Let’s talk about using crickets and hoppers for smallmouth bass fishing. Several years ago my son and I floated the James River. We lined the boat in close to the west bank lined by a mile-long hay field. Jeff put on a Bass Hopper and started catching bass right away by casting it in close to the bank. He experimented with various fly-action and the most effective one was a pronounced fly kicking action. Jeff imparted a firm six inch line hand pull every ten seconds. In fact he caught his largest bass of the season on this Hopper.
The Murray’s Cricket is tied with a large deer hair head which enables a racket when I strip it firmly. Sloping river banks covered with old down timber is a hot spot to fish crickets with a firm kicking action.
Often many of us will use poppers for topwater fishing but don’t be afraid to experiment with deer hair bass bugs or dry flies for bass. The Murray’s Bass Dragonfly and Bass Damselfly Dry are excellent to use in areas where you see lots of naturals. Whether you are using a dry cricket, hopper, dragonfly or damselfly–be sure to use dry fly floatant to help keep your flies on the top.
If you are inclined to fish a dry with a dropper then tie on a Mr. Rapidan Soft Hackle Nymph in a size 8 below one of the dry flies listed above.