Great feedback on a great subject here! George taught me the pellet fly trick and it takes 10x more HSB, SMB, YP and BG than any other fishing method I use. For HSB I use Aqua Max LMB pellets and need to use my "noodle" rod [9'6" ML IM6 Graphite rod] spooled with 8/20 fireline and 8# floro leader tied to Gamkatsu 10. I use a small Thill float as a strike indicator which is probably not necessary as the pellet casts fine on it's own without additional weight. Once the pellet becomes saturated it will sink, and as George stated I tend to get more strikes on a slow sink.

I prefer using a 6 wt fly rod for AM 500 or 600 pellet flies.

I have an overpopulation of BG in my pond, and wanted to test whether or not my SMB or HSB were using them as forage at all. I used my noodle rod with float indicator and used 2-3" BG and indeed caught many fish using this method. I was pleased to see the BG were apparently a preferred forage item - they simply have a long way to go to put a dent in my BG population.

I have heard about HSB being caught by catfishermen often with livers on the bottom of a pond. Nate has a LOT of experience with HSB so I'd definitely employ his chicken liver method.

In NE and KS reservoirs the HSB fishing really heats up in Mid May through early June. Wind blown points are the places to target. Bucktail jigs are easy to fish, inexpensive, and hard to beat. You'll catch white bass, walleye and smb/lmb fishing this way, too.

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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