Fly Fishing Internet: Canada: Nova Scotia

Smallmouth in Nova Scotia

I remember my first trip for Smallmouth very well. It happened not so long ago and it made an enormous impression on me. For Dutch people it is not strange to fish by fly for other species than trout and salmon because in most of our waters we mainly can fish for coarse fish to practice our great sport. When I got the opportunity to wet my flies on Smallmouth bass in Nova Scotia I jumped at the chance. Perry Munro was our guide and host and I think there was no better teacher for us to discover all secrets behind this fish. With one of Perry's jet boats we made a wonderful trip on Little River Lake in the area of Wolfville. Our first experience was more like a sight seeing tour and Perry explained to us a lot about the environment and biotope of the Smallmouth. The weather was fabulous and nature and wildlife incredible and with all the nice stories from Perry we enjoyed this trip very much. Now and then we stopped at some hot spots but there was not much activity. The catches were poor but the unbelievable fighting power of the Smallmouth makes it into a real spectacle. We had a few good fish but Perry was not satisfied at all because he knew the water as nobody else did.

Of course at that time I didn't know what could happen when the fish were really into a taking mood. Late afternoon, a heavy thunderstorm blew over and woke up the fish resulting in a very exciting fishing evening. We both were sure that the weather had kept those fish down during the day. All together we hooked and released over 30 fish in just a couple of hours. At least Perry was able to show us the real fishing and as days passed by I got a little more knowledgeable and left Little River Lake with a very good feeling and a complete new experience.

Many people use large bugs for Smallmouth and they are very effective indeed. There are not so many European fly tiers who are familiar with bass bugs, poppers and even frog imitations. I only know a few who tie them mainly for pleasure and I can understand whyl because some of the best fun in fly tying is to be enjoyed making some of the weirder creations, especially during wintertime. I personally have never tied an original bass bug before because there was no need for it but, the aggressive take of the Smallmouth opened my eyes widely. Although we caught most of our fish on bugs and poppers I learned quickly that species such as Smallmouth are also prolific insect feeders and that more conventional patterns wil

l also provide superb sport. During a certain period Perry had some great success with one of my huge long tailed parachute flies that I reshaped into a spent variation by using a special tying technique. This set me thinking because the pattern seemed to work as an excellent imitation of a floating dragon of damsel fly. Both are favorite bass foods in and around lily pads and other floating vegetation beds.

Because, not unlike the mayfly season for trout or grayling, Smallmouth also have a prime time. During that period when the dragons and damsels lay their eggs at the surface, it can appear as if the water is boiling as bass feast on the helpless insects. It is at such times that bass can become relatively easy marks on particular patterns for the dry fly angler. Unfortunately, realistic floating imitations of the delicate and intricate damsels and dragon flies are difficult to fashion, and the cumbersome finished product can twist leaders and rarely cast well or land properly.

When I had my second trip for Smallmouth the prime time was finished again but during the winter I had made some nice looking imitations of dragon and damsel nymphs with the intention to give them a try. Fly fishing for bass is usually accomplished with eight and nine-weight rods to present those heavy and wind-resistant large surface poppers and bugs. I personally don’t like such heavy rods and my plan was to try much lighter tackle on some sub-surface nymph fishing. I use two customized nymph patterns- a dragonfly nymph and a good looking imitation of a damsel nymph which I tied after Oliver Edwards ideas.

Fishing the nymphs

It is useful to realize that both these insects are very serious predators of smaller insects, in both their underwater-nymphal and surface-adult phases. The nymphs will lie in underwater ambush, but they can also move very quickly when on attack. A varied movement, then should be given to your artificial when actually fishing. Allow the fly first to sink in its own good time, then strip in quick motions with your fingers three or four inches at a time, allowing a few seconds between twitches. If that fails to work, slow down the retrieve and try different depths.