Bluegill Fly Fishing Tips

[Chris Barclay]

Nope, I'm not one to be giving out the tips - I'm looking for tips!

I went this week and had a great time but all I caught was little 'uns. All I've ever caught is little 'uns on a fly rod so my question is this:

How do you catch big 'uns? I know that practice is a good way to get better but I'm looking for fly types, technique pointers, equipment pointers, etc.....

I'm using a decent 5 weight TFO rod and an Albright reel. I have a bunch of flies that someone gave me a while back - naturals and imitators.

Let the suggestions begin!

[fishinwrench]

I believe the difference in catching big ones verses little ones is simply "timing" the pond(s) you are fishing, because bluegill populations tend to "cycle". If all you are catching is 6-7 inchers you should find a different pond for now....but try that one again in 2 years.

Secondly, look for ponds/lakes that always are stained or even muddy and that never really get clear. Big Gills in clear-water are rare unless there is dense vegetation nearby.

Also, any body of water that has very many Green Sunfish in it will not likely have bigger sized Bluegill....not sure why, just a personal observation.

Lastly, the best presentation I've found for big gills is either motionless (if on the surface) or vertically falling. Gills love to hit a fly that either appears helpless in the surface film or is slowly sinking (like a drowning or emerging insect). They aren't likely to chase down a fly when you are stripping it in. That's what makes rubber legged flys so productive, it's not the "action" of the rubberlegs as much as the fact that the legs really slow the sink rate.

Hope this helps, and be sure to let us know when you get into them

[FishinCricket]

The advice above is worthless.. The entire time he and I fished together I didn't get to smoke a cigarette, drink a beer, or talk about existential entropy, or any of the other relaxing things I like to do when "fishing". Nope, Wrench's advice and tutilage is only good for one thing: It will only catch you fat, pan sized, hunch shoulder, bustle and tussle Bluegills..

In other words, don't listen to wrench... Unless, of course, you enjoy "fish on" more than you do "fishing".

Slow drop, rubber legs, timing, fish the limbs, dark colors, wade out into it (oh, BTW, it's beaver infested waters, now don't be a pansy), fish the mudholes, stay sharp... Tight lines

[FishinCricket]

Ya see what happens when you take FishinWrench's advice?

I tell ya, the guy is worthless... LOL

[Zack Hoyt]

Any time I have a friedn or client new to fly fishing, I take them to some bluegill water. There is nothing funner than to catch a bluegill on a light action rod.

The above pretty well covered the high points. I do differ in that I have a ton of luck with top waters. Mainly terrestrials and my favorite is a grasshopper/cricket pattern with a large parachute for easy seeing. I love throwing dry flies. Cast the dude out there, let it set till the ripples are gone, and twitch it. They will hit the top of the water and suck that dude in. This is not so good when it is windy, so wrench's idea about a slow falling fly or one that is just supmerged works well. I have alos had luck fishing dry flies with an intermediate sink line. It ends up suspending the fly a tad below the surface. Harder to see strikes, but works on a windy day.

Check out breambugs.com for some killer top water patterns. Don is a super guy, and loves fishing for these little buggers.

[fishinwrench]

Nice one Cricket ! So...this "friends Grandma's pond"...how big is it, and does Grandma adhere to the barter system ? LOL

zhoyt, Love to catch'em on top, but in my best bluegill hole (see accompanying pic) the water has been really dirty and topwater bugs haven't started drawing very many strikes yet. Even though the fish are usually in less than 3 foot of water I can't get any big ones to eat off the surface. A simple #10 black or tan sponge spider is usually the ticket when they do....and it's just like you said: cast it, twitch it, and let it sit.

[FishinCricket]

Nice one Cricket ! So...this "friends Grandma's pond"...how big is it, and does Grandma adhere to the barter system ? LOL

zhoyt, Love to catch'em on top, but in my best bluegill hole (see accompanying pic) the water has been really dirty and topwater bugs haven't started drawing very many strikes yet. Even though the fish are usually in less than 3 foot of water I can't get any big ones to eat off the surface. A simple #10 black or tan sponge spider is usually the ticket when they do....and it's just like you said: cast it, twitch it, and let it sit.

that fence row just keeps bringing you back, doesn't it... LOL

I am afraid my friends gramma's pond is not only extremely small (for the size of the fish) but is also apparently VERY exclusive.. We had better find a better pond to go play in.. LOL I am suprised actually at how very few lakes there are in missouri that are similar to Manito... None in my area.

Dont worry though, when you do make time to come down here and fish with me I already have a few choice holes to take you to, and we don't need permission either..

[ozark trout fisher]

that fence row just keeps bringing you back, doesn't it... LOL

I am afraid my friends gramma's pond is not only extremely small (for the size of the fish) but is also apparently VERY exclusive.. We had better find a better pond to go play in.. LOL I am suprised actually at how very few lakes there are in missouri that are similar to Manito... None in my area.

Dont worry though, when you do make time to come down here and fish with me I already have a few choice holes to take you to, and we don't need permission either..

I'm kinda new to fly fishing myself, but I've managed to catch quite a few bluegill on topwater popping bugs, size 12 woolly buggers, and 1/64 marabou jigs (I know these aren't technically flies, but they cast better on a fly rod, and the big bluegill and bass up to about 12" sure like them.)

[timsfly]

I've been doing well on big sunfish using clouser minnows and small pine squirrel rubber legged flies, in the chartruse color.

I caught several on thursday using a popper, and even caught a few on a teeny torpedo, I fish the teeny torpedos on my

5 wt fly rod, just got to open the loop a bit, so you don't hit yourself in the head LOL

I even managed to catch this nice 18" largemouth, I caught several over 15".

[fishinwrench]

That Sunny on the paddle is a honker. Nice one !

Why the Teeny T on a 5wt. when a UL spinning rod is handy ? (I mean, if you don't mind me asking)