Sean I really enjoyed this read. I myself have been on a bit of a Bass mission.
I tie a fly similar to that Fritz of yours, except mine is tied on a #10 Streamer Hook with an Orange Marabou Tail, White Marabou Palmered as body and an little orange tungsten bead at the eye of the hook. This fly can be stripped right over and through weedbeds as it retrieves 5-10cm below the surface on a floating line. It's deadly.
Something interesting is that I visited 3 different venues, that gets fished a lot. Big flies, just aren't producing, but when you switch to smaller flies you are on. The real deal for me was hooking Bass on #16 Nymphs intended for Kurper. This happened at all 3 dams. Dead slow retrieve produces well on the nymphs and I have even been broken off by some lunkers.
So yes I have learned one thing, if you are casting your arms off with big flies and nothing happens, go smaller and change up on the retrieve and the fish won't hesitate. I am also fishing the 5wts for bass these days. As it is a worth the fight when you hook a proper fish.
Thanks for sharing and I do look forward to that DVD.
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