ABOUT: Casting large, hairy flies into confined, shallow water spots can be quite challenging. Having a rotund bucketmouth explode from the depths and attack your fly is truly breath taking. The summer months in the Delta provide the fly angler with opportunity to catch largemouth bass on top water flies up to 10 lbs, and beyond.

WHERE: With miles and miles of prime weed beds and tule lines banks, it is a largemouth bass Mecca. Most fish average between 1 and 3 lbs and a morning or evening of fishing can often produce numerous blow-ups and good numbers of fish.

"The summer months in the Delta provide the fly angler
with opportunity to catch largemouth bass on top water flies up to 10 lbs"

2010 Guide Rates
Full Day Trip: $450
Includes Equipment, Flies & Lunch

DELTA
SMALLMOUTH BASS

EQUIPMENT: I prefer to use seven, eight, and nine weight fly rods with weight forward floating bass-taper fly lines. Most leaders are in the 5 to 8 foot range with a breaking strength between 16 and 20 lb. test. The Umpqua Swimming Frog in sizes 2 and 6, and the Umpqua Pike Fly are my two most popular fly patterns.

"July and August are best months
to fly fish for smallmouth in the Delta"

WHERE: Smallmouth bass favor current, rock banks, and cover, and the North Delta is the perfect place to experience fantastic bronze-back fishing. Fish up to 4lbs are a possibility, while most fish average around 1 lb. Smallies attack both surface and sub-surface flies and they more than make up for their size with a strong fighting ability. My clients and I have landed up to forty fish in a single afternoon, and trips can be combined to offer anglers the chance to target both largemouth and smallmouth bass in the same day.

SUCCESS: I generally fish for smallmouth bass with five, six, and seven weight rods with floating lines. My most effective method is to use a small popper and attach a tiny clouser around 16 to 20 inches below it. The popper / dropper combination has proven to be highly successful.
 

2010 Guide Rates
Full Day Trip: $450
Includes Equipment, Flies & Lunch