| Panfish Articles |
John N. Felsher's Panfish Fishing Adventures
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When it comes to fly fishing, most people naturally think of drifting a
feathery creation down some swift, clear stream for rising rainbows or
behemoth brown trout.
However, ultralight fly tackle can entice some of the meanest, most
aggressive fish in the world. With voracious appetites for small things
floating on the surface, several varieties of sunfish, including bluegills,
redear sunfish and various other species simply lumped under the heading
of panfish, bream or perch can offer exciting fights on light fly tackle.
Pound for pound, or more appropriately ounce for ounce, these
diminutive fish can outfight anything in the water. What they lack in size,
they more than compensate in determination and aggression. When
hooked, they make spirited runs, swim in circles and use their flattened
bodies as leverage against the line.
An angler who throws flies at trout can use the same equipment for
bream. A 7.5- to 8-foot long ultralight to light action fly rod works great.
Floating line and a length of leader completes the package. People can
buy fancy ready-made leaders or use fluorocarbon line if they like.
However, a 6- to 10-foot length of 6- to 12-pound test monofilament line
stripped from any fishing reel makes excellent leader material.
Bluegills eat almost anything including small fish, tiny organisms,
worms, grubs, bread, crustaceans and table scraps. They might even
investigate floating cigarette butts, gum wrappers and other trash
senselessly thrown into the water. Fearless despite their minuscule size,
they even nibble at straps, threads and other pieces of dangling clothing or
protruding strands of body hair on swimmers. With tiny toothless mouths,
they cause little more than a brief startle to humans, but they terrorize the
insect world.
Bluegills and other panfish readily strike trout flies, streamers, nymphs
or other creations, but small floating “popping bugs” make deadly artificial
topwater enticements. These “bugs,” made of cork or wood and adorned
with feathers and rubber “legs,” come in many color combinations. Some
effective colors include navy blue, yellow, green, chartreuse, black, white or
bumblebee-like black and yellow. Anglers may also use plastic or rubber
creations that resemble tiny frogs, crickets, grasshoppers, dragonflies or
other creatures. Accardo of Baton Rouge, La., makes some of the best
poppers on the market.
Spring offers the best time to entice bluegills with fly tackle. Among the
most prolific and widespread freshwater fish in the world, sunfish spawn as
the water warms. They may spawn several times a year, staying on the
beds until fall. When spawning, they hollow out depressions in sand, gravel
or mud bottoms. Often clearly visible in shallow water, these nests make
excellent places to bug bluegills. While guarding their nests, bluegills
attack nearly anything coming close.
Toss a popping bug or fly over a bedding area or close to fish-hold
structure, such as downed trees, dock pilings, logs or a shoreline. When
fishing a floating bug, let it rest on the surface until the ripples fade. Then
give it a small twitch or pop before letting it rest again for several seconds.
Keep repeating this retrieve.
Sometimes, fish want more dynamic action. At other times, they prefer
subtlety, often hitting a bug sitting still on the surface. Frequently, just a
slow, steady pull across the surface attracts attention. When aggressively
feeding or defending their nests, bluegills may attempt to obliterate a
popper. At other times, a bluegill may simply suck down a bug with hardly a
ripple.
Often, if an angler misses the first strike, the fish or one of its brethren
might strike the bug again as jealous fish race their cousins for meals.
Anglers may entice several strikes on one cast if they fail to hook a fish.
Keep casting in the same area as long as fish keep striking. Gregarious
little creatures, hundreds of fat bluegills might inhabit one good bedding
area. If strikes cease, change colors or give the area a rest for a while.
Return later. Sunfish often feed all day and seldom move very far from
their beds or protecting cover.
In the spring, mayflies emerge from the water where they lived as
nymphs before morphing into the winged adult stage. After they come out
of the water, they cling to overhanging branches to dry their new wings
before mating. Often, flies fall into the water, attracting every fish in the
area. If anglers can stumble upon a mayfly hatch, they could find incredible
action. Like frenzied piranhas, bluegills may devour anything that hits the
surface.
Easy to clean and well worth the effort, bluegills rank among the
tastiest morsels of the fish world. Called panfish because they fit nicely in a
pan of hot grease, bluegills offer, sweet, succulent meat. Liberal
regulations and can allow people to harvest the main ingredient for many
delicious recipes.
feathery creation down some swift, clear stream for rising rainbows or
behemoth brown trout.
However, ultralight fly tackle can entice some of the meanest, most
aggressive fish in the world. With voracious appetites for small things
floating on the surface, several varieties of sunfish, including bluegills,
redear sunfish and various other species simply lumped under the heading
of panfish, bream or perch can offer exciting fights on light fly tackle.
Pound for pound, or more appropriately ounce for ounce, these
diminutive fish can outfight anything in the water. What they lack in size,
they more than compensate in determination and aggression. When
hooked, they make spirited runs, swim in circles and use their flattened
bodies as leverage against the line.
An angler who throws flies at trout can use the same equipment for
bream. A 7.5- to 8-foot long ultralight to light action fly rod works great.
Floating line and a length of leader completes the package. People can
buy fancy ready-made leaders or use fluorocarbon line if they like.
However, a 6- to 10-foot length of 6- to 12-pound test monofilament line
stripped from any fishing reel makes excellent leader material.
Bluegills eat almost anything including small fish, tiny organisms,
worms, grubs, bread, crustaceans and table scraps. They might even
investigate floating cigarette butts, gum wrappers and other trash
senselessly thrown into the water. Fearless despite their minuscule size,
they even nibble at straps, threads and other pieces of dangling clothing or
protruding strands of body hair on swimmers. With tiny toothless mouths,
they cause little more than a brief startle to humans, but they terrorize the
insect world.
Bluegills and other panfish readily strike trout flies, streamers, nymphs
or other creations, but small floating “popping bugs” make deadly artificial
topwater enticements. These “bugs,” made of cork or wood and adorned
with feathers and rubber “legs,” come in many color combinations. Some
effective colors include navy blue, yellow, green, chartreuse, black, white or
bumblebee-like black and yellow. Anglers may also use plastic or rubber
creations that resemble tiny frogs, crickets, grasshoppers, dragonflies or
other creatures. Accardo of Baton Rouge, La., makes some of the best
poppers on the market.
Spring offers the best time to entice bluegills with fly tackle. Among the
most prolific and widespread freshwater fish in the world, sunfish spawn as
the water warms. They may spawn several times a year, staying on the
beds until fall. When spawning, they hollow out depressions in sand, gravel
or mud bottoms. Often clearly visible in shallow water, these nests make
excellent places to bug bluegills. While guarding their nests, bluegills
attack nearly anything coming close.
Toss a popping bug or fly over a bedding area or close to fish-hold
structure, such as downed trees, dock pilings, logs or a shoreline. When
fishing a floating bug, let it rest on the surface until the ripples fade. Then
give it a small twitch or pop before letting it rest again for several seconds.
Keep repeating this retrieve.
Sometimes, fish want more dynamic action. At other times, they prefer
subtlety, often hitting a bug sitting still on the surface. Frequently, just a
slow, steady pull across the surface attracts attention. When aggressively
feeding or defending their nests, bluegills may attempt to obliterate a
popper. At other times, a bluegill may simply suck down a bug with hardly a
ripple.
Often, if an angler misses the first strike, the fish or one of its brethren
might strike the bug again as jealous fish race their cousins for meals.
Anglers may entice several strikes on one cast if they fail to hook a fish.
Keep casting in the same area as long as fish keep striking. Gregarious
little creatures, hundreds of fat bluegills might inhabit one good bedding
area. If strikes cease, change colors or give the area a rest for a while.
Return later. Sunfish often feed all day and seldom move very far from
their beds or protecting cover.
In the spring, mayflies emerge from the water where they lived as
nymphs before morphing into the winged adult stage. After they come out
of the water, they cling to overhanging branches to dry their new wings
before mating. Often, flies fall into the water, attracting every fish in the
area. If anglers can stumble upon a mayfly hatch, they could find incredible
action. Like frenzied piranhas, bluegills may devour anything that hits the
surface.
Easy to clean and well worth the effort, bluegills rank among the
tastiest morsels of the fish world. Called panfish because they fit nicely in a
pan of hot grease, bluegills offer, sweet, succulent meat. Liberal
regulations and can allow people to harvest the main ingredient for many
delicious recipes.
Light fly tackle bugs pugnacious
bluegills and other scrappy panfish
bluegills and other scrappy panfish
Steven Felsher shows off a bluegill he caught while fishing with a
cork popping bug thrown on ultralight fly tackle.
cork popping bug thrown on ultralight fly tackle.
