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breambuster

Bully’s Bluegill Spider Questions

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I have never caught a single thing on a Bullys Bluegill Spider, but Im going to try again. To that end, I have found a website that shows how the Wilsons tied this fly including the lead wire wraps. I have also bought Ultra Chenille Standard in Black, Caddis Green and Florescent Chenille, I read that Fine Round Rubber is better than Medium because it gives more action, so I bought Black. I also have White, Yellow & Orange in Medium. Everyone was sold out of Fine. But I also have SiliLegs in Chartreuse/Black Flake and MFC Centipede legs in Speckled Yellow Small.

 

Now for the questions.

 

1. What combinations of the Chenille and Rubber legs that I have available would you recommend?

 

2. I live across the road from a large hydro-electric reservoir, and have a canoe and electric motor and Garmin Striker 7 with Downview and Side View. So what kind of habitat should I look for?

 

3. What have I forgotten or didnt know to ask that I need to know?

 

Thanks

 

BB

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I've caught way more big blue gill on a blue over white clouser variant on a size 8 b10s than I ever have with a panfish pattern.

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ive tied them in the colors above but tie the using the materials and colors you have on hand

 

i dont think bluegills are highly selective

 

experiment

 

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I would start with black body and either white or yellow legs, and where I fish I think the medium rubber would be fine.

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just a standard nymph style hook

 

i think i tied those above in a size 10 but could be tied in size 6-14

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My best luck on the bully has been with black ultra chenille with medium white legs and either a red or orange thread head. I always use a size 8 aberdeen hook. Had some decent luck with red ultra and a black head too.

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They have always been a staple bream pattern for me. Second only to a white foam spider that I always used before I got in to tying. I don't have many pictures now, but I'll be stocking up soon for spring/summer.

b10s are gamakatsu stinger hook. I've used them for a few big #4 bream killers I tied for the everglades. But any hook would work for the super simple bully spider. I like #6 or #8 for bluegill and cichlids.

I typically add more and longer legs than most, mainly to slow the descent. These may be a poor representation of the pattern in question. But I think you get the idea. You won't find any flies with lead wraps in my box, as most of my water is less than 5 ft.  I also commonly use spinnerbait skirts for legs. Peacock herl can be used for the body also.

Effective colors for me have always been black, white, yellow, and greens. For some reason, I've never had any luck with orange.

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2. I live across the road from a large hydro-electric reservoir, and have a canoe and electric motor and Garmin Striker 7 with Downview and Side View. So what kind of habitat should I look for?

I'm not going to speak of the spider, since I've never used one. If that's what you're going to use, all I can offer is where to look.

Big Bluegill are a little more solitary than small ones. They'll be thick in schools at certain times of the year (fattening up for winter, before breeding, etc.) but most of the time, you'll find one ... then a few feet away, you'll find another.

Rule of thumb: If a fish hits hard and runs, there are more fish in there. It's running from them, to keep it's meal. If the fish gently takes the fly and barely moves off, or doesn't move, it's a loner, move on a few feet before trying again.

You'll find more of the latter when hunting big 'Gills.

 

Big Panfish are also ambush predators, like their larger cousins, the Large Mouth Bass. You'll find them sitting near cover. Little 'Gills will be right on the stump/stick/brush, picking small insects etc. off it. The larger ones will hang back, like a bass, and target anything that gets close. There will be a "sweet spot". Bass anglers call it "a pattern". If you catch a nice fish 2 feet away from a stump ... try to fish two feet away from every piece of cover you find. If you catch one only when the fly is dead still, fish it that way every time. (I catch more that way then actively moving the fly)

 

Water clarity. Ambush predators need to stay "hidden". If you're fishing crystal clear water, the big fish will be right in the shadow of cover. They still won't be IN the cover, they'll be as far away as the shadow allows. Prey, like anything, can't see well looking into the sun. Bluegill take advantage of that and sit in the edge of shadow looking out to the sunlit water. At noon, though, they appear to be IN the cover, because there's no shadow.

 

If you're fishing stained or cloudy water, the big fish will roam a bit more, within a safe dash of cover. Even big sunfish can be prey, and they know it.

 

Fly color. If the water has a lot of light penetration, then everything that lives in there will be light in color. If it's coffee colored like my waters, everything is much darker colored. The prettiest fish come from the darkest or deepest water.

Your flies should be light colors for light water, dark colors for dark water. I almost always fish the same thing, though. I've found a natural tan, with some contrasting spot or flash works no matter where I am.

 

Good luck !!!

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Mikechell, you have shared some valuable info. The hydro-electric reservoir is Lake Hartwell on the SC/Ga border. The branch of the lake where we are is formed from the Tallulah and Chattooga Rivers (wild and scenic river, think “Deliverance” movie. This branch is called the Tugaloo River. The water originated in the mountains of North Carolina and Georgia and it is very clear. So I will need light colored flies. And Hartwell has a reputation for its Strippers and Hybrid Bass (Stripper And White Bass mix) so Panfish are definately prey to larger fish here. They use 6 inch “minnows” as bait here.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

BB

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Vicente, do you have a picture. I think you are saying a size 8 hook. What is the b10s part?

I thought I had a picture but i guess it got deleted, I'd take one for you but the camera on my phone is broken.

It's just a little clouser minnow blue over white i usually tie on a 6 or 8 b10s is just the hook model its a stinger type hook like you would use for bass bugs. I fo a faux fur bottom with this flash and slinky stuff in royal blue for the top.

 

https://store.flyfishfood.com/Flash-N-Slinky-p/flslnk.htm

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You're welcome.

Just keep in mind: If you don't catch anything ... it's because the schools your young fish hang out in have terrible teachers, not because my advice is wrong !!!

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