Thanks for your article FishnDave. I enjoyed it very much.
I was intrigued by the fact that that the Bluegills had not spawned as of your writing this article. When do they normally spawn in your area? Here in the Kansas City area I know the Bluegills were on the beds on May 22 at one particular lake. I suspect it was near the beginning of the spawn.
Gosh, Thanks! 
Kansas City is normally about a week ahead of the Des Moines area, as far as spring-time water temperatures go.
Because of the flooding this year, I didn’t visit the larger area lakes for the bluegill spawn this year. So I can only speak for the smaller ponds, which typically warm faster than the lakes. Also, this past winter was a LONG, COLD one, and so our Spring this year was a bit later/cooler than usual. So, using this year as an example of a “typical” year for this area probably would NOT give an accurate portrayal of true “typical”.
But from this year’s fishing log, I first started seeing bluegills on nests on May 21. This first spawn of of 2008 lasted for about 3-4 weeks. There are still a few males on nests, but the females appear to have dropped their eggs.
In 2007, same pond, I first noted bluegills on nests on May 10. In 2007, we also had a long winter, but when it warmed in the Spring, it warmed FAST! Our lakes went from about 8" of good ice to ICE-FREE in about a week!!
In 2006, I didn’t fish this pond on the Spring, and appear to have missed the spawn altogether, as I was concentrating my efforts on other species.
an excellent article indeed. where can i get the flashback recipe?
great article Dave.
there’s a small, out of the way, lake in my neck of the woods, Dog Creek, and the gills have been hitting pretty good. Been using Spiders & Bream type flies and they seem to be working pretty well so far. Had a couple white crappies(I think), hit’em but didn’t get the hook set right.
Mike
I noticed what could be considered a “discrepancy”. In the article I stated the bluegills hadn’t spawned as of May 30. The bulls started showing up on nests on May 21, but I had seen no evidence the females had started coming into the nests yet. Every female I caught through May 30 was still super-fat with eggs. I don’t know if they were waiting for a moon-phase, or what…but obviously the males will make nests and get things “prepared” before the females move in. I hope that clears things up??
Recipe for “FishnDave’s Flashback Fly”:
Materials:
-Size 10 wet fly hook
-Chenille (color of your choosing, I usually go with a mottled olive/black)
-pearl, silver, or holographic silver Flashabou or similar brand.
-black 6/0 Uni-thread or similar
-Optional: copper wire for weight as desired. (I usually don’t add extra weight…the stout hook seems to weight it fine.)Instructions:
- Wind thread to cover hook shank.
- Tie in about 8 strands of Flashabou (or similar material) near the hook bend. Leave this sticking out towards the “tail” of the hook.
- Tie in an appropriate length of chenille at the hook bend. Wind thread to move thread to the hook eye.
- Wind chenille around hook towards the eye, and secure it near the eye with the thread.
- Pull Flashabou over the back of the fly (opposite from hook point side)and make 3 tight wraps behind hook eye to secure it.
- Pull loose ends of Flashabou over the back towards “tail” of fly, and make 3 tight wraps about 1/16" to 1/8" behind hook eye. (You want the Flashabou to be slightly flared, with the loose ends towards the hook bend.)
- Make some additional thread wraps at the hook eye, and tie off thread. I use a drop of Flexament on the knot to make it more durable.
- Trim loose ends of flashabou to NO LONGER than the hook bend.
Thanks for the article FishnDave I really enjoyed it and plan on tying up some of your flies. I like tying nymphs on 1/124th micro-jigs too. The jig gives the fly a different action that seems to attract more bites to me.
Thanks again,
Greg
Hey Greg, nice to see we got another jig tyer 
That’s what I mostly tie myself, but like to dabble with other fly tying too.
Mike
Great read Dave, Thanks. Going to go read it again.
Dave…those look killer…I will make some myself for the Everglades
Recipe for “FishnDave’s Flashback Fly”:
Materials:
-Size 10 wet fly hook
-Chenille (color of your choosing, I usually go with a mottled olive/black)
-pearl, silver, or holographic silver Flashabou or similar brand.
-black 6/0 Uni-thread or similar
-Optional: copper wire for weight as desired. (I usually don’t add extra weight…the stout hook seems to weight it fine.)Instructions:
- Wind thread to cover hook shank.
- Tie in about 8 strands of Flashabou (or similar material) near the hook bend. Leave this sticking out towards the “tail” of the hook.
- Tie in an appropriate length of chenille at the hook bend. Wind thread to move thread to the hook eye.
- Wind chenille around hook towards the eye, and secure it near the eye with the thread.
- Pull Flashabou over the back of the fly (opposite from hook point side)and make 3 tight wraps behind hook eye to secure it.
- Pull loose ends of Flashabou over the back towards “tail” of fly, and make 3 tight wraps about 1/16" to 1/8" behind hook eye. (You want the Flashabou to be slightly flared, with the loose ends towards the hook bend.)
- Make some additional thread wraps at the hook eye, and tie off thread. I use a drop of Flexament on the knot to make it more durable.
- Trim loose ends of flashabou to NO LONGER than the hook bend.
Ah, this is why I hate naming any fly I tie…somebody’s probably already done it!
Before getting into tying my own flies, I had purchased a similar fly at a local sporting goods store. The fly worked really well, and eventually I lost it on an errant cast, snag, or fish. I could no longer find this fly at any of the local stores, nor on-line. So this was really the fly that helped me make the decision to start tying flies.
I was looking through some of the FAOL “Fly of the Week” recipes today, and I see that this fly is pretty much a version of Al Campbell’s “SHWAPF”. In fact, it is nearly identical to one of the examples in the Fly Tying for Beginners information. I’d forgotten, but I think I may have tied my pattern based on those instructions!
So, forgive my oversight, and let me give credit where it is due. From me, and the many others who have been helped along in their quest to learn fly-tying…a BIG THANKS for the instructions, Al! My fly is simply a particular version of a SHWAPF.
This last weekend I got some bluegills that still had eggs in them.
We have had so much rain that I don’t think the water has really warmed up that much in the deeper parts.
The pond I was at Saturday had two inches of water over the opening for the drain pipe.
Still alot of water in the fields around the ponds.
Rick
The females I’m catching now are getting fat again. I’m not 100% sure, Rick, but I think this may be a 2nd round of spawning? I’ve heard bluegills can/will spawn multiple times over the Spring/Summer?
Yes they can lay eggs mutiple times.
The ones I am catching still have the large egg sacs in them. I think it is the orginal spawn.
Rick
It has been a STRANGE Spring/Summer, indeed!
