Well, I've been working on this one for a while. I couldn't connect back during the spring and we've had the kids with us most of the summer. Today, everything just fell in to place. School has started back up and we had an overcast day, so our hopes were high for a "grown-up" trip!
Just like clock work, the water began to boil about 7:00. I quickly put the fly rod together and began to frantically "cast" into the feeding school. The boat was surrounded by hungry fish and it didn't take but a second to hook up! I'll have to admit, my buddy probably caught 3 or 4 on conventional tackle, by the time I got mine in the boat and made another cast. I caught one more, then my rookieness came through and I snapped the fly off of my line. Rather than re-tie right then, I picked up my rod with a Humdinger attached and commenced to playing catch up!
Can't wait to catch more in the future. Thanks Fly and Troutbum for your help back in the spring. It finally paid off!

Congrats
It is a little frustrating to be fly fishing with someone who is bait chunking when they start to school. After you've caught one the frustration level goes down.

That sounds like fun!! I've been fishing Livingston for whites and Stripers lately and occasionally find em schooling like that. I'll be packing my fly rod next time.

T-Gil, nice fish! I bet you had a blast hauling them in like that. I would love to get into a bunch of hungry bass like that anyday....fly rod or conventional...hehehe.

Good going, T-Gil!

this year I havent spent that much time going after whites. I've been more LMB focused I guess. But they are pretty fun, especially on a 3 or 4 wt rod.

Nice.

Next time they are schooling like that, tie on a dropper fly and you will catch up to him without having to change rods.

Way to go T-Gill!!! I know what you mean about snapping off a fly. You all caught up in the moment and forget to let your back cast straighten out before driving the fly rod forward and POP goes the fly

Sounds like a good way to even up the score. I'll have to do some research on the dropper. I'm not too savvy on all of this yet, can my tippet hold up to two of those fish pulling opposite directions?

wait till you hook up with a 3-4 lb hybrid on fly rod..warning: watch your knucklez

Use 10#-12# stiff fluorocarbon when using a dropper on sandbass more than strong enough .

Ditto the 12# leader and I'll double up on flys just for fun.. Nothing like two 2# bass on at one time

waytago! Sandies are a blast on the fly!

What tackle were you using, rod weight etc.?

T-Gil,
dropper behind a popper works real good, kind of like the cork and jig setup that conventional folks use, but with the bonus that your "cork" can catch fish too!

Another thing I have tried is tying on 3 or 4 streamers into a single leader, spaced out 1 ft each. I bet it simulates a small baitfish school, and is not hard to cast if the streamers are light enough. And you can catch multiple fish in one cast that way too!

I almost caught a LMB on the cork of my UL float and fly rig. I pulled her to bank before she spit it out.

Congrats on the sandy! Next time try throwing a gurgler or pencil popper into the school- they'll light you up.
Les

I've forgotten the brand, 5wt that Fly hooked me up with from BPS Garland and a chart/white Clouser.

When they are schooling up like that , they are anything but leader shy. Beef up that tippet to 1X or 2X and they will still be all over those flies.

I like to tie my droppers with an extra long tag end 90 degrees out of from a blood knot since it keeps the tangles to a minimum.

During the Sand Bass run on Rowlett Creek is GREAT for flyfishing. I have been guiding down there for 6 years. Next Febuary will be my 7th year. Get there in the AM and claim your water. If ya'll have trouble and cant catch them, PM me for a guided trip, March is usually the best time but they start tricking-in in December. 2 people- 6 hours= $125.

During the Sand Bass run on Rowlett Creek is GREAT for flyfishing. I have been guiding down there for 6 years. Next Febuary will be my 7th year. Get there in the AM and claim your water. If ya'll have trouble and cant catch them, PM me for a guided trip, March is usually the best time but they start tricking-in in December. 2 people- 6 hours= $125.