My dad used to say that when mid-September came around, it was time to head to Toledo Bend for the best topwater bass action to be found anywhere. Massive schools of threadfin shad would take to the surface, and sometimes there would be explosions of fish over acres in any one area of the lake. Catching 40-60 bass a day on topwater was the norm for him.
You don't need to run to T-Bend to enjoy this level of action. Fact is, just about every reservoir across north and central Louisiana - as well as Mississippi and Texas - experiences this phenomena.
During summer, threadfin shad are often in deep water the entire day. But when water temperatures drop below 80 degrees, they begin to congregate toward the surface, especially in the late afternoon. Some attribute this to a secondary spawn. Others attribute to the fact that turnover reduces oxygen across the water column, and shad being intolerate of low oxygen, head to the surface. Even others attribute it to an increase in plankton production. Most likely it's all of the above.
What I do know is that when bass begin keying in on shad they become very selective. The fly has to look like a shad to have much success. I've always done well with Clouser Minnows, Coma Cocahoes, Whitlocks' Sheep Shad, and The Amnesia Fly when it came to submergent patterns. For topwater, it's been Walt's Foil Pencil Popper and the Crease Fly.
I became a believer in the Crease the first time I saw it in action. My friend and nationally renowned fly angler Nick Curcione came to visit, and due to weather, we canceled a marsh trip and went bass fishing instead. I never got outfished on my home water, but Nick really put it to me that day!
Joe Blados of Long Island, New York, created the Crease Fly some 26 years ago. He explains in his book, "Innovative Saltwater Flies", that making balsa poppers was time-consuming and messy. So he got the idea to use sheet foam, crease it over a hook, and use glue or epoxy to bond the sides together.
Blados discovered that unlike a popper, his creation made little plop when stripped. But instead had greater side-to-side action and as a result, more strikes.
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Doc Andry with one of countless
bass taken on his Crease flies |
In Louisiana, the Crease Fly had no greater ambassador than my good friend, Kevin "Doc" Andry (aka, "MusicDoc"). A nationally-awarded band director, Doc has gone on to master deer hair tying and is now, IMHO, one of the ten best deer hair tiers in America. But he still ties a gorgeous Crease Fly now and then.
The materials required include a Gamakatsu B10S size 2 hook, white sticky foam found at most hobby stores, Lame fabric in “tissue” silver or gold, craft fur or bucktail and stick-on eyes.
The first step is to create a teardrop-shaped form that will be used to cut out identical shapes of sticky foam. Put the form on a sheet of sticky foam, trace the form out, and cut out that shape. Pull the backing off the sticky foam piece and attach a cut square of Lame fabric to the foam. This is the “crease piece.”
Wrap a thread base on the hook and tie in a tail of craft fur or bucktail. The tail should be no longer than the hook shank.
The next step is Doc’s improvement: He ties in a small rectangle piece of foam on top of the hook shank, closer toward the eye. This gives more surface area for the crease piece to bond to, and it adds more buoyancy to the front of the fly. With this addition, the fly floats higher in the front than in the back. When the fly is stripped, it dips and darts like a Zara Spook.
Next, take the crease piece and add drops of Super Glue gel to the side opposite the fabric. Fold it over the top of the hook and pinch the sides down. Doc suggests using a tiny clamp instead of fingers.
The Lame tissue fabric emulates scales of a baitfish. You can use permanent markers to add color to the tops and sides.
Stick-on eyes come last. To protect the eyes and body, use a coat of a clear water-based exterior acrylic (e.g., Delta Ceramcoat) or 30-minute epoxy. Another option is a UV-based epoxy.
When we lived in Baton Rouge, our 7-acre neighborhood lake had large schools of threadfin shad that would surface starting in late September. One of my favorite lures on commie tackle was a suspending lure - a gold Countdown Rapala to be exact.
Doc advised me to try and use lead around the shank on a couple Crease Flies to imitate the Countdown Rapala. I was impressed with the results, and continue to experiment with this variation.
I once asked Alex Beane, former manager of the Orvis in Baton Rouge, why he converted most of his topwater offerings in the store to Crease Flies.
Alex said that it was easier to cast than balsa or Styrofoam poppers and better for novice fly anglers looking to get into the thrill of topwater action. He also noted that for expert casters, a size 2 Crease Fly could be cast with as light as a 5-weight rod. Both good reasons why Crease Flies have broad appeal.
These much above-average temperatures of late are only prolonging the inevitable. Sometime - hopefully soon - the shad will take to the surface, the bass will be there to greet them. And hopefully, I'll be there to greet the bass.
