David Rainer

Hooking Redeye Bass Highlights Scenic Trip Down the Tallapoosa

The cast was about 2 inches too long, and the topwater fly plopped down gently on a chunk of flat rock underneath the blooming mountain laurels on the Tallapoosa River north of Lake Martin. One slight twitch of the fly rod tip and the Ol’ Mr. Wiggly fly slid into the current. The fly didn’t have time to float downstream. It was immediately inhaled by one of the Alabama-specific species, the redeye bass. I lifted the fly rod to set the hook, and the fish went airborne. Guides Drew Morgan and Craig Godwin immediately pumped up the volume when they saw the fish. “…

5 hours ago