Bass are America’s most popular gamefish, and those who pursue them with a fly rod know why. They can live almost anywhere, readily take flies and lures, and as Henshall said in 1881, “Inch for inch, pound for pound, the gamest fish that swims.” It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the “fly rod for trout” myth- based in Montana, we do all the time. But the best fly fishing is the fly fishing you can do locally, and if you live near bass, you’re missing the boat when you’re not chasing them with a fly rod.

Big fish eat big flies- that axiom is true everywhere, but seems to be more true for bass! While you can go bass fly fishing with a 5 or 6 wt. rod, most times a rod in the 7-9 wt. range are far more effective delivering big flies, especially at depth. When you get deep in the water column, the heavier rods are better suited to casting for distance, which is critical for presentation. The diagram shows why distance is so important.

The heavier rods are also much better for setting a big, sub-surface fly. The pressure on fly and line gets progressively greater the deeper the fly gets, and a big rod provides the head twisting hook set required to sink a fly in a bucketmouth’s craw. Bass are notorious for holding at a specific depth- if your fly isn’t at the correct level in the water column, it’s going to be a long, fishless day. While not rod specific, most serious bass anglers carry several different sinking and sink tip lines to get their fly to the correct depth and keep it there.

When anglers are buying fly rods for bass, we ask what type of water they’re going to fish, and how they choose to pursue their quarry. The swirl of a Largemouth Bass when taking something off the surface is a heart-stopping moment, and many anglers will forego the subsurface activity and focus on bass near the surface. The fly rod excels in working prime bass locations, especially lily pads and other aquatic plant structure. Conventional gear fishermen will work the edge of the weed beds, but pulling a lure through weeds is a guarantee for massive hang ups.

When you look at a weed bed, it looks solid from a distance. But if you slip into the lily pads in a float tube or WaterMaster, you start to find little holes in the weed mat. Holes to drop a popper into, work it through the clear area, and then back cast it out of the weeds and into a new cast. To pull a move from trout angling- run the Popper/dropper in these pockets as well. (Reference Hopper/dropper rigging in beginners) Tie a 3 foot piece of mono off the back of the popper, and drop a dragonfly nymph off the rear. Now you’re working two levels in the water column, and doubling your chances of hooking up.

If you’re going to fish in all levels of the water column, then a faster rod may be the way to go. It has the backbone to set the fly at depth, as well as maximize distance. For those who focus on the surface, a slower action rod is often favored. Fast rods throw tight loops, perfect for distance. When throwing big, bulky poppers, a tight loop isn’t always your friend. A lot of weight and air resistance often causes a gravitational tailing loop, defined as the fly simply falling into the loop due to weight and wind resistance. Streamers, once wet, don’t have as much bulk as a big popper, and need less of an open loop when casting.

If you plan to fish both sub-surface and on top, the faster rod is probably the better choice. You need to be able to set the hook at depth. But if you want a slower rod for hucking poppers, it’s easy to overload your rod with one line weight heavier than recommended. The additional weight in the line will flex the rod more deeply, allowing a wider loop for air resistant flies. With all that said, these are the Missoulian Anglers favorite rods for Bass.

Douglas LRS

Available in a 9’ 4-piece configuration from 6 thru 10 weight, the Douglas LRS is a mid action rod suited for working the surface and with shorter sink-tip lines. A slightly heavier rod than some, the additional weight created by a lower modulus rod (reference rods 101 here) provides more structural integrity when you run a big Streamer through the tip. Thicker walls make a more durable rod when bad things happen, as they always do. The LRS has an active tip, with a very powerful butt, so distance doesn’t really suffer when it’s needed. The smoot casting LRS rods are comfortable for all day casting, and are extremely good tools for chasing bass across the country.

Echo Blue Boost

The Echo Blue Boost is an excellent power rod, designed for maximum line speed and setting the hook at any depth and distance. Available in 9’ 4-pieces from 7-10 weight, casters with an aggressive stroke, or those looking to maximize distance and hook set are going to love these rods. The Blue Boost is a well balanced rod, with an active tip that relays casting flex without sacrificing power. If you plan to go sub-surface for bass, the Blue Boost is a great choice for hook sets and distance.

Echo Ion XL

The Ion XL is a mid-fast rod that is extremely good for all around bass fishing. It also provides rods in the 10’ range in 7 and 8 weight. Anyone who needs to cast for distance knows a longer rod covers more ground, but it comes with the price of a heavier swing weight. The longer rods are great from a boat, but can be a bit overpowering in a float tube, especially the 8 weight. The Ion Xl rods provide a less expensive entry point into bass fishing, so if bass aren’t your first target this rod gets you on the water for less. They are also available in a 9’, 4-piece configuration in 7 thru 10 weight.

Douglas ERA

Brand new this year, the ERA is available as a 9’, 4-piece 8 wt. Matched with an Echo Ion Reel and a floating line, the ERA is the least expensive way the Missoulian Angler has to get started in Bass fishing. The ERA is a mid flex, low modulus rod, built to take on the rigors of fly fishing for bass. It’s smooth all the way through to the powerful butt section, and will easily handle most shallow water and surface bass fishing. We feel the ERA may be the best value fly rod we have in the shop.

For those who are wondering what else a Bass rod can be used for, it depends on where you live. It can be a light weight Muskie rod, or a pike rod. If you’re a trout streamer junkie, using flies like the Dungeon, it makes a great big bug rod. 7-9 weight rods can be used for east and west coast steelhead, as well as in the ocean. If you plan on ocean use, make sure you get a reel that is impervious to salt water. While trout anglers tend to look at Bass rods as quite big, across the country there are many species that like big flies and need a long cast- perfect for the bigger line weights. Keep your options open for local fishing, and you’ll find a heavier rod opens up a lot of possibilities.