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  1. #1
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    Largest F'n'F smallie?

    Just curious.What's the biggest FnF smallmouth youv'e either caught or know about? I'm planning a winter smallmouth trip to Dale in january and was wondering how good the smallmouth bite is this time of year.Thanks in advance,B.D.

  2. #2
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    RE: Largest F'n'F smallie?

    my biggest fish on the float n fly was around 5 lb. which came on norris lake about 2 years ago. i have a very hard time learning to fish it because it is so slow.

  3. #3
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    Update...

    6-4 as of Friday December 9th at Dale Hollow.

    Tight Lines

  4. #4
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    RE: Update #2

    6-6 on Dale as of Friday the 30th.

    Tight Lines

  5. #5
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    RE: Largest F'n'F smallie?

    Not a FNF expert but did land a 5-4 and 5-2 on back to back cast in mid Dec of last year. Stayed a full week at Dale and landed 5 over 5 (biggest 5-6), 6 over 4 and many more over 3 all on FNF. Excellent technique for cold water smallies. I found best when temp hits 50 down to 47, but will start using it sporadically whent he water is 53-54. I fish bluff walls and deep points where fish will suspend. Personally feel depth and presentation are the main tactics of concern to get them to bite over color any day of the week. Will fall back to blade baits or hair jigs when fly is not working to mix it up a bit when temp is above 50. 50 or below 95% of the time it is FNF for me. Caught 5 more over 5 lbs each throughout last winter with largest being 5-12. First week of February, had one on that my buddy swears was over easy over 7. Fought her for over 10 minutes, got her to the top 4 different times just out of net range and got full front, side and top view of her (what a horse) before she bulldogged to the bottom and straightened the hook out on my jig. Could not believe it, still have nightmares about the one that got away. Still have the jig with the straightened out #2 Mustad hook in my tackle box. Never kept a smallie in my life but that one would have been extremely difficult to release. I believe she was around 7 even though buddy says easy 7 1/2, never know.

    Tight Lines

  6. #6
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    RE: Largest F'n'F smallie?

    My best SM on the FnF has been around 5 pounds it was 23 inches. I have seen and heard of several 6lb and one 7lb. The water will not be cold enough for the FnF at Dale until at least another month, The technique only works after the SM start to suspend. That is when you have mid 40 degree water that has stayed that cold for a while. Most of the water temps in Tennessee are still in the low to mid 60's.The fishes metabolisms dont slow down as fast as you might think. When thewater is 48 or 49 they will still chase a bait down,
    BD...... If you use a Fnf rod like a 9 footer it is basically thesame action as the Fly rod you are mentioning, Im not a fly rod expert by any means but you need very low vis 4 lb test line that can be fished directly under the float. You need a slight ripple on the water to impart the action into the tiny jigs that the FnF method uses. The jigs are 1/16 or 1/8 oz but that does not mean tiny just light.I have found my best days have been when I almost dead sticked the bait and let the wind do the rest. The times when this method is good the fish and the bait are not real active.
    The FnF method takes a certain mind set to fish. It is very slow. It is an alternative to other methods when the bite is very slow. Some days when you are using the FnF the drop shot might be more effective.I am not a Dale Hollow expert either but I believethat if I were going there in the next few weeks I would try more traditional fall patterns first.Try small jigs and pigs or blade baits. If you were to luck up and find some colored water or mud lines a spinnerbait or crankbait will do the trick. I do know some guys that were over there a couple of weeks ago and wore them out on a drop shot about 25 feet deep. Good Luck , Fish2win

  7. #7
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    I have not caught ..........

    a smallmouth on the f-n-f yet. I've caughtn two fish on it, a small spotted bass and a three pound largemouth. I've basically given it up.

  8. #8
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    None yet, but a question...

    [font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-05 AT 07:34PM (EST)[/font][p]I haven't ever done float 'n fly fishing, so I don't have a "largest fish" on that method yet, but I figured I'd ask a question about it if you don't mind.

    As I understand it, the typical way to fish float 'n fly is with a very long spinning rod. I've been wondering if you could essentially fish the same way with a fly rod.

    I've never tried float 'n fly, but it's my understanding that it's done by fishing very small jigs about 10-12 feet deep under a small bobber. I'd like to try the same thing by using a 5 or 6 weight fly rod, a floating line, a small styrofoam strike indicator float, and about a 12 to 14 foot leader. Again, I've never tried the method, so I'm shooting in the dark, but I'd think a doll fly, wooly bugger, chicago fly, or clouser minnow would be an appropriate fly.

    If it would work, it would be enormous fun to fight a 4lb. smallie on a fly rod. On the other hand, I've never heard of anyone doing this on a fly rod, and if it was possible, I'd think someone would have tried it by now.

    If any of the float 'n fly experts on this board know anything about using the method on a flyrod, I'd be hugely interested in any information you'd be willing to share.

    bd

  9. #9
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    RE: None yet, but a question...

    I have been wondering the same thing about using a flyrod. It seems feasible, but I don't think a strike indicator would hold up the fly, nor do i think the floating line would be a good system because its going to sink at some point during the "float".

    I was thinking of using a large yarn indicator, large enough to hold up a heavy fly with a floating line.

    There are some new fancy lines that don't sink but rather suspend, might be an idea.

    I think the biggest challenge is find a heavy enough fly to get down quickly but not so heavy that it slaps your head on your backcast...and not so heavy to sink the strike indicator.

    What are the typical weights of the flies used in the floatnfly?


  10. #10
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    RE: None yet, but a question...

    You don't want the fly to sink quickly for you are trying to imitate a dying shad. They don't sink like a rock when they die. THe typical size is a 1/16oz to start for me but I will go to a 1/32 oz as the water gets colder. Many hits come as the jig is sinking and you don't want to take that part of it away by using a bigger jig. The bobber is a big key to the entire senario. Any old strike indicator or bobber will work if you were casting to wide open spaces with plenty of water depths. THe problem is that they will indicate the jig is fully suspending even tho it may be hung on a ledge, piece of grass or in a fishes mouth. The special Bobbers that are sold has the weight in the middle will keep the bobber on its side as the jig is falling or it will stay on its side if it is hing on something. When fully extended and the fly is suspending the bobber will stand up properly. I make my own bobbers just like the Special Bobbers and they work great at about 1/3 the price.

    Tight Lines

  11. #11
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    RE: None yet, but a question...

    In 2003 I had 4 smallies in one day on Dale that went for a combined weight of 18.5lbs.,....

    Last yr got a 5.7lb it was the biggest so far.

    Billy



    Redneckshadrap
    www.thecreekbank.com
    redneckshadrap@insightbb.com



  12. #12
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    RE: None yet, but a question...

    just over 5lbs

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