Do you love big bluegill?

Quest, With a little help from my Friends

This quest began with Tommy Winton, of Florida. He was posting pictures of MASS QUANTITIES of Blue Gill and Red Ears. The picture that got the ball rolling was his picture titled "86 Gill and Shells". Reading thru the comment found out he had caught them on crickets fished in 12" of water on bottom. One of Tommy's quotes is " If they not hitting CRICKET they are not going to touch anything!"

I am a flyrodder so live bait is not an option and began working on a sinking cricket pattern. Without much success.

I turned to another Cricket Man, the Cricketmiester, Bluegillboogieman from Alabama. We had discussions and asked him if he would send me pictures of cricket for a pattern. His quote "Cricket rule down south! I wouldn't be caught dead near the water without them." He is the Cricketmiester because he got them to pose for some SEXY pics. They can be seen on my wall of comments on page 2.

Zack Thomasson, from New Jersy started Bluegill Fly Tying, a forum for tiers to come together and share ideas and tips.

Shooter from Loisiana starts a discussion " What is you most favorite bluegill fly"

John Welch of Wisconsin, replied to this discussion with Skip Morris's "Morrisfoam Preditor". Finally found the fly with a little tweeking this could be it.

Jen of Oklahoma, came up with material suggestions and technical support.

The results were this

This is not a real pretty fly or even an original. I don't even know if it will catch fish, but it and the dozen or more prototypes will be hitting the water.

It was a group effort of 7 people from 7 states that have contibuted to this endevor an I thank you.

This is the best WEB SITE on the internet, with the best folk, who are willing to share ideas, tips and encourage us to catch more and bigger BLUEGILL.

Last but not least is to 2lbgill, Who inspired Bruce Condello to start this web. That gives us this forum, and new FRIENDS. Thank You!!!!!!

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Comment by Jen Nayfly on December 7, 2011 at 3:06pm: I tied up several of those in black, but just didn't have much luck with them. I think Boogie was onto something using them live. We have ALOT of big black ones around the building I work in, maybe next spring I'll catch a few and try them on the flyrod

Comment by Greg McWilliams on December 7, 2011 at 2:59pm: Artie, The fly did have some success, But it wasn't about the fly it was about the Knowledge on this site and the willingness for the sharing of those ideas!!!!!

The BOOGIEMAN, saw pink but then again he thought his pole was CRIMSON!!!!!!

There is a lot of Knowledge on this site, and all you have to do is pay attention to what happens here!!!!!

Yea BOOGIE, I said pay attention to detail!!!! HEARD IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Artie McNay on December 6, 2011 at 6:09pm: Good piece, but did the fly everwork? Any fishing reports on it?

Comment by Nick Holt on March 19, 2010 at 2:05pm: Hey Greg, I gotta agree with Bluegillboggyman. The cricket is king here in the south. Although I fish predominately at my friend's Lake and use some of my own artificials and also a flyrod with a black ant pattern, if I'm going to a lake that I'm not accustomed to the cricket is my go-to bait. The pattern that you posted looked good to me. Hope that you can get into them without much tweeking. I caught eight in the half pound range using the homemade spider out of a one inch curl-tail grub body and sewed som spinner bait strands through it. It actually looke something like a spider. Got the idea from one of the other members of this site when I first signed on. Unfortunatly, I get remember the gentleman's name. Anyway, when in doubt, use a cricket off the bottom. Nick

Comment by Greg McWilliams on March 18, 2010 at 7:33am: Hey Boogieman, The "pink cricket" got hit last evening next to a brush pile. He took it into the pile to have dinner, so never got to see what hit it or what kept the fly. There might be merit to this cricket thing. Sun is out, headed for the mid-60's. Gonna give em another try here today. Still not a definet go to fly yet but we shall see.....

Comment by Greg McWilliams on March 13, 2010 at 5:12pm: I would like to thank Boogieman, for putting up those pictures of the DIXIE CRICKETS, The are sexy Boogie.
You know this blog was not about the fly or my tieing it was, was about the quality of folks willing to share info, and techniques You Guys and Gals are the Best!!!!!

Comment by Greg McWilliams on March 13, 2010 at 5:47am: Mr. Lord if the Fly , Rods, Are you a transported Okie? I fish Kaw lake it is about 10 miles from the house. Sand Bass and Crappie will be heading up the creeks soon I hope. Sand bass are a riot on flyrod. Never fished Skiatook it looks good though. I am in search of porcupine quills, sounds like a neat trick.
If you get over in this area drop a line and we can give Pawhuska a try.

Comment by Lord of the Fly , Rods on March 12, 2010 at 7:44pm: Greg, I know Osage Co. has plenty of ponds where biggens hang out, plus Skiatook Lake, and Kaw Lake . If you can put a cricket in that big bluegills face he going to eat it. I been to Pawhuska many times, I lived in Tulsa for 6 years.

Comment by Lord of the Fly , Rods on March 12, 2010 at 7:32am: We an't got no porcupines here in Arkansas, we had to go to Ebay to find them. Got some hot sauce that made me think I had eaten a porcupine the other day.

Comment by bluegillboogieman on March 12, 2010 at 7:20am: Quills do seem to be harder to find than they used to be at bait shops. I found some at Bass Pro Shop of all places. They were a little expensive, like $5 for two or something. I'd rather have had them than the $5 though.

Your Lordship, you found 'em RAW? You ain't done euthanized a porky pine now have you?