best bluegill flies

  • BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    May 14, 2013 at 8:28 pm #1282226

    For those of you who fly fish… what are some good flies for gills when they are not up chasing bugs?

    henny
    Prescott, WI
    Posts: 121
    May 14, 2013 at 8:53 pm #1170796

    Had luck with nymphs (scuds, prince nymphs, hairs ear) and small beadheaded wooly buggers( cone headed for deeper edges) and san Juan worm.

    BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    May 14, 2013 at 9:07 pm #1170799

    I love foam spiders in the summer but its still just a little early. The fish are down a ways still.

    Steve Root
    South St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 5649
    May 14, 2013 at 9:21 pm #1170802

    Nymphs and Streamers, usually size 8 down to size 12.

    For Nymphs I tie a Pheasant Tail bead head with some color dubbed in at the thorax: chartreuse, orange, or pink. Some of the lakes I fish have a large population of Damsel flies and I’ve seen the ‘gills get selective about that, just like trout do. I tie Damsel fly nymphs in olive and grey. Marabou for the body and tail, a couple of turns of peacock herl at the thorax, and mono-bead eyes (melt the ends of a piece of mono to form two buggy looking eyes).

    For streamers as others have mentioned you have to have some Woolly Buggers. Black, olive, brown, and white. I also like the old classic Black-nosed Dace as well as the smallest Muddler Minnows I can tie.

    If I was restricted to one species using one technique, I’d spend the rest of my days fishing for Bluegills with a flyrod. I love it.

    Good luck this Spring!

    Rootski

    BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    May 14, 2013 at 9:40 pm #1170809

    Thank you for the help!!! What size woolly bugger?

    Steve Root
    South St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 5649
    May 14, 2013 at 9:56 pm #1170814

    I like size 8’s. They discourage the smallest sunfish, but are big enough to sometimes get the attention of a Bass or Crappie. I use Mustad 9762 hooks a lot.

    BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    May 14, 2013 at 10:28 pm #1170821

    I dont tie so I have to buy them or have someone tie for me. I got a chuckle out of discouraging small fish… im a newb at fly fishing so I need all the bites I can get

    BullsNeyes
    Rochester, MN
    Posts: 168
    May 14, 2013 at 10:46 pm #1170826

    Try a Bimbo Skunk fly for gills. Saw it on Northland Adventures this week end.

    BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    May 14, 2013 at 10:50 pm #1170827

    Quote:

    Try a Bimbo Skunk fly for gills. Saw it on Northland Adventures this week end.

    A smelly blonde?

    stevew
    Burnsville, MN
    Posts: 412
    May 15, 2013 at 10:21 am #1170914

    I tie a lot of micro jigs. 1/124th, 1/100th oz (you can get the jigheads at Thorne Bros). Maribou, Krystal flash, bucktail, fin racoon – – tons of good body material. The light jigs cast just fine.

    BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    May 15, 2013 at 9:40 pm #1171140

    Quote:

    Had luck with nymphs (scuds, prince nymphs, hairs ear) and small beadheaded wooly buggers( cone headed for deeper edges) and san Juan worm.

    On the san juan worms, what size would you recommend for gills?

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