+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 17 of 17

Thread: Cold Weather Flies for Crappie and Bluegills?

  1. #11

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Jesse View Post
    Dave, I think you have made a classic mistake of people who are no very familiar with the Lone Star State. I have never been to Borger, but have a friend who is a native, it is just east of Amarillo. The last time I remember being in Amarillo was the week before Christmas. The temperature was 72 deg. as I drove up from Lubbock, 36 hours later as I was leaving the wind chill was minus 40 degrees. It was snowing and the snowflake arriving parallel to the ground. It's the place people are talking about when they say "If you don't like the weather, wait a little bit it will change."
    That's exactly what they say about Iowa's weather as well!
    Given the latitude (but completely ignoring altitude), my thought was just that Texas's Winter, such as it is, is comparatively shorter and milder than ours, so the water temperatures wouldn't decline to the levels they do here..and so fish would tend to be more active there during the winter. They are active here as well, but you usually have to drill a hole through 10"-18" of ice to reach them.
    David Merical
    St. Louis, MO

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Nashville, TN. USA
    Posts
    4,109
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    I've had luck on milder winter days fishing a size 10-12 parachute tied with over-sized hackle in brown &/or black with a large, chartreuse and red nymph as a dropper. The nymph gets most of the hits but taking a big 'gill on a dry in December is fun. I think the key is to fish S-L-O-W-L-Y. I have taken 5 minutes to retrieve 10 yards.

    Ed

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    NE Gwinnett Co., GA
    Posts
    5,933

    Default

    There a guy here in GA that guides at Callaway Gardens, a resort south of Atlanta. In cooler weather they stock some of their lakes with nice trout and let their clients play with them. The photo below are some pattern he uses on the lakes for trout. The eyes are foam. Sorry I don't have a pattern
    boobflies.jpg
    Want to hear God laugh? Tell him Your plans!!!

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    West Tennessee
    Posts
    2,251

    Default

    Blue gill tend to like something either falling or moving while crappie tend to like some thing stationary and suspended or slightly moving. Crappie for some reason are hard for me because I like to to fish with a fly moving. I did manage 3 crappie over the weekend but I will admit I do not have the "crappie mindset".
    Good fishing technique trumps all.....wish I had it.

  5. #15

    Default

    BBW, try a boa yarn leech sometime for crappies. Yellow has been my best producer. It is a fly you can keep moving...and you can move it SLOW without it sinking to fast. Crappies prefer to attack their prey from below, so a slowly moving presentation that pushes a bit of water and doesn't sink much can be PERFECT in the evenings, after dark, or anytime crappies are near shore or suspended within 5' of the surface.
    David Merical
    St. Louis, MO

  6. #16

    Default

    Here's my thought... Get some #12 Matzuo sickle jig hooks and tie some basic beadhead patterns on them. Fish em a ways under an indicator just like you would a jig-and-bobber rig. Bead, hackle fibers for tail, chenille body...
    The Green Hornet strikes again!!!

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Spring Hill, ks
    Posts
    1,361

    Default

    As the water has been cooling here, I've just been steadily downsizing my clousers and still catching crappies and white bass. As I said above, I usually go to soft hackles for gills when it gets cold.
    If it swims and eats, it'll eat a fly.

+ Reply to Thread

Similar Threads

  1. Cold Weather
    By moonlitflies in forum Furling
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-25-2011, 05:06 PM
  2. Cold Weather in Florida
    By CharlieB in forum Saltwater Fly Fishing
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 01-14-2010, 12:41 PM
  3. Cold Weather Angling Essential: Chocolate!!
    By CaseyP in forum Sound Off
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 02-14-2009, 12:59 AM
  4. Great fly for Bluegills and Crappie
    By hoboflyfisher in forum Fly Tying
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 05-19-2007, 08:52 PM
  5. Cold Weather Wading with Breathables
    By in forum Fly Anglers Online
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 09-06-2005, 02:43 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts