Every year I have customers asking, “What bass flies should I be using in the low water conditions?” In early summer when the water is higher and I need to get my flies deeper, then use a heavy weighted fly. A Murray’s Magnum Streamer or Murray’s Tungsten Marauder is ideal. In the summertime when the water levels start to get low then I will start switching flies.
Start with a Murray’s Heavy Hellgrammite size 6 on a Bright Butt 9ft 2X leader. If the fly keeps hitting the stream bottom then switch to a lighter weight fly.
Recommended Bass Flies for Lower Water
- Murray’s Regular Hellgrammite size 6
- Shenk’s White Streamer size 4 or 6
- Murray’s Dying Dace Minnow size 6
- Betsy Streamer size 8
- Murray’s Strymph size 4 or 8
On the flip side of that, if you use these and never hit the bottom and aren’t getting hits, then you might not be getting the fly as deep as you need. Then apply a split shot about 6 to 8 inches above the fly and try again. Your goal is to get a natural acting fly right in front of the bass.
Another tip for low water conditions that I cannot stress enough: wade carefully so you are not sending out signals to every fish in the river.
This is one of the topics covered in our fly fishing schools that we conduct each summer.