Can anyone offer some insight on this lake? Is it all about deep water — don't bother unless you're on a float or in a boat? Is it mostly bait or bust? (I've searched this forum section and not learned much about fly fishing Fairfield. There is the one redfish catch from 2007.)

man, catching redfish at fairfield is hard with artificials, and also hard with bait. as far as fishing fairfield with a fly, yeah you can do it, and, there are plenty of bass to be had there, and yeah, there is technically a chance you'll catch a redfish, but your chances of going to lewisville and catching a 5# hybrid from the bank or going to texoma and catching a 5# striper from the bank are better. and those aren't real good odds.

no doubt it CAN be done... it might take 20-30 days of fishing or you might luck out on the first day... but it's not anything i'd put money on.

Sounds like muskie ("the fish of a thousand casts") fishing might be easier.

What about the famed, giant coppernose bluegills on the fly? Surely a bream's a bream, right, unless the hot water just jacks things up?

Nearly 14 hours of fishing Sunday didn't produce one strike. Throwing a cast net proved there were a few sunfish, at least, in the vicinity that should've taken flies.

OMG, you were there and went that long with no strikes?! Man, you are a patient angler Jeff.

Were you fishing all the various levels of the water column? I'm assuming that astute angler that you are, that this was the case.

Perhaps the warmer power plant water combined with the summer heat has moved the optimum O² depth to a place that you weren't getting to?

Boy am I speculating! Maybe the moon or the set of your jaw. But that long with no takes at all draws my attention.

I had a friend fish there and found the redfish hitting the surface. He said it was a fluke deal and it was over quick.

I talked to they lake record holder for redfish on a fly & he said close to the same thing, its not a very dependable deal

that'd be me. The redifsh are as hard to catch on artificial as they are on bait and even harder with a fly rod for me due to short casts and spooky fish. The small fish i claimed as the lake record was just for fun. I had been catching the fish in an area on artificials pretty consistantly for 2 weeks so i went there with a self tied fly and rod in hand. I tied the fly to imitate the that artificial they had been biting. I located the fish with my artificials then started casting the fly. I had multiple bites before i finally hooked up. It was a legal fish for the record. I havent had the rod back out since. I havent had the smae fishing conditions since either. The fish i caught was small. I really dont think i could land one of the bigger ones on the rig i have.
I tied the fly on a weighted EWG worm hook and fished it on the bottom in about 3 ft of water. It works good. The fish was hooked in the top lip and the weight makes the hook ride up for fewer snags on the bottom.
I fish there pretty often and ive only seen the fish taking bait on top once right at daybreak.
My record is begging to be broken. Have fun.

You guys ever try a spoon fly? Can work pretty good in the salt.

Might not work there, but would be worth a try....fishing it on bottom in water 3 feet deep should work.