Fly fishing for BC bass
Fly fishing by its very nature is a solitary, pensive, and quiet pastime. It involves skill and precision, and a thorough understanding of entomology and the inner workings of the natural world. For any respectable fly fisher, a familiarity with classic fly-fishing literature, metaphysics, and fundamental Greek and Latin are essential. And as a fly fisher there were a few irrevocable laws from which I did not waver: I targeted trout - be it rainbow, cutthroat, brookie, brown, bull or steelhead; I released what I caught; I tied my own flies; and I considered the casting of an artificial fly to a loathsome coarse fish, such as bass, an insult to the fly.
At least, as a fly fisher, that is what I once thought. My introduction to bass fishing was from TV shows of the Pro Bass Tour south of the border. A crass and overtly commercial enterprise, it ruined any inclination I had toward bass at a very early age. Ever since, the idea of competing to catch fish remains repugnant to every last one of my fly-fishing sensibilities.
However, I soon found there was a very good reason our southern neighbours loved bass fishing. While I didn’t care for their tactics or aesthetics, I could not blame the bass for that. My ‘Eureka’ moment came one day while nymphing for trout at the mouth of a local river when a fish slammed the fly so hard it almost tore the rod from my grasp. It then proceeded to peel line from the reel until it began to smoke. It ran and dodged, and flew out of the water. I was shocked. What I thought had been a 10-lb rainbow clobbering the fly, turned out to be a 3 ½ -lb smallmouth bass. I was hooked. Since that day years ago, I have spent many hours targeting bass on BC waters with artificial flies. They provide great sport and can be a good way to introduce youngsters to fishing because of their aggressive behaviour.
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