There are no trout in the northwest Florida Panhandle, so I have to settle for second best down here and go for Bluegills…Anyway. does anyone have any suggestions as what flies besides popping bugs, are best for these little guys? Tackle shops look at me like I’m nuts when I ask for lures other that the old cork bodied standbys.
d.donaldson
what we do in live echos throughout eternity
I recommend the following three flies for bluegills:
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw/060500fotw.html:ebae3]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw/060500fotw.html[/url:ebae3]
[This message has been edited by gadabout (edited 13 February 2006).]
Get the book “Bluegill …Fly fishing and flies” by Terry & Roxanne Wilson. The best $17 you ever spent if you are even slightly serious about bluegills. Many good patterns and the one that works for me all the time is the Bully Spider. Easy to tie and a sure bet any time of the year. I tie them in lots of colors but Chartruese works the best.
Clint
I feel closer to HIM when I’m fishing.
Rubber Legged Dragons, Wooly Buggers in sizes 10 and 12, foam spiders, hard body ants, ants of any pattern, hard hackle spiders, black widow, Elk Hair Caddis(foam and original), Pheasant Tail Nymph, Gold Ribbed Hares Ear, Muddler Minnow, Mini Clouser, Mini Deceiver, Crazy Charlies, Bluegill Bully, any of Jim Hatch’s foam body flies, gurgler, Brassie, Turk’s Tarantula, Madame X, Damsel or dragonfly patterns, Mickey Finn, Black Nose Dace, Stimulators, and many, many more that I am sure others will mention.
The go to favorites have to be poppers, wooly buggers, foam spiders, mini clousers(weighted and unweighted) and the rubber legged dragon really seem to work well for me around here.
As for colors, anything color will work as long as it is chartreuse. Seriously, Chartreuse, black and olive seem to make up most of my box here in south GA and should suit you fine in N Fl. In a couple of months, anything on the surface should make for a fun afternoon. Hope this helps.
Hey DD,
Two things you need to know. First,
bluegills and all manner of sunfish are
far from being second rate fish. Pound for
pound if you tied a bluegill and a trout
together, the trout would be getting a tour
of the habitat courtesy of the bluegill.G
Secondly, bluegills, and other sunfish,
eat pretty much the same bugs that the
trout do. Often trout flies, dries, nymphs,
scuds, and streamers will outfish live bait
as well as the commercial poppers available.
Poppers and sliders are fun to fish for the
topwater action, but they are not necessarily the most productive flies for
bluegills.G Don’t be afraid to experiment
and take your time and enjoy it. When you
learn something, share it with us on the
warmwater board and we’ll do the same for
you. Welcome aboard. Warm regards, Jim
Check out the Warm Water Forum. Second page has a thread on Bluegill flies with over 50 posts about them.
Gem
Bluegills aren’t second best because the catch limit is higher than trouts! 
I recommend Al Campbell’s fly tying pages. He and Rick Z. have some great patterns.
Also, search on FAOL for the keyword “bluegill” and see what comes up.
There’s almost nothin’ wrong with the first lie, it’s the weight of all the others holdin’ it up that gets ya’! - Tim
Take a look at this thread link from the Warmwater Forum 
.
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum20/HTML/001857.html:31ba0]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum20/HTML/001857.html[/url:31ba0]
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL
“Flip a fly”
[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 13 February 2006).]
If I were limited to 3 flies for gills, they would be (alphabetically):
McGinty dry
Red butt epoxy ant
Woolyworm, yellow body, grizzly hackle, red tail.
I am convinced that 1 of these 3 will work just about anywhere, anytime!
Mike
This site’s about sharing!
Take a look at the swap forum also. There has been at least 3 in the last year, and that should give you and idea as well.
I have caught Bluegills on …
Adams, Humpys, Bluewing Olives, Elk Hair Caddis, Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ears, Prince Nymph’s, Zug Bugs, Czech Nymphs, Griffth Gnats, Pheasent Tail Nymphs, Skip Nymphs, Coachman, Jitterbees, Scuds, Sowbugs…the list is endless.
“Whatever a Trout would take, so will a Bluegill!” ~ Parnelli
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/091100fotw.html:5a762]SHWAPF[/url:5a762] fished wet, dry, as an emerger, in tandem or any other way you can think of.
What size and color? What sizes and colors can you imagine?
I like the orange shown in that tutorial with the Squirrel tail for the ‘wing’. I also like red dubbing or peacock for the body. I plan on trying green (like green weenie), yellow, pink, purple, tan, blue and many other colors this summer.
I been thinking of giving up all other flys for a year just to see if my catch rate goes down. I don’t think it will. 
Don
d.donaldson,
As long as it(the fly) is not to big, I have found that Bluegill will hit almost anything!
I like to fish anything I use for trout, but bigger and with a little more wiggle. For trout my go-to flies are generally #18 nymphs, so for bluegills I like #10 wets. Small buggers are great too.
My two favorite blugill flies are the wooly worm in a chartruese, or the yellow caterpilar.
I strongly second the statement from Bluegill Bud: “Get the book “Bluegill …Fly fishing and flies” by Terry & Roxanne Wilson. The best $17 you ever spent if you are even slightly serious about bluegills.”
Ed
A yellow gurgle-pop does the trick, see FAOL Fly of the week. I use various color chenille for the body. For a nymph a Red Squirrel Tail with legs and gold bead head works great.
Good Luck,
John
DD,
Bluegills, particularly Florida bluegills, are hardly second-rate fish. With a two, three, or four weight rod, they will provide a day’s fishing that is second to none.
I like my bluegills on topwater and my favorite fly is a size #12, #10, or #8 Gurgle Pop in white, yellow, or brown. You can find excellent tying instructions for gurgle pops in the fly of the week archives. 8T
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it’s a real short camping season.
Thumbs up on the gurgle pops here too! they flat out get the fish also work on the bass which is just a bye product of gill fishing.
I like them with a black body yellow wing n flash tail and yellow legs, this color combo has been the best producer for me. Have fun!
“A smart man learns from his mistakes,
A wise man learns from others”
The Wilsons’ book pushes the Bully Spider for 'gills. I have never had great success with it. A small black Clouser, Gillbuster or foam spider are great!