God bless the Bluegill!

[rickf]

I'm back on the "wagon" again!

Every day in a different beautiful PA lake, with my 3 wt. Too many fish pix to post!

In this video: "A Fly fisherman will "out produce" a bait fisherman 10 to 1"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2GZntm2WB8

 

[lthrnk03]

Bluegill on a fly rod are gobs of fun. However...I am completely confused by that video. I'm not sure if you shot it...or if its just a random 8 min video about bluegill from youtube.

 

[guest61]

Bluegill on a fly rod are gobs of fun. However...I am completely confused by that video. I'm not sure if you shot it...or if its just a random 8 min video about bluegill from youtube.

I didn't watch it. But judging by the number of views on it, I vote for option "B"

 

[fox]

In my opinion* for bluegill live bait is the best. You might go through periods where on a fly you catch them feeding good, but live bait you can catch them 100% of the time. I've never went fishing and have not been able to catch bluegill on live bait.

I'm sure stripping a big bluegill in on a fly rod is more fun, but strictly for catching live bait>Artificial.

 

[ponycarman]

Bluegill is pretty much all I have caught on a fly so far. They are super fun to catch. Im my area I have more successful with flys than with live bait. I guess the fish around here are a bit more skiddish or picky.

 

[turbineblade]

Aside from the fact that this is a fly fishing forum and not a bait forum, I disagree with the idea that bait will always out-fish flies. I've done a lot of bluegill fishing with wax worms and crickets and also more recently with fly tackle (which is all I use anymore), and you can kill 'em with flies on certain days when people fishing around you with bait won't catch as many....and vice versa, of course.

Of all fish species you can target with fly tackle, bluegill are probably one of the more "ideal" in the sense that they eat a lot of insects that are easy to match and present on the fly.

 

[fox]

In my opinion* I'd say people around you not catching panfish with live bait have:

1) a bait quality issue

2) a line visibility issue

3) a hook size or presentation issue

4) a depth issue

5) oversized bobber

Or

6) all of the above and no idea about what they are doing


Not saying flies are not excellent in certain cases, but quality live bait is impossible to beat. IMHO

Fishing correctly with live bait is more than just shoving the hook through and sometimes even that proves too much to handle for some people.

 

[caseywise]

Yeah, ive out fished bait chuckers 10 to 1 multiple times.
In my opinion, the ability to switch patterns quickly and
get on the bite out weighs the bait guys every time.

 

[fox]

I can see where a pack of flies would be a lot easier than carrying worms, crickets, minnows, and hellgrammites all at once.

:.p

 

[enolaeagle]

I hit a nice school of blue gills/sunny's the other week. First few on a woolly bugger but then switched to an Adams after realizing how hungry they were... casting in the same exact spot everytime will get them skimming across the top a few feet to chomp the fly. That's the best part

 

[guest61]

I totally agree with flies out fishing bait. I have spent a bunch of hours catching gills on every single cast and never having to re bait my hook. Line in the water more often always equals more fish

 

[rickf]

I'm not sure if you shot it...or if its just a random 8 min video about bluegill from youtube.

Just a random vid on youtube! I posted it because I was having some "backsliding" issues, like fox?

"Presentation" is the key to fly fishing. He explains that in the vid. If I just couldn't catch with feather flies, then a nose hooked Gulp bait is still so much better with a fly rod then with a UL spin rod.

That vid was just a confidence builder for me. I've been catchin' the Bluegills pretty good the last few times with my fly rod.

That guy in the vid wasn't me ........ I'm so much better looking!

 

[fox]

:.p

Well, live or artificial. Just have fun, that is what it's all about. Relaxing and enjoying life.

The fish hate it I'm sure, lol

 

[theboz]

Yeah, ive out fished bait chuckers 10 to 1 multiple times.
In my opinion, the ability to switch patterns quickly and
get on the bite out weighs the bait guys every time.

Took the words right out of my mouth! Right on the money Casey!
Beautiful Greenie enolaeagle!