Dec 4 , 3:00-5:00 pm , Tittabawassee River  above Midland

The water temperature was 40 ^o F, level low , and visibility  2 feet. The weather was rainy and the wind in the five to ten range.   I started with a  rust FF Crayfish in a deep water section of the river.  After  50 minutes along a rubble covered bank a decent fish hit the fly in  about five feet of water.  It took off on a short deep run before it surfaced and I could see it was at least a  fifteen inch smallmouth.  A minute later I landed a fifteen inch smallmouth.  At 4:00 I switched to a olive LE Bunny Booger and caught one fourteen inch smallmouth.  At 4:30 I tied on a chartreuse LE Bunny Booger and fished in a section of deep water under a shaded tree that had produced big smallmouth in the past.  This time a fish hit but it was obvious that it was not a big smallmouth.  I quickly landed a fourteen inch smallmouth.  The rain continued as Baxter and I ran and biked back to the car.  The river and the rail trail were disserted today.

We have some of the best fishing in Michigan and even the US for large smallmouth. We'll be posting a new story every few days of great trips.

If you'd like to see all the stories for 2011 to date click here. 

Click here flys to purchase the flys shown above, used in these reports. We also have a detailed CD on Smallmouth bass.

If you'd like a guided trip fly fishing for smallmouth contact John Johnson email  jocko@tm.net