Float and Fly 101

Throwing a swimbait isn’t always the best way to catch a giant bass. Its putting the odds in your favor, sure, but some days you have to change it up. In ultra-cold water or when fish are keying on smaller baitfish there are few baits that will out fish the float and fly.
My goal today is to introduce you to the technique if you’re not familiar with it, and to shed some light on my approach for those that are.
By no means did I come up with the idea… it was taught to me by my good friend Sieg Taylor a few years ago and I’m sure someone handed that knowledge down to him. Anyone who spends any time researching the technique realizes that the smallmouth guys have been hammering fish with the fly for decades!
That said, very few anglers talk about using the technique for largemouth, let alone using it on the west coast or the deep south. The Float and fly isn’t just a cold-water reservoir technique. It will work nationwide on many species as long as you have clearing water conditions. Once clarity gets below about 3 feet, the technique loses its edge.
While I’ve never caught a double-digit bass on the fly I have had the pleasure of catching largemouth in excess of 8 lbs. This technique works! And let me tell you, a 5 lb fish is a lot more fun on 4 lb line than it is on 30 lb line!

What are your thoughts? Have you used the technique successfully or do you have a unique twist? Share it with the group.