White Bass are a HOOT on fly-gear! I'm always looking for a pattern that is fairly easy to tie and looks like a good shad imitator. I've tied up a good number of different patterns that imitate shad to some degree, and for various reasons, haven't cared much for them. They probably would all catch fish, but I admit I've been doing more fly-tying for white bass than actually FLY-FISHING for white bass. Its been windy, and much of the time when fishing for white bass, a quick long cast is essential, which means spinning gear usually wins out over the fly-fishing gear. Hopefully I'll find good conditions for the fly-gear soon.
A side benefit of fishing with shad-looking lures/flies for white bass here is that you might also catch smallmouth bass, wipers, largemouth bass, walleyes, or channel catfish. Maybe even big crappies!
I tied up some of Ward Bean's "The Jointed Minnow" in the shad colors this weekend, and I decided I like them! Now I need to see if the fish like them as well as I do. I tied these in 3" and 4" sizes. These are big enough, I think even my buddy "Swimbait" Jay will like them!
Killer fly!
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