Reply by: BigBassMan      Posted: 9/30/2009 5:38:12 PM     Points: 412    

I caught some big bluegills out in Iowa early this month fly fishing poppers. I have caught plenty on cherenoble ants and nymphs too.

BigBassMan

 Reply by: loopknot      Posted: 9/30/2009 6:15:37 PM     Points: 72    

the type of fly used is not usually that important when catching the wiley gill...however the type of beer batter that you fry them in is. this recipe is provided in one of John Geirachs books and i have always thought it was great. one part corn starch, one part flour, pinch of salt. beer. fry them in peanut oil and them put them on some sort of rack in a warmed oven to crisp up a little. eat with corn bread and salad and mexican beer. I will go to ponds that have a jillion tiny gills and keep 20 of the tiniest ones i can find and release all the bigger ones. they take some finesse to fillet but its so worth it. if you do this with overpopulated ponds and rotate ponds you keep from and only do it every so often it will only help the population of bigguns and bass etc... I like em small 3 inches and down!!!

 Reply by: jherbie1      Posted: 9/30/2009 6:17:26 PM     Points: 39    

I've had good luck with any dark bead head...fishing from shore, bubble and fly -- just depends on time of year...the weeds get thick

 Reply by: mruglystick      Posted: 10/1/2009 7:58:43 AM     Points: 12    

Perfect,

Thanks everybody, I think I might give it the college try next week at some point.

 Reply by: DozerF350      Posted: 10/1/2009 12:37:45 PM     Points: 27    

I've had good luck with a #12 bead head prince nymph. Pretty much anything shiny will get their attention. I've had them eat my nickel sinkers before. Not smart fish, and always hungry, especially the little ones. haha.

 Reply by: Flyrodn      Posted: 10/1/2009 2:05:20 PM     Points: 7137    

Most any trout nymph will produce some gills.

Personally, I do well two ways. When there isn't any surface action, I use a floating line, 9-12 ft 4x leader with three flies. Point is typically a 1-1.5 inch clouser, then two dropper flies. Small stones, pheasant tails, hare's ears, AP black, etc, in sizes 12-16 do the trick.

I work the weed edges letting the clouser sink 1-4 ft and use a slow twitching retieve.

When their hitting the surface, I use the same rig, but unweighted flies worked in the surface film. Never found bluegills to be very picky about pattern, just presentation.

Ah, I also generally fish from a tube, except in the spring.

Good Luck.