anyone use indicators for bluegill?

[Greg F]

Does anyone use a nymph and indicator setup for bluegills? There is a shoreline along a lake that drops off quickly. May be that a nymph hanging straight down near the shore would work better than stripping.

Greg

[ohiotuber]

I haven't yet, but have thought about it for scud fishing. Have you tried a tandem with the nymph dropper off a gurgler, foam spider, hopper, etc.?
Mike

[Greg F]

I don't have enough experience in warm water to be able to tell where the fish are. I have tried a gurgler/dropper when I just couldn't get anything to work, and it still didn't work for me. The best luck I have had has been with spiders and hares ears, stripping and twitching.

Greg

[okflyfisher]

We do use indicators for crappie and bluegill here in Oklahoma. Although it is usually in cooler weather.

we set the indicator so the marabou fly will be just above the weeds. We also catch the occational bass this way too.

[TxEngr]

I haven't used an indicator (at least as you mean it) but my floating line has a red braided loop on the end. I've often used a long leader (usually straight 5 or 10 lb mono) where I fish a nymph or jig and watch the braided loop closely. I'll do short strips and let it sit for a minute. If I see it twitch, I set the hook and often have a b.g. This is especially true in the winter when the takes are much softer. So yes, in a way I've used an indicator.

TxEngr

[Bluegill222]

It's a good way to go when the bite is light, or when you need to control the depth accurately (i.e., fishing drop-offs, brushpiles, etc.). It's how I taught my fiancee how to nymph on the local pond.

[parrotheadcrb]

We fish strike indicators a lot for bluegills and redears. We use small 1/120 jigs and fish them below strike indicators. Works like a charm and very effective.

[Greg Hunsicker]

Hi

I use foam and biostrike indicators as well as droppers below Gurgle-Pops, hoppers, foam spiders etc. I use droppers that include nymphs, mini-jigs, sj worms, scuds and G-bugs. When the water is warm I fish the droppers about 18" below the floater. When the water is cooler I fish deeper and use a float that makes it easier to change the depth. When using a float use the smallest possible. Smaller floats are easier to cast, make less of a disturbance and pick up the lighter strikes easier.

Greg

[Big Bad Wulff]

I find most bluegill hit flies "on the drop", meaning they hit flies as they slowly drop down through the water. That is why the bream killer and legged bugs work so well for them.

[dixieangler]

I use a nymph or a scud sometimes under a VOSI (link below) float usually when straight lining is not working (on the drop or the retrieve) and fish are suspended, picky, and seem to want a nymph or scud suspended at a certain depth. If the wind is blowing (usually the case) then I rarely even have to move the float (has enough motion on its own) but if there is no wind and its pretty still, then I may give the line a twitch once in a while to give it a bit of movement. I have also had pretty good luck at times with a Cypert's Mylar Minnow under the VOSI float.

[url=http://laflyfish.com/flies/vosi.php:609ce]Vertically Oriented Strike Indicator (VOSI)[/url:609ce]