Bluegill, oh bluegill, where for art thou bluegill? Warm water fly fishing.

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Where did all the panfish go?!?  From Friday, March 29th through April 3rd, we've had rain on a daily basis.  And - not to mention cold snaps!  Again!  The stream I went to today was running a lot faster and was a lot colder than my trip out last Friday.  I did not land one panfish.  I couldn't even make a fish hit a top water pattern.  I'm wondering if folks cleaned out my bluegill hole on Easter Sunday because it sure seems that way.  At least from looking at the trash on the bank it does.  I picked up some trash and a plastic rod combo cover with rod instructions and a "How-to-fish" booklet to throw in the recycle bin. (I caught the girl above on a Panfish Charley - it's for panfish you silly bass!).

This is why fishing holes get shut down!!  It angers me because I've had a few get shut down to do hooligans and behavior related to drugs alcohol and graffiti.  On one occasion, I was the first one to leave to lot and hit the stream.  I came back a few hours later with a lot of folks bank fishing and diapers scattered willy-nilly!  Or, is it hither-thither??

Check out my red eye bass!   It's been a while since one of these nasty dudes hit the line.  I drifted my Seek & Destroy for panfish and all I got was this bass, lol.  The bass are moving!  It's April and about time!  We've had a late winter and I've been ready to stretch my legs for a while now.  I drifted weighted nymphs for panfish without success today.  The Woolly Bugger wasn't any help either.  Soon, my friends, soon!  Those panfish will be ready to jump into my creel, mwah ha ha ha.

This guy sure is purdy but what is he?  A red eye bass or a smallmouth?  If you look at this information, http://calfish.ucdavis.edu/species/?uid=75&ds=241, it could be a red eye but it looks like a smallmouth bass to me.  The jaw line doesn't seem to extend far.  So, maybe he is a red eye. But who cares right?  It's a bass.  Maybe it's a hybrid . . .

So, those bluegills heard I was out for them this year, huh.  Well, I'll show them next week!  Tight lines to all those chasing panfish on #yearofthebluegill.

Counting Bluegills - Warm water fly fishing

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This year will definitely be a change from last year in that I will be fly fishing on more impoundments than streams.  Seeing as how it is #yearofthebluegill, I feel as if a big weight has been lifted from my shoulders, lol.  Granted, my smallmouth pics don't compare to those of other bloggers but chasing panfish will put me in a place that makes me happy.

I landed several bluegills the other day and am hoping to make it back out this week.  I believe my count is at 4.  I am only counting those that are at least the size of my hand.  I will do my best at identifying these mix breeds of sunfish.

This little dude hit my chartreuse coon hair Clouser.  I hope waters warm up soon.  These cold snaps and rain are keeping me indoors.  I'm gonna do repair on a Boogle Bug.  It seems I broke the top on a back cast.  I've also got an orange Boogle Bug in which the feathers already have to be replaced.  I just bought it last year but the feathers are already gnawed at by mites because I left in in a fly box that wasn't aired out after my last outing.

And it sure won't hurt to land these guys every now and then.  She? slammed my Boogle Bug as I let it rest a bit after casting into some cover.  This bass took it as she jumped out of the water and landed upside down with her yellow belly disappearing into the stream.  I'm starting out with Boogle Bugs because for some reason, they worked best last spring.

I know Cameron at TFM is promoting #yearofthebluegill but I think Bill Trussell has been a big influence on catching those nasty little fighters.  So, tight lines to all of you chasing bluegills this year!

The bluegill that got away! #yearofthebluegill

Last year, we didn't have a late winter or cold fronts in March that affected stream temperatures.  I definitely felt the cold today.  Right through my pants and long handles!  Especially, as I waded chest deep for fat panfish.

I caught several decent panfish but the one I really wanted to capture on my phone flopped his way out of my grip as I reached in my pocket.  Sure, this bass in the photo was near the top of my list but that bluegill is why I really went out this morning.

The fish are still holding in deep spots near the banks and holding tight to structure.  I was catching fish from against brick structuring and fallen timber.  They really aren't doing much in the riffles.  Every now and then, fallfish and small bass would scurry after my Boogle Bug as it drifted in the current.

#YearoftheBluegill is going to be a challenge.  In reality, I am doing the #YearofthePanfish.  I went to a location where I know large panfish can be caught.  The large ones that are bigger than your hand.  As stream temperatures warm up, I'm gonna be landing some fat pannies!  I love it when they hit like a bass and shake structure and slam the water.  I all honesty, even on a 3 wgt. today, I wasn't very impressed with those little guys - other than that large bluegill.  That bass I caught didn't fight much.

As I organized my fly boxes last night, I found myself placing smallmouth flies into them.  Today, I had to slow myself down.  I was rushing through my panfish holes and making my way to the smallmouth hangout.

I traded in the Blazer and am using a smaller SUV.  Therefore, instead of placing the kayak into the Blazer, I am going to put the kayak on top of my new vehicle.  And . . . I a have to keep a box in the back for my fishing gear.  After today's outing, I took off my waders and placed them in the box along with my muddy boots.  I also placed a towel over my seat.  The Blazer was 10 years old and was definitely more than used roughly.  Last week, I tried to access my favorite location but it was too muddy.  I had to turn around.  I am not used to passenger tires and AWD is not the same as four wheel drive.

That being said, I hope to hit new water on my kayak in the next week or so.  I do believe the bass will begin to move to their beds in April.  With the kids having only about 6 or 7 weeks left in school, my time hunting smallmouth is dwindling.

Tight lines!!!

How to make my Bread & Butter! Warm water fly tying.

Well, guess it's time to share my Juicy Foam Fly tying instructions.  I know - crazy name but this pattern works well.  It's been a best-seller for me and rightly so . . . because it catches those smallmouth and bluegills.  It's a durable pattern with a good presence on the water as it drifts through riffles and it can be chugged along the banks.  This pattern isn't complicated and it doesn't call for much in the way of materials. It could be a hopper but it could be much more than that too.  You can use many color combinations or add large nymph eyes too.  The indicator is optional.

Materials

• River Road Creations Chernobyl Cutter
• 2 mm craft foam
• mono eyes (not necessary but if desired) - you could also draw on eyes or use stickey eyes.
• rubber legs
• I typically use a size 8 hook but have also used a Gamakatsu b10s #6.

You don't have to use a cutter to make these strips of foam measuring 1/2 x 1.5 inches.

Wrap plenty of thread around the hook shank.  You could dub the shank but it's up to you.  The fish don't care about the dubbing.  Tie in foam at the tip of the barb.  Size 8!!

Cut top piece of foam at the eye of the hook.

Fold the bottom piece over the top and tie in about 1mm from hook eye.

Cut legs any length you want - 2 legs need to be a bit shorter.

Tie in legs and indicator (optional).  Wrap thread around plenty of times.

Make sure you have plenty of thread around the shaft and around the legs so that when you apply glue, the body has something to cling too.  Make at least 3 half-hitches around the body between legs and over indicator.  If you are not comfortable finishing the fly off that way - wrap thread back to shaft and make some whip-finishes.

You can even add large nymph eyes or press-on (sticky) eyes.  I like to drift the Juicy Foam Flies for smallmouth and warmouth.  When fishing ponds, they are good to chug or slap on the surface of the water.  I use indicators for long drifts.

*No, this isn't a copy of any pattern.  There are those patterns out there who are similar and were created several years later.

 

ebay store - bluegill flies & bass flies - warm water fly fishing

If you want to buy flies other than my ebay listing, am working on this page.   http://purposehere.blogspot.com/p/flies.html

I received an email today from someone that follows my blog.  He wants to purchase flies from my ebay store.  I guess it's time to relist them.  My apologies to anyone that has wanted to buy my flies lately.  Flies will be listed in my store in the next few days.  If you need to contact me, my email is rzrbk804@yahoo.com and we can follow up with any pattern you see on the blog.

Above, you will notice my size 4 Packing Foam Beetle.  I can't wait to try it out.  Heck, I may even list it on ebay.  My father gave me some packing foam from a laptop.  How could I not make something from it??  You guys know me and my love affair with foam.

This little guy is a size 8 foam "popper".  If I can take a good enough photo, he may just be listed on ebay too.

I have been taking lousy pics.  If the lighting is off then the flash is too bright . . . so, I'm stuck right now in a photo slump.  This fly is size 8 and for #yearofthebluegill.  I am hoping to diversify my ebay lineup but cost factors in along with competition.

Again, sorry for not having my flies listed on ebay.  I will keep you guys updated.