Going Green

Imagine for a moment that someone drives a Buick through your living room wall at ludicrous speed while you are nestled in your Snuggie® enjoying the Lady Gaga episode of Glee. As your world comes crashing down, which of the following is most likely to occur:

a) Making loud, rattling sounds with your throat

b) VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing)

c) Uncontrollable onset of the "munchies"

d) An involuntary, horizontal swimming motion

e) All of your body's energy is redirected towards puckering the O-ring as a hedge against an impact-related breach

f) a, b, and c simultaneously

If you answered (d) or (e) then you think essentially like a trout. When a fly the size of a gerbil slams into the water's surface like a kamikaze divebomber, trout spasm harder than a tazed espresso addict.

Bass, on the other hand, habitually choose (f).

I rarely target Mr. Green, because the largemouth enjoys what bass people refer to as "structure". This is an industry term. It means you'll be furrowing up enough organic matter with your hook to meet Indochina's annual compost needs for agriculture.

Still, each year the bug strikes and this season I was itching to try out the Sage Bass series of rods. I'll be doing a write up on my experience with the 290-grain version shortly.

There's something very primal about topwater bass with the explosive, almost instantaneous hits that take place. There are no delicate presentations, picturesque casts, or subtle rise forms. Picture an offensive lineman doing a cannonball into a hot tub, and try to replicate that effect with your fly. Smash something ugly into their living room, and hold on.

I appreciated having JayMorr on the oars of his wooden drift boat putting me on the fish during this trip. Check out his photography at FlyFishermanForum.