Smallmouth: Chrome is Gone, and Bronze is Back
Most of the fly anglers that come into the North Central Washington area have one target in mind, and that’s trout. The local lakes have been a revolving door of activity. With the area rivers still running a little too high to see any action yet, I don’t know if you want to call it an overlooked fishery or one that does not generate much attention from fly anglers in our area, but there is a great opportunity for an angler to chase after what some might call "that other fish."
"That Other Fish"
"That other fish" would be our area's bass population. North Central Washington possesses both large and smallmouth bass in many of our area lakes and rivers. There are those who look down on bass as a trash fish or an invasive species, or simply the illegal supplementation of historically salomonid-only fisheries. In any regard, and no matter the reason, they’re here to stay, so as an angler we might as well take advantage of it.
For some time, I was one of those that, to be honest, snubbed my nose at this "other fish." I’ve learned to, when given lemons, give lemonade a try. To my surprise, bass are not necessarily an easy fish to catch. Some may argue with this but I’m speaking for myself. Just like any type of fish you go after, you have to get a feeling as to what works and what doesn’t. This is where the upside to tying your own flies can come into play.
Trading ideas about conventional tactics with outstanding fisherman like Jack Hedlund in the fishing department helps refine patterns to mimic lures known for their effectiveness in certain lakes and rivers. Like pursuing trout, there are a variety of flies of all shapes and sizes that work for bass depending on timing. I have noticed that sometimes you can get by with just a couple of flies that will fit the bill most of the time. Large streamers are a staple, it seems. So if you already throw streamers for trout, you’re part of the way there.
A Good Way to Beat the Crowd
When some area trout lakes are heavily pressured, or get too warm to chase the colder species ethically, fishing other waters for bass is a good way to beat the crowd. I have never had a problem casting my fly rod in these waters.
I’m not above sharing waters with those who fish for trout in a different way than me. Same goes for bass fishing. Often, we can learn a little from each other that make up for things if the fishing is slow. The amazing thing is, often dyed-in-the-wool gear guys are amazed at the effectiveness of fly tactics on bass. The different offerings of flies on floating and sinking lines can allow fly fishermen uniquely subtle presentations that are hard for conventional gear to duplicate. Changing strip counts and retrieve types can be deadly, because as predatory fish, bass often stalk their prey intently before they attack. Once they pounce, be ready for a fight as tough as any in freshwater fly fishing, pound for pound.
Availability
Another interesting thing about the area’s bass fishery is their availability in both lakes and rivers. This gives anglers huge opportunities to hone their skills in many different situations. It also opens up an abundance of territory using the same tackle, which is helpful for the budget-minded angler. Just ask Luke, my coworker at the fly shop, and he will tell you, "The bead head olive wooly bugger is always hatching. Well, at least when the Todd’s Wiggle Minnow bite is off."
First thing you’ll notice when Luke cracks his bass box is the amount of well chewed olive buggers and Firetiger Wiggle Minnows, but then you’ll notice crayfish, sculpins, and poppers below. He laughs and jokes, "They’ve all got a reason in the right season."
You may hear now and then someone mention the Okanogan River’s smallmouth fishery, but it isn’t widely published. The Okanogan River has a healthy population of smallmouth bass. If you learn the river, you will find the locations of some of the bigger fish that exceed 6 lbs.
In March, when most fly anglers are still chasing steelhead, there are a few who know to start hitting the lower river for smallies. In and around the mouth can be quite rewarding as the river temperature starts to come up. Luke has worked these areas and done well. Don’t ask him where, 'cause that information is classified.
It May Take Some Exploring
He showed me a couple of photos of the last fish he caught down there and they were real "toads," as he would say. Once the river level drops, fishing upstream will take off. Shore access is somewhat limited, but there are a number of places that get you to the water. Boat access is also limited in the upper river but there is one in Okanogan and another in Riverside. The lower river is accessible by boat from a couple of places, but use caution in some areas for shallow water. In and around Okanogan and Omak, there are a few places that have proven to be quite productive along with Riverside. Like I said before, most people in the area are pretty tight lipped about good locations, so it may take some exploring- or you can stop in to the shop and we can give you a direction to go in.
Lately, the use of switch rods and commando heads has really been taking off on the upper Okanogan. Swinging flies in shorts for smallies is a great way to get your game on for steelhead season (might as well get some sun on those legs before you adopt the Simms G3 tan line for the winter).
In addition to the Okanogan, our local lakes can produce some behemoth bass. Leader, Whitestone, Spectackle, Palmer, Osoyoos and Rufus Woods all harbor bronze and bucket mouth "slabs." A couple of lakes on the Colville Confederated Tribe (Buffalo, Twin Lakes and Washburn Pond) are known to be inhabited with Leviathans. Like any type of fishing, you’ll have to work them yourself to figure out the "when and what." What works for me may not work for you.
Seasonal weather influence can have the greatest effect on the fishing. The last couple of months have found us here at the shop putting in a little more time chasing bass then trout. This year, our biggest obstacle has been the wind. There have been days where no matter how hard you cast, the wind is too much.
One day, Luke and I were fishing Washburn pond down by the Columbia River. At first the wind wasn’t too bad, but as the morning wore on, the wind picked up and we found ourselves losing the battle. With only being able to use an electric trolling motor, we were not making much headway getting back to the launch. Luke had the Minn Kota pegged and we should have been making 2.5mph, but at times it seemed we were almost at a dead stop. After a while longer the motor died, and thinking we had drained the charge on the battery or had overheated it, we called it a day. Luke pulled the boat out, and as we were moving things around, he decided to check to see if maybe a power connection had come off. In short: always wire in a circuit breaker button.
The Best Days
Most of the best days begin and stay mild and partially overcast, but if the mood is right, catching can be good even at the height of day. The biggest thing is being adaptable in your tactics. Like with steelhead, pulling a surface fly and fishing it in the direct sun might not be the most lucrative use of your time, but don’t overlook the popper when it’s cool and the sun is low. Late afternoon/evening "mousing" can produce brutal takes. Lately, one of my most productive flies has been the "Krafts Kreelex." I noticed even Luke had wedged a couple between the buggers at the top of his box, and saw one tied on his 8 wt. with a floating line.
Luke saw me eyeing it and I asked him, "What’s this, not a bugger?"
He just replied with a snort, "It’s not desperation, but I can’t believe how good the catching has been with that thing."
As for rods, the stick of choice is undoubtedly the 8 wt. Luke prefers the Sage Bass II smallmouth because of its quick, accurate delivery. I’ve been playing with the Echo Base 8 wt. and the new Echo ION 8 wt. which has proven a real gem. With the Airflo Streamer Max and a Rio smallmouth floating line with Echo’s ION or Base rod and Ion reel, you can welcome the punishment of any bass AND their inhospitable living conditions.
A Rod with a Lot of Backbone
A rod with a lot of backbone is a must when you are jerking streamers through structure and pulling poppers over lily pads and weeds. Then when you hook that five pounder, and she’s making a run for a tree stump, you want to be able to put on the breaks and bring her to the boat. The Echo Base outfit is so affordable I’m thinking another one would make a welcome addition, so I could be ready-rigged with both floating and sinking lines when duty calls.
Though it might not carry the glamour of chasing chrome, bronze backs on sunny days can be a welcome change to numb fingers and frozen guides. I hope you stop by the store to take a look at the most extensive bass fly collection in the northwest, and let us help you put the right ones in your box.
With any luck, and a little bit of windlessness, we might just have a spot or two where you can sling them.