How to Successfully Fly Fish for Northern California Spotted Bass

Fly Fishing Peace and Quiet

Wintertime on the local Northern California foothill lakes is peaceful. You don’t have ski boats playing loud music and causing large wakes or jet skiers doing “donuts” and screaming by you at top speed. Most boats on the lakes are bass anglers just like yourself, or trollers looking for Kokanee and trout. Some days, you could be the only boat on the lake. 

Where do bass go when water temps are cooler?

Spotted bass find more comfortable temperatures in deeper water in winter and early spring. They can be found suspended over a submerged island in the middle of the lake, or you can search steep boulder drop-offs and gravel banks that have a fast transition to deep water. The trick is finding that comfortable depth where the bass are holding. I usually find this depth to be 10-15 feet below the surface.

What are the bass feeding on?

The bass in Northern California mostly feed on small baitfish and crayfish. I use electronics to find out the depth of areas I want to fish as well as what depth the fish are holding. On my graph, I look for those bass following balls of baitfish. My box of flies will have a good selection of their forage to choose from. I will also have some black leeches (woolly buggers) or crawfish imitations if the bass seem to be a little picky and I want to change it up.

Cold Weather Fly Fishing Techniques

I tend to use two techniques for bass. The first technique is using a sinking line and  stripping a baitfish pattern. I locate the structure I want to fish that has a fast drop-off and make blind casts with a stop-and-go stripping retrieve. Bass like to strike on the pause in your strip. My line of choice will be a moderate sinking line, like an intermediate or type 3 sink rate. I prefer a slower strip, strip, pause cadence to entice the bass to investigate my fly and eat it.

Fly Fishing Steals and Old Spinning Rod Technique

The second technique is the “float-n-fly” method. This technique is just as it sounds. You are using a float, aka “bobber,” aka “indicator,” to detect strikes. A good Stillwater or nymphing floating line is best for this technique. The fly of choice under an indicator is a balanced baitfish pattern. The balanced baitfish is weighted perfectly so it lays horizontally in the water column to look more like a natural baitfish suspended. My leader length will vary from about 9-11 feet.

When using this technique, I try to fish in a water depth of about 15 feet. The lakes I fish are all pretty clear, so a bass suspended in 15 feet of water will see my fly at 9 feet and come and check it out. When using this float-n-fly technique, I like to make a cast and let the rings settle from the bobber splash.

After a few seconds, I'll twitch it. The bass looking up will see the baitfish pattern slowly fall until it stops based on the leader length. The twitch gives the impression that the baitfish is wounded and makes for easy prey for the bass.

This Isn't Slow Fishing

I find the float-n-fly to be the most effective technique to catch winter bass. The bass are opportunistic and will feed quickly when the fly is presented correctly. I will make 2-3 casts in the same area, and if I get no grabs, then I keep moving. Once I find a fish, I might stick around for a few extra casts as these fish tend to school up.

So next time winter rolls around, don't put those bass rods away. Grab some indicators and balanced baitfish flies and get after it. You will not be disappointed.

The following Northern California guides will help you shorten the learning curve and get you on fish.

Ryan Williams

Chuck Ragan

John Fochetti