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flies bluegill

These are my goto Bluegill flies. The middle left is a soft hackle and I use various colors, orange, yellow, green and sometimes natural colors of browns and greens. The popper is a new design for me. I have always used cork in stead of craft foam.

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Comment by Ray Ditzenberger on April 8, 2014 at 12:26pm: Well McScruff I was surprised it did get revived. I follow several forums for various reasons and this pic of my 'go to's' was the only pic I ever remember posting. I just thought it was worthy and could help some new comers get a good start to catching fish. And like David L, I am always willing to share any of my experiances with others that are interested. I guess I am saying that I like to talk about myself. In a humble way I hope. I tend to respond to a lot of beginner tackle questions. I am always taouting short light rods. Most advise out there is 4 or 5wt rods in 8.5 to 9' in length. I guess that is good average advise but I find 6 to 7' rods in 2 or 3wt to be easier on my elbow and shoulder and more fun to fish. My go to rods are 6'ers. I read about a rod company pushing 4.5 and 5' fly rods a few days ago. I got a brain fart and pulled out my 25yr old UL graphite spinning rod and tapped a fly reel on the end and took it out for some backyard bass. I was quite surprised at how well it cast how tight a loop it would throw. It may become my favorite creek rod. Now if I can find an old glass Garcia 5' UL spinning to try out. Hehehe

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 8, 2014 at 8:54am: Great discussion, Ray...glad I revived it!
I think the yellow foam spider is a better all around gill getter, myself. Along with yellow, I tie them in sparkle green, brown, black, blue and white. I read a book by a fella named Cliff Hauptmann, where he recommends only white and yellow for any surface lure in daylight - black at night. So, I tie two yellow for every other color.

Like you, I have a lot of flies and other lures to choose from. This season I'm trying to come up with my producers, those that catch three fish or more.

Comment by DAVID L EITUTIS on April 8, 2014 at 8:42am: YUP RAY THE MICKEY FINN IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE CRAPPIE FLY PATTERN !!!!!! ALSO I rely largely on yellow as an important color for Gills and Crappies all summer long. Spring does seem best for me with the yellow patterns . till the beginning of May here and then it's all about Purple for the gills and red ears. By the way for me anyway Yellow has always been the go to color for Red Ears both here and in Iowa ....... Good history lesson Ray and thanks for posting it .......

Comment by Ray Ditzenberger on April 8, 2014 at 7:44am: Actually the largest gill I remember catching in these local creeks was on a #2 Mickey Finn that I was swinging for smallmouth. I never caught a SM on that day however. I still am amazed that the gill could get that streamer in his mouth. .....On the surface the yellow spider seems to be a more consistant producer of sunfish than the popper. However, I don't remember ever catching any bass on the spider but I do get a few bass on the popper. I sometimes tie the popper with no tail and I will add legs to a few of them. ....Also I use almost exclusively yellow surface bugs. All other colors seem to visually blend in and become difficult for me to see. Even chartruse gives me problems in some situations. Yellow remains visible for me in 95% of the time. I sometimes make long casts and yellow still works for me. Yellow also works well for me on subsurface. Especially when it is cold.

Comment by Ray Ditzenberger on April 8, 2014 at 7:03am: I have not intended to misrepresent my fishing habit. The collection shown are the 'go to' bunch and if I had to pare down my fly boxes these are the ones that I 'must' carry.to the water.........I actually carry many many patterns...One can not ever have too many patterns to confuse the choice and to chase away the boredom.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 8, 2014 at 2:46am: I tie a lot of flies, simply because I like the act of creation in making them.
But that lot you rely on would do the trick.

Comment by Mark Sleeper on April 7, 2014 at 9:42pm: great looking flies

Comment by Ray Ditzenberger on April 7, 2014 at 8:52pm: That small popper is what I started fly fishing with 45 years ago. The only difference is I used cork back then. The one pictured is made out of 2mm craft foam with a paper hole punch. The McGinty and the other wet fly came shortly there after. The wooly worm came a few years later. The craft foam spider showed up about 8 years ago and the blind squirrel about 2 years ago. That is my history lesson for the night. :)

Comment by Ray Ditzenberger on April 7, 2014 at 8:44pm: The creeks I fish are strickley warm water. There is a creek within 10 min that is stocked in the spring but It is elbow to elbow after stocking. There is also 2 great below dam rivers that have some good trout but I have never fished trout and have not real desire to. I guess I am a warm water snob. hehehe