Bass Are on the Feed

    With all of the recent rain and hail one would think that water temps in Metro area ponds and lakes would not be warming...but they would be wrong. The water temps are just about right for Bass to begin patrolling the shallows and looking at top water prey. Frogs, leeches, crayfish, and bait-fish are all on the menu for large mouth bass and the bass know it. I was out on my neighborhood lake in Denver earlier today and saw a number of bass cruising the shallows in a post spawn mood - a bit sluggish, still paired up, but active enough to eat a few bass bugs.
    At first I was able to spot some fish and get them to move and eat a popper, but that success was short lived. After about 10 minutes of no-love on the popper, I switched to a meat-whistle and walked the banks looking for my next target. Minutes later I came across a small group of fish holding just off of some rocks. A cast or two later, I was tied into a nice 2lb large mouth bass. I didn't get to try for anymore...it was time to walk home for dinner.   

    My home lake is like many other in the Denver area; filled with bass that are ripe for the pickin'. Try your hand at top water flies: poppers, divers, frogs, etc. in the early hours of the day. As the light moves more overhead, look for fish to move toward the bottom and adjust your approach and fly selection to match. Meat-whistles, bouface streamers, slump busters, and clouser minnows are always good choices. Be sure you have your eyes trained...depending on clarity, bass can be tough to spot, but once you find them you should be able to get them to eat - remember they are predators, so give them something to HUNT!

Have fun,

Ethan Emery
Angling University Director