Finally... Bluegills!

[Tailing looper 0]

I forgot one remark about the book...

 

The authors recommend that a new bluegill fly fisherman should start with a 6- or 7-wt rod and line. Really? I always thought even a 5-wt was too much; that's why I bought my first 2-wt rods.

 

Does anyone here use a rod that heavy for panfish (unless that's your only rod or favorite rod)? Is it because some bluegill water has heavy cover? Or for casting mostly poppers? I was surprised at their recommendation.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[Fisherboy0301 0]

I use a 6/7 weight, plenty of fun, helps with cover, can throw little bit larger flies, and multiple fly rigs, plus it helps when you hook a 5 pound bass on a size 14 hares ear!

[FlaFly 0]

Give you an idea how little I know about anything: I have two flyrods and I have no idea what weight they are, but I suspect they're about 5, as I use 5 wt. weight forward floating line in them. Actually I've only used one. It's a Garcia Mitchell rod that I bought new for $25 (with reel) around 1956 or 57 when I was a teenager. The other is an unused Wright & McGill rod I found in the bait room of a hardware store a couple of years ago. It feels just like my other one, and I got it for $25. Anyway, put me down for 5 wt. with some reservation.

 

I have always used popping bugs for bluegills, occasional crappie and bass. Have always made my own poppers. I'm just now working on making rubber spiders and beetles, wooly buggers, hoppers, and Bully spiders to try out. May even use a sinking fly (the Bully's are supposed to sink).

[Tailing looper 0]

I think a 5-wt is the "just right" size between not overpowering the fish and still being able to cast small poppers comfortably. The 2- and 3-wt rods are great fun with small flies and in calm conditions, but not all that fun for casting larger flies or poppers, or casting on breezy days.

 

With the 6-wt, I've accidentally back-casted pumpkinseeds and 'gills that took the fly at the end of my retrieve without me feeling the take. I think that's getting into "too much rod for the fish" territory.... :-)

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[FlaFly 0]

Now that you've decided on the weight, what action are you thinking of? I'd suggest medium there too. Not too fast and not too soft.

[Tailing looper 0]

I think the choice of rod action depends on the fisherman's preference. I fish bluegills from a float tube on lakes or large, open ponds, often in breezy/windy conditions. I prefer a fast action rod for long casts and driving a tight loop into the breeze. Short-range accuracy and presentation aren't a big deal for my panfishing. But lots of guys don't care for tippy rods and might prefer a slower action, or fish in areas where short, accurate casting is more important (ponds with lots of emergent vegetation, standing timber, brushy banks, etc.).

 

Since fly rodding for panfish is so darn good for plain old relaxing, do it the way it's most fun and relaxing for you. It's pretty difficult not to have fun fly fishing for bluegills, especially now, during the spring spawning. I can't wait to get out again this Sunday and Monday. I had such a good time last weekend, I'm not even thinking about trout fishing. :-)

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[FlaFly 0]

You're probably right... bluegills don't mind if you hit them on the head with the "presentation", and if they're on the nest, a hard splash might even make them madder. I was paddling across a pond one day, with my rod laid across the boat and my popping bug trailing behind, and I caught a bluegill!
And between you and me, I'd much rather eat bluegill than trout.

[ditz2 0]

As a beginner the only rod I owned was a 8wt so I have fished gills with an 8wt but I always hated it when I made my back cast with a fish on the hook.......a 5wt is more than heavy enough to fish gills. I much prefer a 2 or 3wt and yes they will throw a panfish popper and small lightly weighted buggers or streamers such as a clouser. I use lots of bead chain eyes and some small lead barbells and brass beads.

[djtrout 0]

gills are voracious. I fish intentionally for them all the time. When I bass fish on a weekend camping trip, the evenings are spent casting for gills from shore. love those little guys. they give a great account of themselves on 8 wt rod too!

[Tailing looper 0]

I got out after them again this morning. We had a cold night here and it was 36* when I got to the lake at 6:30. I float-tubed to my "hot spot" (the gravel hump with some lily pads on top) and my first fish was a nice 'gill just shy of 9". I caught a half-dozen or so off the hump, all between 8-9". No big pumpkinseeds there this time.

 

I noticed the action was a little slower, I assume due to the cold overnight temperatures. When I was there last, I was trying a white #10 Bully Bluegill Spider for the first time. I was surprised that though I caught all big panfish, they were all lip-hooked. Today, with the same fly, I had to use the hemostats on almost every fish as they took it deep. I also lost several fish during the fight, well after they took the fly. I checked the hook point and it was nice and sharp. I thought it was weird that last week, I was lip-hooking them all and didn't lose any, but today they were taking it deep and some were getting off.

 

The wind came up pretty good so I headed back. I fished the shoreline on my way back to the put-in and finally caught one of the big, beautiful 8" pumpkinseeds like I was catching at the hot spot last trip. I also caught lots of smaller 'gills, some small perch, largemouths ranging from keychain size to close to a foot, and one small northern pike that really surprised me. It was probably better than two pounds and I had no idea what I had on until it got close enough for me to see it. Good fun on the 2-wt rod!

 

I did bring my camera this trip and decided I definitely needed a photo of the pike with the Bully Spider in his jaw, but he flopped off the barbless fly before I could get the camera out. :-(

 

I think I'll give them a rest and do some trout fishing tomorrow. I'm worried I'm getting addicted.... ;-)

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[mikechell 0]

Did you catch a Pike ... or one of the Pickerels? Just asking, as the size (2 pounds) could be anything. We get three types of Pickerel here. The Redfin and the Grass Pickerels only get up to about 15 inches long ... and that would be close to record size. The Chain Pickerel can reach sizes over 30 inches. Anyway, just curious.

Catching a different fish, cast after cast, is one of the things that keeps me fishing fresh, warm water.

[ditz2 0]

When I get to the water I find it very difficult to tie on a bass fly. The gill flies just tug at me too hard. Love those gills.....( sunfish )

[Tailing looper 0]

Did you catch a Pike ... or one of the Pickerels?

 

It was a small Northern Pike. Most of the lakes around me that have Northern Pike usually have Chain Pickerel too, but I've never caught one in this lake. I've never seen a Redfin; don't know if we have them in the northeast.

 

I fished for trout on my day off today. Way up in the high peaks of the Adirondacks: the West Branch of the Ausable River. The water is still very cold and a little high. I was there from 8:30 until 2:00 and never saw any kind of a hatch... not a Hendrickson in sight. I saw a few Early Brown Stoneflies here and there. It was very windy, as if it wasn't bad enough trying to chuck-and-duck with weighted streamers or nymphs and split shot. It still beat any day at work!!!

 

I also saw a couple of nitwits catching trout on spinning gear in the trophy (no-kill) section below Monument Falls and stuffing them in a cooler. I wish I had a cell phone.

 

Well, I drove two hours each way and burned half a tank of gas to get skunked. I guess I should have stuck with the bluegills!

;-)

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[mikechell 0]

 

Did you catch a Pike ... or one of the Pickerels?

 

It was a small Northern Pike.

 

Well, I drove two hours each way and burned half a tank of gas to get skunked. I guess I should have stuck with the bluegills!

 

A Pike then. Cool ... just wondering.

 

This is exactly why I am not too interested in Salt Water fishing. Might be fun, but it's an hour away. I can be in any of 20 places and fishing within 30 minutes of home.

I'll go to those other places after I win the lottery and have all week with no "work" to interrupt my fishing.

[Tailing looper 0]

 

 

 

 

This is exactly why I am not too interested in Salt Water fishing. Might be fun, but it's an hour away.

 

 

You're an hour away from saltwater fly fishing and don't indulge? =:-0

 

At the end of the month, I'll drive six hours for my 20th consecutive annual Cape Cod saltwater fly fishing trip (one week+ of fishing). One big striper on a fly rod is all it takes to get hooked!

 

Tight lines,

Bob