Summer is a great time of year for fishing. The weather is warm, the days are long, and usually the fish are biting. While conditions vary around the map and fish patterns differ between every location, here are my top 3 favorite techniques for catching Summer Bass on the Fly.

1. Top Water

First and foremost floating line is a necessity for a good top water bite on the fly. The fly must sit on the surface of the water and not sink as this defeats the purpose. I recommend using a 2-3ft monofilament leader for top water as florocarbon sinks and braid is often too visible to fish.

Getting on the water early is often crucial for a top water bite, yet continuing an effective top water approach as the sun gets higher can still trigger hits. Try throwing your fly near cover, over pads, and above schooling bass. If your looking for a fly to tie, check out our recent post from staff writer Allen Campbell demonstrating how to tie a chartreuse double barrel popper to get you started catching top water bass on the fly.

2. Go Deep

Opposite of my last tip, try heading to deeper water and throwing a fly that will get down beneath the surface. This is where a sinking line and florocarbon will come in handy. If you have a depth finder or topographical map of the lake, try finding an area where the bottom drops off quickly, a rocky contour, or a weed line. These make prime deep water areas to fish.

My two favorite flies to throw in deep water are big streamers and weighted craw fish imitations. Fishing a craw fish imitation on the fly is similar to fishing with a drop shot, shaky head, or other soft plastic and can trigger some big bass and great action. Throwing giant streams and retrieving them with different stripping techniques can also deliver huge fish out of deep water. Streamers mimic bait fish and can easily be tied to replicate shad, bluegill, trout, or other native bait fish in the area.

3. Gear

Rod length really depends on the style of fishing. Sometimes I will throw streamers on a 9ft 9wt but this is often overkill unless it is super windy or you are fishing heavy cover. My usual go to is an 8ft 8wt, I find that this combination has a sturdy back bone as well as enough length and spring to get great lengths out of your casts. This can be especially important when fishing in clear water or when you need to get a fly in the right position. If I am just looking for a fun bite or fishing a super small fly, then I will go to a 5wt but the 8wt seems to be a happy medium.

Where ever you are fishing this Summer, hopefully these three tips will help deliver some big bass. While I can't speak for every where, I have caught good fish in the South West, Mid West, and North East using these tactics. If you have any additional advice or have some tips of your own, feel free to shoot us a message on Instagram, we would love to hear from you! Cheers.