Float and Fly Surprises for Warmwater Predators

Updated and expanded for Gorge Fly Shop while preserving the original voice, opinions, and warmwater fishing perspective of Greg Darling.

One never knows what one might encounter.

During the COVID-19 mess, I kept pretty low. To avoid crowds, I took to much more angling on foot than from boats or inflatable craft. It actually became a fun challenge to find accessible water and to find a tug.

The other day, I watched my float disappear to the depths and set a solid hook into what I would have guessed to be a good smallie. When I finally got a look and saw the wally, I could not have been more excited, though I knew the chance of landing the toothy beast was still quite slim.

If you have followed any of my On The Hunt series of articles, then you know I am a fan of Float and Fly fishing. Personally, I find indicator nymphing for trout to be quite boring, but something about this Float and Fly technique for warmwater predators excites me to the very core.

Maybe it is because it does not select a particular species. Instead, it crosses over into all kinds of species. Maybe it is because when nothing else wants to work, I can count on this technique to produce something.

When Float and Fly Finds Something Different

This was not the first walleye I have hooked on Float and Fly, but it was the first one I landed.

I have for sure hooked at least a couple others, and they either threw the hook or bit me off. I have also had a couple bite-offs where I never saw the fish, and I suspect those were walleye as well.

That is one of the things I like about this technique. You may be targeting smallmouth bass, but the presentation has a way of finding other warmwater predators. Walleye, crappie, smallmouth, largemouth, and other fish will all eat a well-presented baitfish-style fly when it is hanging in the right place at the right depth.

My System

I have found my Thomas & Thomas Exocett SS 200-grain rod to be the most ideal one rod to carry while on foot. It responds with authority to every command I give it. Lift, strip, hookset, and cast are all commanded with this rod.

It easily crosses over from topwater bugs to streamers and Float and Fly, providing a truly universal shore stalker tool.

A Galvan Torque reel in size 6 is a great look and fit. A size 7 would also fit well and give you a little more backing capacity.

The line is a Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Titan Long WF7F. I feel like this line was made for this rod. It will move anything on short casts, and in capable hands, it can go for any distance you want, even to the end of the line.

Rod, Reel, and Line Notes

For this style of on-foot warmwater fishing, the goal is not to build the most specialized setup possible. The goal is to build one system that can handle a lot of jobs. Shore anglers may need to throw a topwater bug, fish a streamer, or rig Float and Fly without walking back to the truck or swapping rods every time the situation changes.

A strong 6 or 7 weight rod with enough backbone for bass, walleye, wind, and larger flies makes a lot of sense. A floating line with enough front-end power to turn over warmwater flies and enough head length to manage line on the water is a practical choice.

Setup Piece	Greg's Example	Why It Works
Rod	Thomas & Thomas Exocett SS 200-grain	Powerful crossover rod for topwater, streamers, and Float and Fly
Reel	Galvan Torque size 6 or 7	Balances the rod and provides enough capacity for warmwater work
Line	Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Titan Long WF7F	Turns over larger flies and provides line control for mending and distance
Leader	Custom Maxima butt section to fluorocarbon tippet	Turns over the float rig and provides strength near toothy fish
Fly	Drop Dead Minnow-style baitfish fly	Suspends well and gives predators a baitfish profile

Leader and Tippet

I custom make my own Float and Fly leaders from Maxima for the butt section to Scientific Anglers Absolute Fluorocarbon Tippet.

This tippet proved its worth against those sharp walleye teeth, or maybe I got lucky. Regardless, the tippet did its job.

When walleye are part of the possibility, abrasion resistance matters. They are not just another bass with different paint. Those teeth can end the encounter quickly. If you are specifically targeting walleye, you may need to think harder about bite protection, but for surprise fish while bass fishing, strong fluorocarbon and a little luck may be all you get.

The Fly

I tie my own flies, but a Drop Dead Minnow-style fly will get you started in this technique.

The key is a baitfish pattern that hangs and fishes correctly beneath the float. Float and Fly is not just about putting any fly under an indicator. The fly needs to look alive while suspended. It should hover, breathe, and tempt fish that may not want to chase a stripped streamer.

Why This Fish Mattered

The addition of this walleye boosted my total Float and Fly species count to fifteen.

That is the fun of this system. You can go out expecting smallmouth and end up connecting with something entirely different. Float and Fly has a way of showing you what lives there, not just what you planned to catch.

Some techniques are narrow. Float and Fly is not. It is a confidence method, a searching method, and sometimes a surprise method.

Final Thoughts

One never knows what one might encounter.

That is the point of this whole On The Hunt mindset. Get out, fish the water you can access, carry a setup that gives you options, and be ready when the float disappears.

Sometimes it is a smallie. Sometimes it is a wally. Who’s up for some fish tacos?

Greg Darling