Northwestern Pennsylvania Bass on a Fly Rod by Nick DelVecchio photos by the author As the boat eases into the sheltered cove, the sound of line being pulled from the fly reel breaks the otherwise serene silence. The whoosh of line ramps up the anticipation as the deer hair frog goes zipping through the air before it plops among the lily pads upon reaching its final destination. It takes a few stripping retrieves before the fly gets engulfed in the mouth of a hungry bass prowling the shallows in search of a meal. A hookset (part reactionary 18 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * July/August 2020 and part instinctive) results in a flurry of splashing and thrashing, and the fight is on. There is a stark contrast between fly fishing for bass and trout. The delicate, subtle presentations and gentle approaches commonplace on a trout stream are ignored for more rugged, aggressive tactics usually defined by thicker leaders and big streamers or poppers. Bass, while still finicky on certain days, attack flies with reckless abandon on the lakes of northwestern Pennsylvania, and experienced anglers on these waters know that any sunken log or weed bed can hold a true lunker. The northwest corner of the state is littered with lakes featuring above average bass fishing opportunities with a fly rod. While lakes vary in size, access, and fishing www.fishandboat.comhttp://www.fishandboat.com