Anybody use the float n fly method? Ive heard great things and I have a couple great smallmouth lakes and rivers in my area. Dale Hollow is 2.5 hours away also. Anyways I just bought a 9'6" BPS float n fly rod and a Mitchell spincast reel to go on it. I know the BASICS but Ive never done it. I figure the best thing to do is emerse myself in it and try to learn the best I can (trial and error) I just want to avoid the error part. Anybody have any suggestions on a good setup, conditions, area etc... Just fishing for tips right now.

BassMaster359,

Hire a guide for a day or two at Dale Hollow and you will be set for life. I think that technique was invented there. More importantly, all of the documented 10 lb smallmouth have been caught at that lake. Maybe you'll catch #4 or maybe the next world record!

I posted about the Float N Fly a few days ago in another thread......its deadly,it really is.

After establishing the depth the fish are holding I put on a Speed Stop at the correct length (fish holding 15ft = speed stop at 13-14ft) to have the bait right on the fishes nose or just above them.Then I add a slip float and then the bucktail or smaller hair jig.Just cast it out to the area where the fish are holding and let it be.Shaking it just a little every now and then helps if the fish are inactive.Very effective on slow fish in cold water.The jigs I use are most times white or silver/gray.

Just today there was episode on Fishing University on Dale Hallow and they where fishing the float and fly. I would go there and get a guide also and I am sure they could teach you how to fish it properly. What I understand is you throw it out and just fish or pop it along a little at a time on bluff banks this time of the year and drift them around. They cast them by first loading the rod kinda like flyfishing with a fly rod then lob them out the boat. Don't get into a big hurry casting them out really hard.

Just today there was episode on Fishing University on Dale Hallow and they where fishing the float and fly. I would go there and get a guide also and I am sure they could teach you how to fish it properly. What I understand is you throw it out and just fish or pop it along a little at a time on bluff banks this time of the year and drift them around. They cast them by first loading the rod kinda like flyfishing with a fly rod then lob them out the boat. Don't get into a big hurry casting them out really hard.

You dont have to load the rod or lob it with a speed stop.The speed stop can be reeled and casted and also allows you to fish as deep as you want.You cant do that with a fixed depth bobber.

Yeah get a speed stop then you won't have to do what i do. But if you are using just regular bobs then yeah you are going to have to do what I do.

Yeah get a speed stop then you won't have to do what i do. But if you are using just regular bobs then yeah you are going to have to do what I do.

well said  ;D

The float-n-fly works best off of bluff walls.The speed stop will work on windier days when there is a ripple on the water.The ripple will give you all the action you need out of the jig.Here on our lake the SM like a hair jig with a little chartuese in it.Some guides won't use a bobber stop.They use a fixed bobber so when they need to give the jig its own action it will remain at the desired depth.There are some info on the web somewhere try going to a search engine and type in float-n-fly.

Oh yeah that float-n-fly would probally work on those bluff walls on Cherokee if its a little closer.

Hey LIMIT

Guess my way is good sometimes. Did you think of that lol..... ;D ;D ;D