Panfish Flies

[taggart.josh 0]

I recently was given permission to fish some small ponds that are full of bluegills and sunfish, I have never fished for them with a fly and dont know where to start. I assume my 4 wt trout rod will work, although it might be a bit heavy. What flies should I use? I am thinking of tying a dedicated box for panfish. Thanks in advance.

[flytire 0]

I use a 6wt for bluegills etc so a 4wt would be fine

 

Throw any trout flies at them and you'll have a hell of a day

 

Foam spiders are fun too

[mikechell 0]

Anything that imitates a bug falling in the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or an aquatic bug/minnow.

 

 

Sunfish aren't very picky until they get big. You'll catch lots of fish up to about 8 inches long.

 

If you're looking for the brutes that get above 10 inches, go with sinking presentations, since the bigger fish often sit below the smaller fish. You'll want something that can go through the small ones quickly and get down to the big ones.

 

 

 

[FlaFly 0]

I use 5 wt for bluegills and that's plenty! Some really sporting types use much lighter. All I've ever used so far are rubber spiders and popping bugs, but I'm tying away, hoping to use some other stuff when I get back home.

 

I also use ultralight spinning, and beetle spins are irresistible to bluegills. Also Rooster Tail spinners, however they are inline spinners, and contribute to line twisting and result in backlashes and snarls. Anyway, anything that might look and sound like a beetle spin probably would tear them up. I don't have a suggestion for a wet fly that makes noise, but I've heard that wooly buggers (weighted) are favorites. Also plan to try that out. If anyone knows how to make them noisy, I'd like to know.

[Bugsy 0]

Bluegills in private ponds can be the easiest of all.

 

Though small nymphs and larvae can take bluegill when they're not cooperating up top, they often take small flies deeply. Size #12 is as small as I recall using; more often #8-10, but decent panfish can take a larger bug. If there is a mix of hand-sized or bigger bluegill along with large numbers of small fish, a bigger fly should help keep the little guys off the hook.

 

They like legs on flies, whether surface or subsurface, so have some patterns with legs. Use rubber, silicone, spanflex,...whatever you've got.

 

For topwater, it's hard to beat hard poppers or foam bugs. They can take fish after fish and still stay up top. Traditional, hackled trout dries get beaten up pretty fast; panfish like them fine, but you will be changing them more often. For subsurface, I like slow sinking patterns. An unweighted Yuk Bug (basically a wooly worm with legs) is one I like.

 

I find (1) locating fish, (2) good approach and (3) fly action (or no action) are much more important than fly choice...generally.

[netabrookie 0]

taggart.josh, I am thinking just the opposite of your 4wt being too heavy because a good sized bream will put a serious bow in that rod. I use a 4wt a lot to catch them and it's a blast when you get into a nice sized fish. I agree with all of the comments on the flies to use and buggers, especially with rubber legs, works great. I couldn't agree more with the suggestion to use a size 8 or 10 because they do tend to take the littler flies really deep.

[flytire 0]

I tie my foam spiders on size 8 only and when a bluegill decides to inhale it, he'll get in all the way

[Chase Creek 0]

A 4wt is just fine. I use an 8'6 4wt.

Any trout fly will work, dry fly or wet. Also, take a look at the Bully's Spider pattern - a real killer for Bluegills, and simple to tie.

[Philly 0]

I use a 5 wgt most of the time. I prefer catching them with poppers, gurglers, craft foam poppers, spiders, froggies and Chernobyl Ants, ,size 6 to 10. I keep the legs short on the poppers, gurglers and the Chernobyl Ants. Around here I've found that the sunfish and bluegills tend just to grab the longer legs rather than the fly. Subsurface, BHPTN and Green Weenies, I like to fish them with a dropper behind the top waters. Sometimes I'll even get a double.

[SILKHDH 0]

I have had killer success using a hopper/dropper system. Put a foam, good floating fly at the top and tie a dropper like a san wan worm or bead caddis. If they don't like the floater, many times they will hit the dropper. I set mine at around 3 feet below the floating fly. Have had many days the dropper was the only thing they would hit. Also a slow stripping in will cover some water and trigger hits too. I also use a six weight but I live in Kansas and we always have wind.

[ditz2 0]

A size 10 yellow craft foam spider on top.......A size 8 or 10 blind squirrel without eyes for slow sinker.......A size 8 or 10 blind squirrel with bead chain eyes for a deep water bottom.

 

Sorry, I forgot to mention that you can fish them just like trout , with a bare hook.

[TheCream 0]

This will be your new best friend: http://www.flyfishfood.com/2013/01/unsinkabeetle.html

 

Highly, highly recommend that pattern. I have been crushing big sunfish on it this spring/early summer. Black body with barred yellow legs has been my go-to color.

[FlaFly 0]

I forgot to mention I've had luck using the dropper system. several feet of leader behind a floater, ending with something that looks like a midge larva.

There's a separate thread discussing bully spiders and a book by its creators. It's supposed to be great for non-surface bluegills but I haven't tried it yet. In Fla. in the summer it's hard to get a surface bite during the hot daytime.

[SILKHDH 0]

Mini hopper is a great simple pattern. Keep in mind, it doesn't take a crazy complicated pattern to catch sunfish. Foam spider,,,, simple,,,,Bully's bluegill spider,,,,simple. What's the best pattern? The simplest one to tie. I've caught them on a cigarette butt filter before.

[FlaFly 0]

I saw on this forum someone that made a fly out of cigarette filter. Thought I'd try it myself but I don't smoke, and if you want to talk about the cost of fly materials, try buying cigarettes!