PHOTO ED BRENNAN – FOTOLIA
Bass in the Ottawa !
FLY FISHING A CHALLENGING TACTIC FOR SMALLMOUTH AND LARGEMOUTH
GRANT HOPKINS
Late June and July are prime bass time and the local waters of the Ottawa River have them in abundance . Early summer brings the best action , as the fish are still shallow after spawning and the weeds haven ’ t grown into impenetrable hideouts . Summer heat turns bass on and trout off .
Fly fishing isn ’ t the traditional way of catching bass around the city but more anglers are discovering how effective and fun it is . Bass eat a lot of things , and the undulating feathers and quivering fur of flies , among a myriad of other materials , can imitate food such as minnows , leeches and aquatic insects . Flies come in such a wide a variety that there is bound to be something the fish haven ’ t been seen before that looks appetizing .
Bass thrive throughout the 700 or so diverse kilometres of our big river , with smallmouth predominant in waters upstream of Ottawa and chunky largemouth a bonus in downstream reaches and backwaters . Smallmouth prefer rocky shorelines and rapids , while largemouth favour the calmer weedy waters of the many shallow bays , especially those on the Quebec side from Gatineau to Plaisance .
Ottawa River smallmouth tend to be smaller than those from lakes because they have
to work harder in the river current to make a living , but they make up for it with feisty spirit . On a long , light rod they feel twice as big as they are . Local largemouth are the same as everywhere – a bit lazy , and hidden in shoreline cover where they can ambush anything that comes by . On average , they can be a pound or two heavier than a typical smallmouth .
Some bass can be reached by wading from shore , but other waters require a motorboat , canoe or kayak . Places worth exploring include Constance Bay , Shirleys Bay , the Deschênes Rapids at Britannia , Remic Rapids off the Champlain Bridge , Petrie Island , Lochaber Bay ( across from Rockland downstream ) and Baie Noir , accessible from Wendover .
Bass can be caught with flies on the surface and deeper pools all summer . They don ’ t like bright sunshine , so early morning and late evenings are the best for their pursuit . In midday , smallmouth head for deeper water and largemouth bury themselves in the thickest cover around .
When shallow or cruising along weedbeds in low light , bass smash surface poppers and hair bugs with vengeance – although there may be no visible surface activity – and provide the biggest thrill for the fly rodder . As the sky brightens , weighted minnow-imitation or leech patterns on a sinking line will bring the best action .
A 6-weight or 7-weight fly rod in 8½- to nine-foot length is good for river smallmouth . Slightly heavier rods might be wise for fishing largemouth as they may have to be pulled from weeds , stumps and other shoreline obstacles . A simple reel is adequate as bass don ’ t make long runs .
A floating line matched to the rod size is necessary for surface fishing and also works well casting in shallow water to about six feet . As the summer progresses , then a sink-tip or full-sink line is best to get deeper when casting or trolling .
Bass aren ’ t leader-shy especially in the Ottawa where the water has a slight stain . Forget the long fancy stuff tapered to thread size that trout demand . I use no more than a rod-length of straight monofilament in 10-pound test for topwater and six feet of mono leader when fishing deep . I class bass flies in three general categories : surface such as poppers , sliders , hair and foam bugs ; subsurface such as woolly buggers , Lefty ’ s deceiver , and large nymphs ; deep sinkers like weighted streamers and Clouser minnows . There are hundreds if not thousands of bass patterns on the market so a few in each category will see the fly caster through the seasons . Smallmouth tend to prefer flies in darker , natural shades . Largemouth like larger brighter patterns , as their shoreline habitat is often off-colour from rain or algae growth .
Shore anglers need chest waders for casting into the fast water of the Deschênes or Remic rapids with city highrises in the background . Boot cleats and a wading staff are good ideas as there are boulders everywhere and they are slippery in summer .
If you think bass pull hard on a spinning outfit , then you are in for a sporting challenge on a fly rod . So leave the spinning gear and bait boxes at home and give bass a try with an enticing fly . You ’ ll never look back .
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