Redeye Bass are not picky, they will go after the standard flies like the dragonfly, damselfly, mayfly, leech and popper.

The Redeye Bass is a river fish. They spend most of their time in rivers and streams. They rarely venture into lakes and reservoirs with the exception of winter. Their preference is for moderate moving water. Redeye Bass do not like still water. All the rivers in the southeastern United States that they can be found offer moderate moving flowing in their head waters.

Redeye Bass enjoy clear moving streams that have a drop of thirty to forty feet every two kilometres/1.2 miles or less. They are found in pools and riffles but be careful not to spook them by splashing around. While they enjoy faster moving water, they are not interested in white water conditions.

Ideal River Conditions

Ideal river conditions include water temperatures ranging between 60°F to 70°F/15°C to 21°C. The southern United States’s has summer temperatures consistently above 90°F/32°C, which heats up the water in the lower river sections, with the headwater being cooler. However, as the summer heat continues, some rivers have decreased flow and heat up. As a result, look for them in cool flowing clear streams flowing down from the mountains. When these head waters heat up, the Redeye Bass head for deeper water and may even enter slow moving water and lakes.

Unlike other bass, insects make up a large part of the Redeye Bass’ diet but that does not stop them from going after crayfish, minnows and worms. Spinners, crank baits and grubs are your best bet to get strikes. Try white, chrome and chartreuse crank baits.

Human Activities

The Redeye Bass population has come under threat. It is believed that the greatest threat to them has been the amount of construction along their distribution. Water has become a scarce resource in the southern states and as a result dams have been created to preserve water for drinking as well as generate electricity.

Fly Fishing

The Redeye Bass offer an excellent opportunity to fly fish. These are river fish and the main part of their diet outside, of winter, is on insects.

Redeye Bass are not picky, they will go after the standard flies like the dragonfly, damselfly, mayfly, leech and popper. The focus should be on dry flies. However, the most important element to remember is that as these are small fish, light to ultra light tackle should be used, which would be a two weight or three weight rod. Focus on evening before and after dark as these are the best times to fly fish for Redeye Bass.