We are just going to put it out there that we thoroughly enjoy fishing for bass. Aside from the shear heart-pounding contentment of watching a big gaping mouth erupt through the ceiling of lily pads to engulf your slithering, pulsating, rubber-legged mess of a fly, largemouth bass on the fly rod have several things going for them.
As we rumble toward the dog days of summer and cold water species like trout become stressed or lethargic when the water heats up in our lowland lakes, bass are in their prime and remain very active. Another bonus is that bass inhabit a lot of waters that are relatively close to home and make for an easy after work session on the lake, from the timbered pond at the end of a county road to the mildly toxic cesspool behind your local K-Mart. You have lots of options. Lastly, in our challenging climate of local fisheries management where we're faced with fewer fisheries, either as a result of necessary conservation measures or the juggernaut of inane government bureaucracy, bass will probably be the last species we're not allowed to fish for. The Big Old Bass Worm, or Mr. Furley as we like to call him is an easy to cast, easy to tie, extremely enticing pattern that consistently gets the attention of Mr. Large Bass on a waterway near you. Don't forget the critical addition of a double mono weed guard so you can confidently toss Mr. Furley way back in the thick weeds or anywhere else risks becoming Billy Bigmouth's next meal.
The Big Old Bass Worm (AKA Mr. Furley) Recipe:
Thread: Black 140 Denier Ultra Thread
Weed Guard: 2 strands of #20 stiff monofilament
Hook: #1 Gamakatsu B10S
Tail: Furled Polar Chenille
Body: Polar Chenille
Collar: Crazy legs, Grizzly Flutter Legs or Hot Tipped Crazy Legs
Confluence Beer Pairing: West of the Mississippi, Coors Light is the official bass beer to quench your thirst while tying and fishing this fly. It's cold and refreshing and continues to taste good on a really hot day despite the overwhelming array of far better craft brews available around our fair county. Bass fishing, even with a fly rod remains, after all, a highly macro-brew friendly pursuit.