EP Bluegill

[jkilroy]

I would like to tie some EP Bluegill's. my question is what, 3 colors of the fibers do you need? Better yet, what are the materials for that fly? I have one of them, but I'm not positive what colors they used to tie it. Also, for the shad color, is that gray/white?

[biot midge]

jkilroy,
Go to the FOTW archives and look at the "Shineabou Sunfish". That should give you a good idea of the colors needed for the EP fly.
Steve

[jkilroy]

There are 32 colors of EP fibers. The EP bluegill has at least 3. There is 4 different colors of olive. I would like to get an exact match.

[biot midge]

Try this. http://flytyingforum.com/index.php?a...ow&showid=5510

[jkilroy]

Thanks, that's perfect. I'll add that to my favorites. I don't know if I'll ever use all the different fly patterns that I have tied.

[Gigmaster]

I use Enrico's Sea Fibers. Angel Hair works as well. For the bluegill pattern, you neeed OD, Chartruese, Orange, Red and Gold. Or you can do what I do, tie it with white fibers and color it with Prismacolor Markers. I like the effect better. They look more realistic. There are many different types of sunfish, and the markers will let you imitate them all.

[jkilroy]

Is that fly you tie pretty effective for LMB?

[Buddy Sanders]

JK,

I realize you want an 'exact match', but that will be hard to do. It's unlikely that old Enrico himself could tie two of these in a row that 'matched'.

Luckily, if you are tying them for bass, it really won't matter. If you fish for Bluegills you will learn pretty quickly that the colors vary widely from fish to fish even in small waters.

Some are dark, almost black on the back fading to deep green with yellow bellies and strong reddish marks on the gill covers and blue underneath them. Some are lighter, almost a faded lime on top with yellow sides and white bellies and little diferentiation on the heads. Almost every shade in between is represented. Lots of goldish or tannish accents found here too.

So, use a shade of green for the back. Pick one that you like, the fish won't care. A lighter shade of green below that, with some yellow and maybe a git of gold flash. white or light yellow for the bellies, maybe some pearl flash here. Makes a nice 'gill pattern if you want to fish such a thing.

I've played with these flies for decades, and now I'm where Gigmaster is. I use white fibers almost exclusively (I bought a LOT of the OD stuff years back, so I tend to use a little of that for the backs), with pearl flash where that's needed, and then color them with markers. Looks nicer, to me, and the fish like them. You can get that 'barred' look that many fish exhibit.

By the way, as far as the 'shad' color goes, that varies as well. Out here in sunny arizona, the bass prefer green on the backs of the shad (the naturals have that color, you see). But we catch bass with black, green, chartuese, grey, and brown backs too. The fish don't really seem to mind all that much as long as you PRESENT the fly properly. I have confidence in the green, so that is what I tend to fish.

All of these are fun flies to tie.

Good Luck!

Buddy

[Gigmaster]

Is that fly you tie pretty effective for LMB?

They are extremely effective on Largemouth and smallmouth bass, White Bass (Sand Bass), Stripers and even catfish. You don't have to worry about an exact match, because no two real fish are identicle, either. Here is an example of a bluegill with a floating head. This makes it ride in a 'head-up' postion that drives fish nuts! I guess it looks looks an unwary fish cruising for food. All you do is simply add a floating foam head to the completed fly.





Here is the same fly in shad colors (sorry, but this one is really chewed up from stripers. They are hard on flies. This one has caught about 50 stripers and is about ready for retirement.) The only difference is how you color the fly with markers. That's why I use the White Pearl color of Sea Fibers. They take color very well. Again, you can leave the floating head off, but some kind of head makes the fly more durable.




Here is the same fly with a silicon head (I use the same kind that you repair aquariums and boats with, available at most pet, hardware stores, and Wal-Mart). The star, instead of a black spot, was because I tied this one for an NFL swap. It is a Dallas Cowboy Shad. Other than that, it is stock.





You can imitate any kind of baitfish that swims anywhere in the world, fresh or salt water, like this.

If you need them, I have photos and step-by-step instructions for tying this pattern (tied by yours truely, of course).

Good luck, and happy fishing.

Support bacteria! It's the only culture some people will ever have.

[jkilroy]

50 stripers, wow!!! I've caught a whole one so far. There is a freshwater lake that has them within 1 hour of the house. I would really like to try that lake soon. What are those flies made of? They look like they are made of a different material than EP fibers. 50 stripers on one fly, oh man, sweet!!!