Cold Weather BG Fly Fishing

[Steve Crowder]

Now that colder weather is coming for most of us, what fly do you find most productive to catch bluegill. I still use to old stand by, Wooly Bugger in different colors on a sink tip leader. Orange/brown or green/yellow seems to work better in my area this time of year.

[Rick King]

Nice looking wooly bugger

[Lee]

 I hate to admit it but about this time of year I quit targeting Bluegill and start fishing for Speck ( Crappie to yall northerners ) American and Hickory Shad during the St Johns Shad run ( Dec thru March ) Strippers on Lake George and some inshore Saltwater fishing ( Redfish and Speckeled Trout )

 I Love Topwater flyfishing for Bluegill but I've found the flys I have to use during cooler weather   ( sub surface streamers and grass shrimp patterns ) catch so many of those pesky largemouth bass I have to fish a heavier rod like a 5 or 6wt to keep from loosing all my flys. Even a Nice Bluegill on a 6wt isnt much fun after you've been catching them on a 3 and 4wt all summer.

 Along about March or April I'll start having Fun with Gills again :) 

[Steve Crowder]

Yes, fishing for bluegill does slow down this time of year Lee. But I can't help it, I cannot lay the fly rod down! I'd rather fish a slow day with my fly fod than take my "hardware rods" and do better. There is just something peaceful and relaxing about slinging a fly rod. But...that's just me. I have tied some pink flies, something like Jeffrey's jigs. Hope they work. 

[Lee]

 

 LOL, You misunderstood I don't put the Flyrods away I just fish for different fish with them. With the exception of some saltwater fishing I fish 100% flyrod year around!

[Steve Crowder]

Whew....had me worried Lee. Can't stand not to see a good fly rod waving.....

[Allen Morgan]

Well, I have several nymph patterns that work, but honestly, I'm still catching some on topwater.  Granted, the pace of fishing has greatly slowed down, but, I'm still getting hits on top near what's left of the weeds at the lake where I'm trout fishing; and in the scour hole of the spillway this lake empties into.

I've been catching fish on size 16 Furled Extended Body Caddis flies, and have had a nibble on one of my size 16 Griffith's Gnat (but no hookup), and caught a fish on a size 16 Parachute Post Midge.

[Bruce Tomaselli]

I usually ice fish the deeper water this time of the year in my region of PA. But, so far, we have no safe ice. It's supposed to hit 50 next week so this cold spell will end any hopes of fly fishing as far as I'm concerned. I guess I'll be waiting for the spawn in late April and May.