The Big Bass Appetite

Weather lake or river dwellers small-mouth and largemouth black bass are great fly rod fish, mostly because they feed on so many different forms of life that can readily be matched with artificials. And they have such tremendous appetites that while they may sometimes get selective and go for one dish only, they can still be had by matching the hatch, whatever it is.
They like frogs, the different types of minnows such as shiners, darters, chubs and small catfish. They eat leeches, nymphs, small eels, natural flies, and all kinds of things that fall into the water, such as ants, worms, bugs, even mice and small snakes. And one of their favorite snacks is old pinchnose the hellgramite. The largemouth is such a stuffer that when hunger pangs assail him he’s sudden death to almost any living thing that comes near him. He’ll eat his nearest and dearest relatives, and has even been known to snatch a squirrel running along a log in the water, and to take birds of assorted sizes.
With such a wide variety of items to match or imitate, the bass fisherman should have a well stocked fly box and when he’s so armed, he’s certain at some time or other to have fine sport. There will be days, of course, as with any kind of fishing, when hits are few and far between, and a fellow should have gone to the movies, or “stood in bed”; but in general, with the right equipment plus a little thought and the right technique, he can have a banner day with bass.