Most people don’t think about fly fishing for freshwater stripers. You should. Lake Texoma is a world class fly fishery. You have a better chance of catching a fresh water striped bass on a fly rod in these waters over any other in the country.
Fishing with a fly rod, or “on the fly”, is best during warmer months though you can latch onto a nice mix of stripers starting in March and running on through December. Smallmouth bass are plentiful year round and you might even land an occasional largemouth.
A common excuse for not attempting fly fishing is the perceived difficulty of the sport. It’s just too hard to try. I felt intimidated watching the graceful, fluid movements of experienced fly fishermen casting line with precision and ease. I’ve got all the grace of a duck on skates. The likelihood of me duplicating those elegant movements seemed non-existent. I got the hang of it with very little instruction. I have the mechanics down, now I will be perfecting my skill for the rest of my life. I delightfully anticipate fly fishing will become a lifelong passion for me. I hope it will for you too.
Gear
The second leading cause for not fishing on the fly is because of the special gear needed to get started. A 9’ 8 weight fly rod matched with 8 weight bass taper line using a 16 pound leader will do fine reeling in those big stripers.
You won’t have much need for those fancy waders if you fish from the boat. If you are bank bound, waterproof waders and a pair of rubber boots will keep you dry. And a hat, you have to have a hat on Lake Texoma to block the unforgiving sun.
Of course there are many products you can buy to help you in the sport, but you really don’t need all that stuff just starting out. A fly rod, line and leader with a few good flies are really all you need.
When you have the basics of fly casting down take standard bait fishing patterns and copy them using your fly rod. Look for groups of shad or spots where the birds are circling. That is where you will find the stripers.
Striped bass are staging now for spawning and just starting to feed. For those of us new to the sport, that means chances are good soon we will find stripers hungry enough to strike our fly without too much of a chase.
According to a world class fly fisherman who chose Lake Texoma as his home base, Fly fishing is a little more of a challenge, but the reward is great. Striped bass are wild. The fly moves well, more naturally connecting you more with the fish and the beauty of the lake.
Are you ready to experience Lake Texoma on the fly?
