke off....damnit! I now use 2 or 3x to attach the second fly.

I leave this rig on all day and the only change is spawned by a thoroughly chewed fly or a broken or frayed line. I have had several doubles in the past few weeks, including a bream/bass double...pretty weird.

I've taken several big bass on the front and back fly...just a matter of placement. I'm taking both nesting groups and cruising schoolies.

The only thing I change from day to day or hour to hour is the retrieve speed or motion. Once you find the rythm they want you will take fish on every cast.

I don't know about you but I prefer to take big bream over medium to small bass..therefore the larger flies.

I mentioned that I'm stubborn, I'm also lazy.
I tend to work an area thorougly before moving along...esp. if I have a good casting area.

Over the past view weeks, the pattern I've come across is this. I get to the pond around 4 or 4:30. I work my known holes taking a good mixture of bass and bream. About 90 minutes before sunset I fish the deeper bedding water that hold the larger bream. I usually slow my retrieve to a very slow steady rythm and whamo!

As the sun sets, I start working the larger bass that come in to the banks looking for smallish bream. I have caught several large bass at this time of day. Like brown trout, the biggest bass feed with abandon at sunset and through the night. The black or darker flies work best during low light hours but still take their fair share during the late afternoon. I've found that peacock hurl tailed flies are very effective for bass and bream as well.

Like you, I've been paying attention to the solunar tables. I think they are pretty well on. 90 minutes surrounding the rise or setting event are the best times to fish, esp. for the bigger fish. When a solar and lunar even overlap this 90 minute window the fish are ravenous and fishing them is a hoot.

Rod

[NiteOwl]

plastic worms work too

[ShawnT]

As an aside, tried one of Kent's "Bead-rattle" woolies last night on a muddy pond that has seemed dead since fall and it came alive . . . well, half alive. My son made me promise to tie him one tonight after he and the Mrs. basically practiced their casting with a standard wooly.

(And no, have never purchased the store bought rattles.)

[Rod]

Owl, you darn bass snob! I saw some fellars last night doing all right with floating worms.

[Drifter]

Owl,

I bet you have one of those forest green jumpsuits! http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/wink.gif

Drifter

[Drifter]

Loren types: "...Wooly Boogers (spelled for you, Drifter) worked, however. "

Loren,

That proves my point! I have never caught a fish on a Wooly Bugger! Now a Wooly Booger is another story. http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/wink.gif

Drifter

[NiteOwl]

I am a card carrin member of the Jumpsuit Bassers of America, thank you veeeery much ! http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/smile.gif

I don't care what I'm throwin long as I'm catchin !

Owl
though I'd rather be throwing #16 EHC's to a sipping brookie in NC !