Winter Bassin' Bullard’s Bar

[WB Staff]

Floats and flies for bass fishing on Bullard’s Bar.
Photo by Denis Peirce


January is a tough month to get motivated to leave a nice warm house. I find myself caught up in the inside digital world and forget about the “real world” that continues outdoors. Maybe fishing is just the excuse to get out, but it works for me.

Based on other commitments, Wednesday of this week was the day I could get away. Bullard’s Bar is close to home and I had not fished it since last winter. Colin and I met Bill McCrea in Grass Valley and arrived at Bullard’s after 9 a.m. Even at that hour we were the first truck and trailer at the dam launch ramp. The weather was clear and crisp in the morning with showers predicted for the afternoon. The ride up the lake was chilling at 30 miles per hour and I was glad when we stopped.

We were looking for incoming water. The small streams flowing into the lake are one of the food sources for feeding fish and a good place to start looking. The reports for Bullard’s mentioned good kokanee numbers near the surface but these fish were a young age class and small. The spotted bass on the lake have been providing good action if you approached them correctly.

Full Story and More Pix: https://www.theunion.com/lifestyles/den ... lards-bar/#

[MT]

Looks like this technique is gaining popularity.

[michael]

Pretty cool article and technique for sure. However, it’s just my personal opinion that this way of doing the float n fly shouldn’t be allowed in tournaments. Using a 10’ fly rod to catch fish fly fishing just seems like a slippery slope to me and kind of a different sport. Can we now use 10’ to 12’ cane poles in the Delta and tule dip, like Dee used to? No offense to anyone doing it this way now, I personally just think guys should have to stick with normal sized spinning rods and reels in a tournament environment.

[scott39]

Pretty cool article and technique for sure. However, it’s just my personal opinion that this way of doing the float n fly shouldn’t be allowed in tournaments. Using a 10’ fly rod to catch fish fly fishing just seems like a slippery slope to me and kind of a different sport. Can we now use 10’ to 12’ cane poles in the Delta and tule dip, like Dee used to? No offense to anyone doing it this way now, I personally just think guys should have to stick with normal sized spinning rods and reels in a tournament environment.

I think most orgs limit rod size to 8-9'

[MT]

So an 8ft spinning rod with a float and fly would be ok? The fly rod is actually a disadvantage compared to a spinning rod with a slip bobber. It's a fixed leader length with the fly rod and it's not an easy rig to cast.
I wonder if the old tule dipping method would be effective these days.
I stink in tournaments no matter what I use so no dog in the fight for me. I'm sure there's good arguments on both sides.

[michael]

That’s true MT. I honestly don’t know, that’s why I’m just curious to see what everyone else’s thoughts are on it. I think you’re right, some will prob say it’s fine and others might not like it. I truly mean no disrespect to anyone doing it this way in a tournament as long as it’s within the rules. It’s their right to do so...

[gixxer464]

The next time I see a fly rod during a bass tournament would be my first time.

[MT]

The next time I see a fly rod during a bass tournament would be my first time.

One member of the winning team at the last WWBT event at Shasta was fly-fishing only.

[Larry Hemphill]

I haven't fly fished for bass very much - mostly for trout and late spring river shad on the Yuba river.

Fly fishing for bass can be really fun when the pre and post spawn shallow feed is on!! They will hit most light baits
or large streamers that can be fished on larger flyrods! Since bass are fairly shallow - the leaps out of the water
can be breathtaking!! I have often talked my fly fishing shad buddies to try for bass after the shad run is over.
They are always impressed with the simple power of a quality bass of all three species! Trout suck in their flies - bass smash their topwater bugs!! And they will do that at Bullards Bar through June.