There are several bluegill in my pond, but I can’t catch them. I was using a size 10 Adams fly, but I only caught a few warmouth. I would like to catch the bluegill. I have heard to use poppers, but I would like to use dry flies. Why am I not catching the bluegill? I know theyre there because I see them, but they won’t bite. Thanks
How many different patterns have you tried? I have had some luck with a chernobyl ant. I just plop it on the water and twitch it every 10 seconds or so. Traditional dry flies don’t work too well for me, but then I don’t get out to go fishing much.
Good luck!
Sometimes they don’t like dries, whether it’s hackled dries, foam dries, poppers, whatever. . .
This is only my second year of deliberately fishing for warmwater species, and I’ve noticed that “wiggle” via soft hackles or marabou usually helps. Maybe try a maribou muddler, that way you can fish it dry or wet.
I used about 8 different flies. I guess I will tie some poppers. Is there a website that I can look at that has the patterns? Thanks
Surface flies small hoppers,crickets,ants, or beetles. For below the surface I like wooley worms, wooley buggers, and caterpillars.
FFZ
Welcome to FAOl. Love fishing for those blue gills. Here are some patterns for you to tie and try. I have had great success with them.
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/panfish/part304.html:16c4a]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/panfish/part304.html[/url:16c4a]
And also these. [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/panfish/part305.html:16c4a]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/panfish/part305.html[/url:16c4a]
Here are some foam dremel bugs that Jim Hatch makes and uses. I haven’t tried any cause I am not that talented.
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/010603fotw.html:16c4a]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/010603fotw.html[/url:16c4a]
[This message has been edited by anglerdave (edited 05 July 2005).]
[This message has been edited by anglerdave (edited 05 July 2005).]
I was just out fishing. I caught a bluegill on a grizzly wooley bugger. I noticed that the bluegill were eating something from the surface. I am not sure what, but I will try to find out.
Hey FFZ;
Another good one to try is [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/121503fotw.html:4880f]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/121503fotw.html[/url:4880f] . It can be tied to look like a grasshopper, beetle, fly, baitfish or many other food items based on what colors and materials you tie it with. I personally have decided I like Marabou in various colors for the tail and underbody. Lots of good movement and it is easy to get tied on there the way I like it.
HAve fun getting your gilld figured out! Also don’t nrglect to try the [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/091100fotw.html:4880f]SHWAPF[/url:4880f] in various colors! It has been argued tha twith various colors of that fly you don’t need anything else. 
Don
Drolfson, I think that may be the perfect fly. I am not able to go to Bass Pro today, so I will go to Wal-Mart and get the material I don’t have. I do not know what to use for the legs though. Do you think rubber band slivers would be good? Thanks so much!
Update- I used rubber bands for the legs. I took it down to the pond for a test run. It is the best fly I have ever used! I caught a 2 lb bass, two 1 lb bass, a monster bluegill, and several warmouths. That was the most productive outing.
[This message has been edited by FlyFishZak (edited 05 July 2005).]
FlyFishZak,
Try using the rubber strands from the inner core of a bungee cord for rubber legs. Lots of different colors. Just look at the tip of the cord for the colors you want before you buy .
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL
“Flip a fly”
FlyFishZak,
I use small poppers and foam flies for bluegill and it seems as if you are going to do the same, but if you want to keep it more traditional with dry flies then I would add one set of sili legs to the Adams you were using. I too use bungee cords for most of my legs, but they may weight on the Adams too much.
Anyhow, I get alot of takes just letting the fly sit there after my initial cast, and I believe it’s those wiggling legs they can’t resist. Might be the same with the Adams. I’ve never done this as the first fly I ever cast and caught a fish on was a popper so I’ll always like 'em.
Just thought I’d run that idea by you in case you wanted to keep using the Adams.
Later,
Jambalaya
Try a Jitterbe under a VOSI. Do it the Cajun way.
Chuck Hitt
Dang Zak, that’s awesome!! That’s also about how well it has worked for me when I think about tying tsome on too. I did like Dixieangler said and cut open a bungee chord that was showing some wear on the back of my bike. It had both medium and fine rubber ‘legs’ in it in both black and white. I have yet to use half of them up, and it was just a 12" chord.
I had most of my success with red foam and yellow marabou with black legs. What colors did you tie up? It sounds like your fish like them, whatever color you tied!
Don
I bought red, yellow, green, and blue foam. I tied up a yellow with yellow rubber band legs and white marabou. I bought some fabric paint. I put a few dots on some of them, but not the one I used. I couldn’t wait that long for it to dry! I liked the fact that the fish hit them as soon as they hit the water. That was really cool.
[This message has been edited by FlyFishZak (edited 06 July 2005).]
And now to figure out who’s HOOKED…Zak or the fish!?
Grand thread!
…lee s.
I am hooked, but I have a problem. I am only able to fly fish two months out of the year. I do not have a place to fly fish at home… YET! I will start looking, but I am not allowed to drive very far.
[This message has been edited by FlyFishZak (edited 06 July 2005).]
FlyFishZak
Slide over to the salt water area and we will teach you how to catch some salt water fish also. I looked you up and found that you are very close to the saltwater.
We fly fish the saltwater and you will love it. Also place a wanted fishing partner add maybe you will find a FAOL person that lives near you. I found about 10 that live within 2 hours of me.
Congratulations with your progress and welcome to the board. I will warn you, I caught the biggest bass I have ever caught over 10 lbs fishing with the rig you are using now, my fly was black but it was the same in every other way. So when you are catching the gils remember there might be a big fish under them. Do not want to test your heart by not warning you. I have also had a little gil on the end of the fly rod and a bass try to steal it from me. I take fishing seriously and when that happens I catch them both. OR give it a real good try.
Another secret. and be quite about it do not tell all these other guys. If you treat the guys at the golf course right some of them will let you fish the water in and around the course. Now remember keep it a secret… IF not every golf course in the world will have fly fishers all over it…
Back to the salt water fishing, imagine this you are wading about thigh deep. You cast out this fly called a clouser, and as this fly starts to sink below the surface your line starts to fly out of your hand, before you know it 100 ft of line is in the water. Set the hook and let me know what it was. Could be any of a number of fish, Redfish are great fun. Find someone that lives in the area to tell you what you can catch close by. If you cannot find someone let me know and I will see what I can do for you.
Good luck and keep going, fresh or salt it is more fun than working…
Harold
Harold, I live about 10 minutes from the beach. I would love to try saltwater, and I think I may do it this year. Thanks for all of your help everyone.
Zak,
I am still very much a novice myself, but IMHO I believe that the Deerhair Caddis is the BEST dry fly for bluegill on the planet!! I was in Tennessee 2 weeks ago and I was catching them like crazy on the Duck River near Shelbyville. I was fishing in the mid morning under overhanging trees.
Keep in mind however that I have not tried all planetary dry flies, including the ones that have been recommended for you to try and tie.
AC