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Learning how to fish a bomber fly bait isn’t too difficult. A Bomber is a tiny, soft plastic bait that resembles an injured small fish or cripple. The originators of this fly were Al Troth and Sion Milosi in the late 1960’s. They first tied them on hooks used for tying trout flies but within a couple of years, they switched to plastic because it was easier to use and less expensive. The fly is fished on the surface or just under it with a steady retrieve, twitching the rod tip here and there to give it added life. They are best fished with an 8-10 foot rod in a 7 1/2 – 8 weight.
When using a bomber:
The Bomber is used by flipping it out past the fish, dragging it along until you are about to spook him and then doing a couple of quick twitches with the rod tip. When you do this the fish will usually smack it.
Where to use a bomber:
The Bomber is used for bass and pike in clear water conditions where the bottom cannot be seen. It is a favorite among musky fisherman, especially in the Great Lakes Region.
How to fish a bomber:
The Bomber is usually fished just under or on the surface depending upon conditions and how deep you think the fish are holding. In clear water this fly works well by casting it out, leaving it alone for a while and then twitching it a few times. Cast this fly to the outside edges of weeds and try not to let if fall on top of them. This will spook the fish because we all know they love hanging around weeds…
When you twitch the rod tip, do it quickly with an abrupt stop at about a 45 degree angle. This will make the Bomber dart erratically under water and look like a struggling minnow.
What colors to use:
The best colors are white, chartreuse, orange and yellow. These are the most productive in clear water conditions for bass or pike. For murky waters any bright color will work well. Use whatever is available in your tackle box.
What can I use a bomber fly on?
You can use this on the end of a jig head, under a slip bobber or by itself with a good split shot about 12″ above it to keep it near the surface of the water.
What else do you need to know about a bomber?
The only other thing is that when the fish start hitting it hard it might be a good idea to set the hook. This fly will dart under water and you can lose some if you don’t keep tension on it.
So whether you’re fishing for pike, bass or musky there’s no doubt that these little flies are good to have in your arsenal. They can be used for many different applications and they work well when the fish are finicky. Try them out today… you’ll like what you see.
What Rod and Reel should you use with a bomber:
A rod and reel combo for a bomber should be 8-10 feet in length and around 7 1/2 – 8 weight. Although the fly doesn’t get heavy use, it goes well on just about any medium-sized spinning reels or baitcasters.
What Species of Fish can be caught with a bomber:
The Bomber works well for many different species such as Pike, Bass, Muskie, and Trout. It’s also used by Walleye fishermen in the Great lakes area. You can use this fly any place that there are rough surfaces for the fish to lie on.