Whether you call him a goggle eye, red eye, or rock bass, most fly fishermen are glad this fish is increasing in numbers.
In the 1950-1960’s there were two goggle eye behind every rock and you could catch all you wanted. Then in about 2000 the numbers started decreasing. Nobody seems to know why. This summer I have had more customers and guide trip clients talking about the increasing numbers of the goggle eye on the river. Apparently they are making a come back.
They feed on the the same flies that the smallmouth do–sometimes in slightly slower water. The Murray’s Marauder, Olive size 8 and Murray’s Black Hellgrammite size 8 are both very effective.
This is a favorite for young people and beginners because the same techniques we use for smallmouth is the same for the red eyes.
Want to learn more about the smallmouth fly fishing in Virginia? We will continue booking smallmouth bass guided fly fishing trips (wading) through the end of September. We provide the rod and reel outfits for the day. You can also check out my book Fly Fishing Techniques for Smallmouth Bass which covers lines/leaders, reading the water, fly recommendations and many more tips.