My style of fishin' I like to tye and fish for BLUE GILLS !!!!

Jim Ducy

I fished a tenkara a lot in Montana for Cutthroat Trout, and it is a great system. In still water you would need to have a long rod (15') and good boat control, but when the gills are shallow you could hammer them on a bugger or really big nymph. It is a blast in warmwater streams for chubs and sunfish too.

There are a few good tenkara rod choices. The Tenkara USA Ito is 14' 7" and has a very light soft action. The Amago is 13' 6" and has quite a bit more backbone. It would be a better choice if the next cast could result in a 3 lb bass rather than a bluegill.

My best luck has been with fishing four sakasa kebari, which are unweighted wet flies with the hackle slanted forward rather than back. Fishing multiple flies seemed to work a lot better than only one, but of course it did result in a few monster tangles.

It really is a  fun way to fish.

I just tried to use the method where you use a floating fly with a dropper wet fly.  It cast okay but the dropper seemed to want to twist around the main line and prevent the dropper from working properly.  I think possibly tying the dropper to the back of the floating fly would work better. 

That's right John, most people who use the dropper method tie the dropper from the back (bent part) of the hook. I always have tangle problems, so I cast one fly at a time. 

Has anyone tried using a Tenkara fly rod  (Japanese fly rod... has no guides... no reel seat or reel. Looks a lot like an old cane pole... but the resemblance stops there) They are incredibly light telescopic rods and used mainly in stream fishing. The Tenkara fly lines are extremely light too). I just wondered if anyone had tried them and if so how successful was it?

there is a big discussion about tenkara about three posts down.

I just sold my Tenkara rod, not that it wasn't fun to fish with but for south east Louisiana it is difficult to fly fish when you are a bank fisherman.  Most places I fish have lots of vegetation along the bank with small spots cleared to get to the water.  Spinning is usually the way to go unless I go to a city park where they keep the banks clear.  I found that I just wasn't using the Tenkara as much so I sold it.  If I had a boat where I cold cast without interference I would have kept it without question.  

Tenkara limits the distance you can cast which isn't a problem for stream walkers where the bottom is hard.  Try that is south Louisiana and you sink up to your chin in muck, not to mention the cotton mouth snakes and alligators. 

One of the friendly fellows that greeted us when we went fishing this summer.

Merry Christmas to everyone hoping your New year is a great one and Big Blue gills on the Fly to all.

Eddie

THIS HANDS DOWN IS THE BEST SITE FOR GILLS ON THE INTERNET AND MANY THANKS FOR HAVING IT UP FOR ALL US OLD FOLKS !!!!!!!!!!!!
TOOTY

I posted a blog today heading was Fly Fishing. If you could look at it and help me with some answers I would appreciate it thank you all in the bluegill fly rodders.

What are some of your favorite fly patterns for big "gills in late spring/early summer besides poppers?

Orange/brown and orange/yellow woolly buggers are becoming my favorite bluegill fly.  

Dale, I usually go with Wilson's sponge spiders (http://thebluegillpond.com) for top water action.  My go to fly has been a #12 gold bead head hare's ear nymph.  That little guy seems to catch fish when nothing else is working for me.  I also like gbh pheasant tail nymps, prince johns, and Wilson's bully spider.

Gotta rig  a Hat camera  up, as wading with a flyrod/Catching Gills and picture taking  was too much all ayt once for me today so I bagged most of the camera work  and enjoyed learning about Flyrod Gillin'.

I need to do the same with my bike cam. Need to rig it up so I can record the fly casting with live crickets and worms using the rosin. Perfect for sticking local insects that you find laying around.

Rosin?

Yep. Pine Rosin. Melt it down, mix it up with veggie oil, stick it on the hook then stick it onto a critter, and voila. Instant local insect living fly. Muahahahaha.

Ah I see! Brilliant!

I have some questions hopefuly you all can answer.

I have never tryed fly fishing, I have fished with a fly rod. I just put my spin casting reel on it and used it like a regular rod.

Today while in the sporting goods section of wallie world I looked at the 3 different fly rods they have there.

all of them were 5/6 wt. rods with tapered line.

now for my questions.

1, what wt. rod should a beginner start with ?

2, what is tapered line ?

3, How do you tie a leader to the plastic orange line that comes with the rod and reel ?

4, is there a book you would suggest to help me learn ?

TIA looking forward to any and all replys.

Been there Chris. Been there. There are quite a bit of opinions on what to start out with from the flyrodding masters here, but here's my $0.02. I started out with heavy weight flyrodding when I was a kid. Heavy enough to wrestle with a shark, so to speak. However, once I found the impressive market of flyrods in the U.S. as I visited the local sport store for the first time, my eyes glistened. Talked to various veteran flyrodders out there, they suggested beginners to stick with the 5/6wt setup. So, I spent my hard earned highschool cash on 5/6wt combo by Shakespear back in 1990, roughly 7' in length, beside the bamboo rod that I received from my uncle which he got from the local flea market, which was a 10'. Let just say, these rods have been provided me years of fun and experiences. So, to answer your questions:

1. 5/6wt. Can put up major abuses and tolerance if  you have those Herculean arms that don't know how to be gentle with ultralight lines.

2. Tapered line, such as the main fly line, go from the larger diameter to a smaller diameter near the beginning to the end of the line. An example is, I like to use Float Weight Forward line, which has a short segment of a smaller diameter a the beginning, then it becomes large for a nice long stretch. Near the end of the line, it becomes small again like the beginning for a short length. The tapered line allows you to select the type of kenetic energy to throw your line during a false cast. The lesson for false cast can be found all over YouTube as you learn how to cast your line.

3. The leader, or tippet, that tie directly onto the main fly leader, you can use either Orvis tippet knot, blood knot, or surgeon knot. For me, I don't use tippet. Rather, I go cheap by using just the regular flourocarbon lines, 4 to 6lbs test, and use the blood knot.

4. Rather than a book, go to YouTube to learn visually for casting and tying. A picture worth a thousand words. A short film segment worth a book in info. I wished I had someone to teach me when I was young, or at least, YouTube. Everything was self taught and learned.

Thanks Leo.again you are a welth of information.

I have been watching youtube. I think this is how I got the bug for trying fly fishing.

Leo, thank you for great info. I have been kinda fly fished on the rivers for bream. Not really knowing the right knots and the "right" way to cast. This week I went to Panama City, Fl with Project Healing Waters. I have seen with my own eyes...a fly rod dance, the line go so far back then shot forward. I am now really going to get into Fly Fishing...never knew the line can do so much. I wish I took pictures but I was amazed with how the line acted in open water that I forgot I even had a camera. I am now hooked on fly fishing not fly slapping the water. lol 

Chris and Oleta, fly fishing is awesome. Where the regular spinning reel setup cannot get to, the fly rod could. During winter season, I use my spinning reel gears. During late spring to late fall, I balance between spinning and fly gear. My fly gears are getting overly abused by me and my kids, so, I'm talking to a few flyrodding masters here to obtain their indestructible ancient rods that I don't have to sell my first born and half of my soul.

HEY LEO,
 YOU keep confusing me that term Masters!!!!! We are all novices .

No Leo you won't have to sell your first born to get an old fly rod!!!

LOL Leo my first born turned 18 last month.

I think right now I would trade him for a good fly rod.

he has me at my wits end lately.

Now that Im armed with some info and several hours of you tube. I think Im ready to buy a rod and reel. Now to find a good beginners set up.

thanks again for your help.

Tooty, the world's standards of a "master" status is way too high for all of us to attain. However, BBG flyrodders here are truly masters of the arts of fly rod casting. We may not be able to cast a perfect cast, landing the fly and line in a 2-in circle like some true masters would be able to do, but, what counts is landing those beautiful fish with the fly gears. You not only know about your gears, owning the great gears, and build them either from blanks or restore them to near factory conditions, but use the gears to master the arts. If that's not the master status, I don't know what is. You give me a rod to repair and restore, I might be turning it into sushi bits.

Chris, I hear you. My kids are driving me insane right now at the age of 3, 5, and 12. The phases will pass, but pray to God that it would be over soon. Every two weeks, I need to hit the water with them or away from them to I can reset my mind set. Otherwise, they would call me the "drill sergeant" after so much patience has been wasted away.

Bill, been using that for ages with my spinning gears during cold seasons for trouts, and during summer to fall for surface strikers, ranging from bass, carp, to panfish. Either clear slip bobber, Thill Landy/BPS 1/4" pencil bobber, or Bullet bobbers, they work great with casting flies with a 12" flouro leader during aggressive strike period. During shy/calm period, 24" leader is the key.

By the way, I'm not sure how many fly rodding masters here use this fishing method, but I tend to switch out my fly reel for my micro spinning reel for my fly rods. It feels weird at first, but the fun factor is off the chart when you feel every little nibble through your fingers as you easily hold onto the braid line..I got my senses tingling with excitement when I first started it. It still got me all hyped up now.

Just started using spiders, poppers, and some wet flies behind a bobber with spinning gear this weekend. Holy cow was this awesome. A ton more fun than live bait and a lot easier to fish over the tops of weeds.

I really like foam spiders for the morning bite, but what do you use for when the sun starts getting high in the sky/midday bite? The fish seemed to stop hitting surface bugs then. I have not tried the night bite yet.

Craig, what you have is perfect for all day surface bit. Foam spiders will trigger it even more. However, slow sink, and I mean, very very slow sink, presenting with a bit of legs to disturb the water for natural presentation as you jerks the bait, will instantly give you a massive strike reflex. During day time, slow sink present as a victim offering, as the overcasting shadow of the victim create a struggle. For trout, I use a 1/2" black spider, with the legs span of 2" going in each direction, total of 6 legs.  Smaller foam/plastic presentation, like crickets, I use 4 legs, 1" in each direction, with slow jerks every 20 seconds. I use fly split shots to create a 2cm sink rate every minute. This is what you call a hot strike zone. Not sure what other masters do for their ultra slow sink rate presentation.

Night bites, get some glowing bug flies that create high visible glimmers in the water. I use heavy glitters and flashes for moon lit nights, while using any reflective materials for dark nights, and shine my LED lights horizontal to water surface. A killer combo.

What Leo said, plus what I use most of the time with great success is something called a Brim Killer.  They are slow sinkers and have very enticing rubber legs.  Before I started tying them myself I bought them from Jim Green on ebay.  Just look up 'Brim Killers' and you'll find them.  He's a great tyer and guy.  I've tried many other flies but keep coming back to these. 

Chris, you are after my own heart. I just replaced all the Brim Killers I've lost last year just yesterday. It's truly aggravate the panfish, carp, and bass, to strike like there's no tomorrow. I used it on 1/64oz jig for a quick 3ft per minute sink rate, or using 3 smallest fly split shots for a 1ft per minute sink rate. I drives the panfish nuts. Work best during late spring to late fall over here. Doesn't work well at all during winter, when they all slow down. That's when you switch to either water nymphs or crawdad.

Good point, Leo!  I find Brim Killers work best in spring and fall and in summer I use a faster sinking or more active fly and in winter I just throw everything in the box until I figure it out.

If the bream are still hitting topwater and it's getting noonish try to match whatever color bug you see them hitting, here it's usually the small blue damselfly or mayflys.  Also just switching to a lighter color like yellow or white might get the bite going again. I like the white over blue chernobyl ant for midday

Great one Mark! Yes, I have both the damselfly and mayfly, both in blue and green for the local water. Gill smack them like they're candies.

I'll have to try those!

Craig that is the most enjoyable way that I know to catch gills is top water. Glad you liked it, I'm sure it will be in you gill catching arsenal for years to come. enjoy and GOOD FISHIN..

When the gills aren't hitting topwater, try this deadly go to rig. Just let it slowly sink  and strip occasionally so it rises and sinks. The exude nymph in moss green/pearl made by Mr. Twister is the only thing I use and I nail them.  I guess they think its a grass shrimp. Gamakatsu, size 10 "keel balance" hooks have a very thin wire which makes it easy to retrieve from the gill and vegetation.

today they hit green predators caught 32 bluegills and 2 small bass and released them all

Hi everyone!

I just joined this group.  I made a blog post about my first 'gill on a fly rod here:

http://bigbluegill.com/profiles/blogs/a-couple-of-firsts-today

I pulled the trigger on a fly rod today.  I picked up a White River (BPS brand) "Bugger", 8' 6" 5wt.  I spooled 100 yards of dacron backing onto the reel, tied a nail knot for the fly line, and spooled it all on.  I'm using a furled leader that a friend made for me, with a tippet made from 8 lbs test mono.

Once I got close to home, I headed over to the pond at the park.  I have noticed a bit of increase in my casting distance.  Once I get better, I know that will go up.  I was able to catch a couple more 'gills.  The first was small, the second was TINY!

I also saw several yearling LMB's staring at that bug, and I might have even seen a gar in there as well.

Ok, I've been practicing some.  Learning to watch my backcast, wait for the line to load the rod, then start the forecast.  I'm getting some better distance.

Also, I think I need to acquire a stripping basket.  Are these readily available either in a big-box store, or online?  Or, should I just make one?

I use this collapsible basket that I found at a church sale. By the looks of it, it probably was meant to hold kids toys and you may find one like it at a toy store. I've seen similar ones, but larger, used to hold yard debris and such. The wooden circle with the cable ties is used to weight the basket down in the wind, and the ties are supposed to keep the line from snarling up. Haven't had a chance to use that piece yet, but the basket works fine on my little boat.

OK guys,

It is time to get a fly rod. Now seeing as I don't know what I don't know, I could use some help picking one out. I'm gonna start a thread. If you fly experts could so kindly take a look at it and comment that would be great.

Thanks,

-CD

Craig. No need. Try this discussion:

http://bigbluegill.com/forum/topics/thinking-about-making-the-plung...

Got my Scotty Fly Rod Holder today.  Luckily, I have a Scotty mount on the dash of my kayak.  I just dropped the rod holder into the mount, and adjusted the tilt.  Now, I can't wait until Sunday!

Took my old Heddon Bamboo fly rod out to the pond tonight for a quick lap around it with the full intention of landing a batch of Bluegill.....hooked about 6 of these bass all about 1.5-2 lbs on poppers.  Little buggers took 3 of the flies back into the pond...hope to find them floating next week