This might come as a surprise to some of you but today, I caught my first tenkara-caught bass. Funny thing–I guess if you only go fishing for trout, you only catch trout! Until today, I have only used tenkara in trout streams so I thought I’d give one of our local lakes a try for some warmwater tenkara. Actually, it’s a chain of lakes next to the South Platte that I drive by every day on my way to work. It’s close to home and I’ve always wanted to fish them so today was kind of a test run. This summer, I hope to expand the number of species I’ve caught on tenkara beyond just trout so I’ll be making an effort to catch some sunfish, bluegill, and largemouths (I guess I can cross smallmouths off the list now). Here are a few more pics…
This guy put up a great fight. It was a good thing I had a rod with a lot of backbone–my Tenkara USA Yamame. I forgot how well smallmouths fight!
In case you’re curious, I caught him on a black wooly bugger with a silver bead head. If there are fish like this so close to home, you can bet I’ll be putting together a warmwater tenkara fly box soon.
Very Nice! Smallies fight harder than Largemouths IMHO.
Cool.
What size is the wooly bugger?
#8
I love fishing for smallmouth!! That is one healthy looking fish
With mostly warm water lakes and rivers around me, I’ve had the same plan in mind for some warmer water fishing. I kept wavering back and forth between the Amago and Yamame rod. I have both the 11’ and 12” Iwana rods and I like their 6:4 action, so part of me keeps thinking the Amago. Then I think about some of those larger trout that owned me on my little streams and I go back to the Yamame. I was never one to chuck big flies at anything, but I think I’m leaning back towards the Yamame rod. Thanks!
Jason…nice smallmouth! I spend quite a bit of time going after largemouth and bluegill during the warmer months in summer and it’s a blast. I would recommend always using your yamame for bass. With a 2-4lb bass on the end of the line you need all of the backbone you can get.
I fish in a little pond near my work at lunchtime sometimes and catch a lot of smaller bass, bluegill, crappie and other warmwater species. My fly of choice used to be a black wooly bugger, but now is a black simiseal leech. Super easy to tie and the fish love it. I tie mine with xtra small clouser style eyes tied so that the fly sinks fast and rides point-up (less snags that way). I still prefer fishing for trout but bass are fun to catch. I use a 12′ Iwana, usually.
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Nice one, Jason! Congratulations. My first smallmouth bass, also lured by a Woolly Bugger, stretched the tape at four inches, which on the Ebisu still put up a stiff resistance. Looking forward to more warm water reports on TT . . .
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Nice fish! Be sure to use light tippet when going for bass so you don’t break your rod. I broke the tip of one of my rods the other day on a big bass I hooked when I had 4lb tippet on.
On to the bluegills (which inch for inch also fight harder than trout).
Make sure you have some crazy charlies or panfish charlies in your warmwater box. Tie them in size 6 or smaller.
How do you fish a wolly bugger on a tenkara rod? Do you drag it from side to side?
Hi Christopher. I cast it out, let it sink, then slowly jig it as I’m raising the rod tip. You could pull it off to the side but I feel you don’t get as good as a hook set.
Thanks! I’ll try that out next time.
Hey Jason,
I hate to be to particular but I wanted to point out that those are not small mouth bass but are in fact spotted bass. The red eye is a dead giveaway. I wouldn’t be too upset though as the spotted bass is much less common than a smallie. Great Job by the way!
Hi Lance! Are you sure? Smallmouths can have red eyes too according to Wikipedia. The markings look like a smallmouth to me but I could be wrong.
Jason,
Beautiful Bronzeback!
I am getting ready to order a Yamame from Tenkara USA for smallmouth fishing in rivers in Virginia where I live.
I was thinking the Kevlar furled line would load the road better since its heavier especially when it gets wet.
What length for a 12 foot rod like the Yamame do you recommend?
And have you used the kevlar tenmkara furled line from Streameside, and should I buy their stout version instead of the lighter standard version to load the stiffer 7:3 rod better, like the Yamame?
Thanks,
Steve
Hi Steve,
I would use the longest line you can get. Tenkara USA only made the Kevlar line up to 13 ft. so thats what i used. But I would prefer a much longer version for Stillwater fishing. You probably would want the stout Streamside line if you’re trying to turn over bigger flies for bass.