I've fishing the whites with a spinning reel for quite some time. I've finally decided to join the dark side and I bought a fly rod. I'm heading up to Bend on the Colorado to try my luck. I'm planning on tying a white/chartreuse clouser. Is this a good option? If anybody has any advise on what flies to use, how to work them, I'll soak it up like a sponge. I'm using a sinking tip line, is that right?

those would be good ones. Also, whatever works well on spinning rigs, see if you can tie up some flies that look like that.

Oh and it might be a good idea to get some sort of sink tip or sink line if you can in order to get down to them. Failing that get some Xink and use that to get the leader and tip of the fly line down to them.

Rob Leef:
I'd have answered you about flyflinging for whites, but that durned Robin beat me to it. As I've mentioned before, If there's ever an answer to a fly fishing queton. count on Robin to have the answer.
(Gosh Robin, Here I was going to show off my (?) expertise (?) and you made sure I didn't come up with a bad reply.)
=ROSS=

Chart/white is a good combo but grey and white and black and white are good too. Size is important too- you'll catch more on 8's and 6's than on the bigger ones.

Its also good to have both some with bead-chain eyes as well as some that are heavier. I stay away from lead eyes because they're not very durable, I prefer the hour-glass brass eyes.

Your sink tip will serve you well. i would also recommend learning a good loop knot to tie the fly on. This will let it move much more. (also lets you get away with a heavier tippet)

ROB LEEF,

BigCliff has hit the nail on the head!

One additional fly that hasn't been mentioned:

The Cypert's Minnow in White. Size 6. Other good color's can be Gray, Black and Chartreuse.

I will also use Clear Intermediate line. I have spare spools for my fly reel and will bring both Sink Tip and Clear Intermediate. But, your Sink Tip will do just fine - no worry's.

hey Ross

how are things? Sandies running down that way by now?

My #1 white bass fly is my "La Buena" which is a black over white clouser tied on size 6 or 8 with large bead chanin eyes.

The Crazy Charlie in white, chart/white, or red/white is a fantastic fly for white bass. My brother schooled me at CBSP one day last spring, outfishing me 2 to 1 because he was throwing a red/white and I was throwing a chart/white.

When fishing riverine environs with a decent current, cast quartering-downstream or downstream, allow you Charlie to sink to desired depth, then short strip it back--3 to 4 inch strips will produce.

If you really want some fun add on a second fly. When you get two on a line at a time they feel like a striper or hybrid. I tie it on with a palomar not and just leave it about a foot long for the second fly. The second fly seems to attract the fish better as well. Also allows you to use two different colors

Robin:-My usual sandies lake, Somerville, is about three feet higher than normal again, which sort of slowed the action on both whites and blacks. I tried Fayete last week and enjoyed discovering that I hadn't changed line on one of my light rods, and one of the upper level beasts came rolling up from the rip-rap and proved how loud a noise an oversued section of 12-lb. test makes when it breaks. Obviously the departing fish was big, since the swirl weighed close to 9 pounds all by itself.
Wish I'd been using my fly rod on that creature, since I know the furled leader you sent me was fresh.
=ROSS=

plain white clousers tear them up in the creeks around Somerville so I hear, but not from experience