Embracing Summer Bass: A Nostalgic Return

Gone are the days of fretting when dry fly season ends or rivers warm up. This year, I've rekindled a passion from my youth: bass fishing. I remember quitting baseball in my junior year of high school to spend more time on the water. Pure bliss. There's something magical about being out there.

Here in Northern Michigan, the recent downpours have made fishing a challenge, but a post-thunderstorm evening proved unforgettable. I ventured out with two fly rods, one rigged for streamers. My choice: an 8wt Temple Fork Outfitters BC Big Fly with an NTR Reel and a Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Full Intermediate Fly Line (first time using it!). My other rod, a beloved Sage Foundation 6wt with a Sage Spectrum C Fly Reel, sported a Scientific Anglers Big Bass Bug Floating Line. The orange just pops in summer, so I tried an orange and yellow popper and a D&D (Drunk & Disorderly) rainbow trout streamer.

As the storm's wind subsided, I cast the popper along the riverbank. Within a few casts, I had my first smallmouth - not a monster, but they fight hard! Throughout the float, the popper brought in a few more. Topwater fishing is always a gamble - I had a heart-stopping near-miss! A perfect cast landed the popper next to a stump under silver maple branches. On the first twitch, a decent northern pike erupted from the water like a missile, inches from the popper. It missed completely, but the sheer explosiveness was incredible!

Switching from the popper, I wondered how the fish would react to a streamer in the warm (over 70 degrees) and low water. My recent trips suggested less aggressive smallies in these conditions. A double-articulated streamer with two hooks would improve hooksets. Previously, single-hook streamers resulted in missed strikes or the fish spitting the fly out before I could set the hook.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, I followed a group of Great White Egrets downstream, hooking into several fantastic smallmouths, all in the 15-17 inch range. They put up a fight! It was a beautiful evening to test the new fly line and observe the fish's behavior. This is the time of the year to put the dry fly rods away and head back to the rivers to fish for Bass and Northern Pike. It is a great way to continue your love of being on the river, plus there is nothing like a small mouth fight on a fly rod. The tug reminds me of bone fishing!