"Alternative" fly fishing methods

[turbineblade]

Hello -- I had a quetsion -- I frequently fly fish in areas with little to no current, like large shallow ponds where waterfowl love to hang out....maybe 6' deep at max, and lots of carp, bluegill, some bass, etc.

I remember killing bluegill on spin gear like bobber/worm rigs, and bobber/tube jib rigs. That got me to thinking about fly fishing rigs that would be equally productive in water like this.

Does anyone rig a bobber (indicator) with 1-2 nymphs under it for bluegill? I didn't want to get cussed out, but it seems like it would work well for this situation.....any other tactics out there I should use if I'm not at all a fly fishing snob?

Please don't turn this into a "well, go ahead and throw worms and treble hooks out there" kind of thread. I also spin fish and have enjoyed fishing like that for many, many years. I will probably never stop fishing this way and I surely enjoy being with family on the bank and dropping a line for catfish, etc. So I don't do the whole "fly fishing = the only real fishing" mentality...though I do really enjoy this now that I'm learning it. I'll admit it's pretty tough .

 

[Rip Tide]

I used to run the state pay-to-fish trout ponds here in CT.
The most productive method there was to fish a tiny (1/64oz) marabou jig under an indicator. Just cast it out and give it a little jiggle or retrieve it a just bit.
These ponds were chuck full of aquatic worms so this was a pretty good match for the "hatch"

 

[MoscaPescador]

One of my buddies got his daughter fly fishing by putting a nymph under an indicator. He'd cast it out, and she would do a very slow retrieve. Bluegill went nuts over it.

Dennis

 

[kaggie456]

I've tried the nymph under the bobber thing for bluegill. It works ok. What works the best for me though, is either a #10 black woolly bugger or a #10 black Girdle bug. Short quick 1" strips with no pause between. The big bull 'gills cant stay off them. Nothing like pan-fried bluegill!!!!

Kevin

 

[Joni]

Deep Nymphing. I use it big time, but the bobber/indicator is used more for suspension.
I use a styro ball from the size of a dime to the size of quarter depending on water and fish size. It is doing the same thing as that Chernobyl ant or the Hopper is doing without the added hook on the surface.
Which is nice in a two hook state and the fish are deep and NOT on the surface.
I have been doing this for many years. Phil Rowely and Brian Chan both use the same indictors I use.

One fly I found AWESOME for Bluegill is a bead head softhackle with a bright pink tag.

Another one is one I received in a Carp fly swap here.

I have a video of Sir Oliver Ewards. Very old school. Used Nymphs made from mohair bought in sewing supply stores. Weights them heavily with thick wire. But hwe shows his line. A leader with RED thread wrapped heavily at the loop to line. He said this is his indicator. So, even old school uses them.
Maybe if they are super small, they are more acceptable, I don't know. Maybe if it is a giant fly that doesn't match anything on earth, they are acceptable..I don't know.

But I do use them and I catch fish ;-)

 

[turbineblade]

Joni - what does your leader look like on that rig? Any more pics or info?

 

[Joni]

For deep nymphing I fish from 3' to 30'.
I use a floating line and I put on one of my Furled Leaders. This helps in casting longer leaders. I generally use a 5' furled leader, but for Lakes I know I will be 20 to 30 feet deep, I will even use a 7' furled leader.
You can use straight mono or fluor, and I did for many years, I just found I can somewhat cast a 20' leader with the furled leader on. Other wise, I just lob it out there.
I use Slip Indicators. Styro eggsor balls with a plastic peg.
I generally try to fish one foot off the bottom so, sonar is very nice, but this can be done by dropping weight and marking when you hit bottom.
I will also tie a tag on for the second fly. I do this even for a dry dropper. Dry fly is on a tag.
I will tie the initial fly on the end of the tippet and then tie a 12" tag 2' to 3' up from the bottom or end. Then I tie the second fly.

In the picture, I am fishing a shallow pool. Maybe 3' deep, could be more. I was fishing for Carp. I am using a 5' furled leader with four feet of 10 lb fluoro tippet. I had a Yellow softhackle Glow Bug tied to the end. Three feet up, I attach a 12" tag and added this nymph, so the nymph is floating in a different location.
I do get a lot of doubles with this set up.

 

[pete a]

I like a "bottom up" presentation after the spawn and all the way into the winter.

For brim (bluegill) my weapon of first choice is a 6wt sink tip. Use an 18-24" tippet of 4# to 8# which I tie a floating sponge spider (use whatever colors make you feel good). Small enough for sink tip to sink it but still float above bottom. Small poppers with legg does great too. Samll hair bugs are ok but hair eventually gets water logged and sink like a nymph. But again the sink tip has to be able to sink it all.

To the back of the spider/popper I attached a dropper line again 4#-8# of 12"-15" with a nymph of contrasting color.

My typical first choice is a black spider with white leggs and a size 10 Tellico (love the yellow & peacock herl) or light green Scud.

This floats above bottom (ie snags), spider brings 'em out with the nymph catching more. If you catch fish then it stops. Change color combo. My biggest brim have been caught on this combo.

Same can be done with floating line, woolly booger and nymph. Hve to move a bit quicker as snags come into play. Hold on as the catfish & bass tend to love the woolly boogers.

Pete A.

 

[wt bash]

I never did well with gillberts if the fly wasn't moving, it'll work but usually the smaller fish get to it first. If you strip fast like Kaggie456 the bigger ones will chase it down and give you a nice grab. Oh and a Green Weenie or anything chartruse or bright green just hammers them!

 

[tbblom]

I've caught bass under an indicator using leech patterns and small nymphs. With light chop, the undulation of the indicator gives the leech great action.
Also good for staying just above weed beds in ponds.

 

[Joni]

This is about as Alternative as it gets....I do think it is the right fish though...LOL

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBuPiC3ArL8&feature=share&list=ULuBuPiC3ArL8]Clever Bird Goes Fishing - YouTube[/ame]

 

[turbineblade]

Nice Green Heron! I've never seen one do that before, and I've photographed many of these guys out there. Thanks for sending that!

 

[theboz]

She finally matched the hatch with the right size fly(bread). That was Amazing! Great video! Absolutely super cool! Thanks.

 

[jjsacid]

I have tied flies to spools of line and tossed them over the side of the boat and hand lined for sunfish. You can do what ever works as long as its legal. I've heard of using plain hooks with small plastic worms or grubs and corn.

 

[bugslinger]

I personaly think gill fishing is the best way to start someone on a fly rod. The action keeps their intrest and if you in a boat its alot easier to learn how to cast. We catch 99.9% of our gills,bass,red eyes,perch,and crappies on simple yellow craft foam flys with centipede legs. A moring of 50 each is average . I own a Ranger tour boat and it gets used for gill fihing more than serious bass fishing because my grand daughter loves to catch gills. when the water cools down and goes sub surface any trout nymph will do.