December 12, 2011 / decent bronzeback

[EAS]

Got out for a two-hour solo wade to enjoy the sunshine and try the float-n-fly. Managed one smallmouth and one carp. Both were decent-sized. The smallie taped at 19.75" (pictured) and gave a steady, head-shaking battle. The carp felt a lot bigger and provided a few drag-peeling runs. Didn't measure the carp, just unhooked it with my hemos while it was still in the water, then it swam off. Guess it was around 23". Enjoyable time. USGS 11.66'/ 1,370 CFS / Fox River

[kfischerman]

Great looking fish, which one put up the biggest fight, carp or smallmouth? Give us a close up of your fly that you are using to catch these winter fish.

[Double Haul]

Pretty smallie. How do you fish the float n fly in a river??

[EAS]

The hair jig is tiny, about 1/16-ounce with a bullet-shaped head and an Owner hook. The design allows it to sit horizonaly in the water and when twitched slightly, the craft hair fibers wave enticingly. I fish it in waist- to chest-deep eddies that have zero to mild current. Smallies tend to hang with rough fish around transition areas (mud meeting gravel) or isolated pieces of structure such as a log or set of boulders. Find where they are in early spring or late fall, and chances are they're there all winter. My buddy Jonn Graham ties the jigs. He's a Jackson Kayak fishing team member, representing Central Illinois. Good guy. Drew knows him.

[Double Haul]

So are you setting the depth so the jig is near the bottom or suspended in the middle of the water column? Thanks for the info. I may try the fly out as winter slows the bite.

[EAS]

Six inches to a foot off the bottom. I want it near them but don't want to get snagged. They'll come up for it. If they're home, they can't resist. I catch other fish on the float-n-fly too -- white bass, crappie, green sunfish, rock bass, and big ol' common carp love to take it down in winter. But smallmouth are what I'm out hunting for...

[Double Haul]

Very cool. Thanks for the info. This technique just seems to much like nymphing for winter trout. I may take it even further and throw some of the lighter jigs on a flyrod with an indicator.

[coachjoe]

Six inches to a foot off the bottom. I want it near them but don't want to get snagged. They'll come up for it. If they're home, they can't resist. I catch other fish on the float-n-fly too -- white bass, crappie, green sunfish, rock bass, and big ol' common carp love to take it down in winter. But smallmouth are what I'm out hunting for...

Do you rig it on a 3 way swivel .. which is what I have done on Dale Hollow? Seems like it might be tougher that way in a river where the depth varies greatly.

[EAS]

The float-n-fly is an ultra-simple technique. All you need is a light-weight hair jig and a 1" clip-on foam float. Tie on the hair jig, set your depth by how far you attach the clip-on foam float above the fly, and toss it out where you think bass might be holding. Give the float a little jiggle now and again, and it'll translate that motion down to the craft hair of the fly. It's subtle, and finicky fish love to pounce on it. You can catch trophy smallies on it during the winter months.

All I carry in winter is a handful of flies, a few foam floats, clippers and hemostats. Tape measure and camera, of course!

I don't use scent, dope, glitter, or anything else. Just the hair jig under the float. Twitch-twitch. Pause. Repeat. K.I.S.S.

[coachjoe]

The float-n-fly is an ultra-simple technique. All you need is a light-weight hair jig and a 1" clip-on foam float. Tie on the hair jig, set your depth by how far you attach the clip-on foam float above the fly, and toss it out where you think bass might be holding. Give the float a little jiggle now and again, and it'll translate that motion down to the craft hair of the fly. It's subtle, and finicky fish love to pounce on it. You can catch trophy smallies on it during the winter months.

All I carry in winter is a handful of flies, a few foam floats, clippers and hemostats. Tape measure and camera, of course!

I don't use scent, dope, glitter, or anything else. Just the hair jig under the float. Twitch-twitch. Pause. Repeat. K.I.S.S.

Thanks! I'll let you know how I do.