Big Ass Bass: Fly Fishing for Largemouth in Western Montana

Thought all of you might like to see the damage I did on bass over the weekend. The result of the only strike I got in the three hours I fished. Didn’t see any bass in the shallows, nor any beds that would indicate they are starting in on the spawn—although that has to happen soon. Maybe I was just in a non-spawning area. I’m not an expert on warmwater; I just get out there and huck the big uglies like everyone else. 

I took this fish on a crayfish that I slowly worked along the bottom. And, yes, you’re right—that is a dead fish. I have mixed feelings about having kept it. On one hand it makes a great meal for my daughters and I. On the other, after looking over some management information, that fish may have been a dozen years old. It was legal to keep that fish but I may not do that again.

Thought this was interesting: found crayfish pincers in that bass’ belly, which explains why it wanted my fly. Hope you all got out this weekend. If not, maybe you should hit a local bass lake after work this week while all the streams are blown out.

Big bass and pincers I found in the belly.

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