Hot Weather Fishing Strategies

New Water
article and images by Bill Byrd (RIP)
All rights reserved.

It was hot! Really hot -- 100°F in the sun. But you'll find me on the water, taking on the heat, for two reasons:

• Fish are in the water.
  
• They are ready to feed.
  

    If you can gear up to take the heat, and use a rational approach to fly fishing, you too can find some strapping gills and active bass even in HOT weather.

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Strategy
    What is your hot weather strategy for fly fishing? Do you have one?

    Some anglers just switch to trout. Other cool water fish swim in small rivers and streams, too - Smallmouths, Redeye bass, Suwanee bass, and other smallmouth-like species. You'll find green sunfish, bluegills, yellow perch, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish in many small running, cool waters, too. 
    Georgia’s Chattahoochie is one example; it flows with cool water and wading in that low temp water in Summer is refreshing! There are tree covered, fish filled streams all over the South to fish this time of year.

    But lets suppose you DON'T have trout infested waters nearby. Perhaps you don't know squat about trout or other river fish, and wouldn't know what to do to catch them. Maybe your travel time is limited, what with jobs, and family, and so on. 
    Or maybe you're like me - you just don't like to waste your fishing time DRIVING all over the countryside to find the so-called, “perfect spot.“

    Another option, in that case, is to properly prepare yourself and get out on your local still waters, despite the heat.


    I recently fished a lake located in a nearby wildlife preserve/recreation area. It was my first time there, and I decided to fish from my float tube. Later, I went back with my boat for trip two. My fishing strategy followed the same basic steps on both trips –

1. Rig up,
   
2. Probe the water column,
   
3. Catch fish (the good part),
   
4. Quickly release the fish unharmed,
   
5. Document all the activity.
   
   

FLOAT TUBES: PRO’S AND CON’S
Pro’s

1. Float tubes allow more intimate fishing
   
2. You better connect with the body of water and so are a better angler
   
3. They are less obtrusive than a boat, unless you’re a total klutz.
   
4. They embody the idea of “stealth“ fishing.
   
5. They require nothing but a fishing license – no gas, no taxes, etc.
   

Con’s

1. They’re slow; you can't cover much water
   
2. You can't stay air dry; you‘re at least partially in the water itself
   
3. They require some specialized gear (fins, waders, pumps, patch kits, etc.)
   
4. You can't carry much extra “stuff“
   
5. They aren't snake proof.
   

    All of that aside, being in the tube again brought back old memories. One Georgia resort known for big bluegills, shellcrackers, and redbreast sunfish came to mind.
    I hoped this water would provide the same kind of big gill action, but much closer to home.

Timing Sometimes Sucks
    My first fishing day there got off to an inauspicious start.
I arrived later than my target time, which I hate. But I made it onto  the water by 12:30 PM.
    The astutue reader will spot this as a way of saying I missed the cooler morning hours.

July weather conditions this day were:
HOT – 90+°F.
The skies were partly cloudy, with a light breeze stirring the water. Out on the water, under the sun, it was gonna be intense.

    The unknown lake lay out before me with only a slight ripple breaking its surface. The mixed woods along the shore created a moving patchwork pattern on the water. It had been a while since I’d been in a float tube. Old, creaky muscles were about to be reunited with my desire to catch fish.

    Duck-style, I waddled backwards into the water, spun my tube around and sat down. Away I went, kicking toward the far shore. 200 feet away.

    What drew me there?
    It looked FISHY, that’s all. Yes, I have a system I follow, but you gotta start somewhere, and sometimes it comes down to that.

It Begins
    Finally I arrived at the  other side, to find low overhanging bushes and small trees shading the water. I could just feel the fish in the area. Based on observation, I figured the water dropped from about a foot at the bank to 7 or 8 feet right under my tube. If I was a fish, this is where I would want to be.
    I tied on one of my favorite size 12 weighted streamers and began to probe the water, from right at the bank on down to six or seven feet. I slowly worked this "fishy" water, moving to the west for 20 minutes - without encountering a single fish.

    I changed up as I entered a a small shallow cove along the shore. On my second retrieve from a spot near an inundated bush, I felt a smack on the line, raised my rod and was slammed by a really strong fish. My sweet little 2wt. arc'ed back on itself and the fight was on.
    The fish circled widely with great power, and I figured it was a big 'gill. When I finally got it to my tube, I had a fat 10“ bluegill that weighed a full pound.

"He hasnt seen many hooks,“ I said aloud. “Not a bad start."

    I continued to probe the area, discovering 5 foot deep water that sloped up to 2 feet at the rear of the cove. I carefully probed back in there and caught three more fish like the first. One was even bigger, probably 12“ long with a 17“ inch girth. It was a monster and my guess is it weighed at about 1.5 pounds. It reminded me of the tremendous "copperheads" that I have caught on the St. Johns River in Florida.

The image above is the small inlet being discussed, fronted by a shallow flat with normal contour. By looking at the graphics drawn in, we can see what we must do to access subsurface fish in this shallow water. 

Working More Of The Site
    I left the small cove and kicked my way back up toward the shallow flat at the West end of the lake, casting right up to the shoreline bushes, trees, and objects. I let my streamer settle, then began following the downward sloping contour with short strips to deeper water. I found that more giant gills were holding 8 feet from the shore, in about four to five feet of water. 
This was now my, "pattern."
    When these fish picked up my fly, it was a normal take. They didn't jerk the rod out of my hands, but you knew they had grabbed what they thought was fleeing prey. 
    Once detected, I lift the rod against the take and it quickly bends under the power of their hasty departure. This is why I keep my hook points sharp – little force is required to get a hook set.
    The big gills would end up at my float tube, circling, until they could finally be pried from the water. Some were so big I cradled them with my hand -- there was no palming them.

Think In Multiple Dimensions
    your aim is to visualize what you are doing in a two or three dimensional way. This way you can probe water much more effectively for suspended fish, and fish holding near the bottom of the lake.
    Following is the basic method for good subsurface fly fishing in warm stillwaters. 
    You might want to write them down:

1. Select the best flies to fish,
   
2. Use a long leader/tippet to help sink your fly,
   
3. Carefully probe new water for contour and depth,
   
4. Fish structure and cover.
   

Structure/Cover
    When we say structure or cover in this context, we mean the obvious places everyone recognizes, such as LOW wooden docks with algae growing on them. In high sun periods, in most cases you'll find bluegills or mixed sunfishes assembled under these docks in the shade. There is security there, and the food chain is fully growing on and around these structures.
However, literally any spot with a log, a piece of brush, and old tire, a hidey place under an overhanging tree or bush, any shade, and so on will attract fish.
    I sometimes find big bluegills and bass suspending under big algae heads floating on the lake's surface. Even a shallow channel that gets them deeper into the darker waters will hold fish. You should probe all of these features for feeding fish. In streams, wood is fine, and fish will hide in grasses, plus under individual rocks and ledges.

Surface, Then Below
    In some fisheries (and maybe most), small insects on the surface are a major forage during the midday period. Where this is the case, you're tipped off by aggressive surface feeding on size 8 to 14 foam spiders. However, this is not a sure thing; it is often the exception.
    This is why I go prepared with size 10-14 suspending nymph imitations. These get hammered as often by the fish just below the surface. Am I telling you to toss out your poppers and foam spiders? No.
But, if they don't do much - be ready with an alternative.

    In this particular fishery. the pea-colored water and the heat had me probing the depths with size 12, and then size 10 streamers. I like a larger profile and dark colors to contrast in these stained conditions. It paid off, too.

The Mental Game
    Remember, you have to probe the water to find out what the fish will take. If you get no response, switch off and try something else.
    At this point, it is popular for people to say something like, "You have to give the fish what they want"... which is one of the more useless phrases in fishing that I know of. I think they say it to sound helpful, or knowledgeable, but mostly it seems they use it because they don't really know what else to say. Regardless, it is not much help, especially to newcomers or the less astute angler.
    What I say is..."keep probing the entire water column, from top to bottom, using surface flies, nymphs, and streamers appropriate to each level, until you hit on what they will take. Then, pay attention."
    That has some meat to it, and explains the process in two sentences. Oh, and make sure you have enough of whatever flies are working. You may need them!

    
    Once you establish a bite pattern, stick with it until conditions shift - and they will. As long as you understand the process of keeping your flies in front of the fish WHEREVER THEY ARE in the water, you'll catch plenty of fish.

Putting It All Together
    On both days fishing this new-to-me water, I learned about the lake's basic contour, bottom structure and lakeside cover. 
    I caught big gills, I found water to depths of 15 feet, wood strewn shallows, pea gravel bottoms, and lots of overhanging trees and bushes for cool cover on hot summer days.

    I make mental notes of where I find fish - and where I don’t – which I then write down later. I take pictures to prompt my memory.     I write about my adventures and discoveries. 
    In this way, I learn what it took to catch those fish. 
    This makes me a more efficient angler and helps me get onto fish sooner each time I fish the same lake. 
,
    In two trips I caught and released fifty seven -- eight, nine, and ten inch bluegills. The largest was over 11 inches and about one and a half pounds. I also caught and released 3 bass.

    After many trips approaching new water in theis methodical way, in all seasons you will begin to learn how to decode a lake's patterns. 

- You will eliminate water that typically doesn't hold fish, and concentrate on fish holding water. 
- You will learn the most productive flies and presentations and enjoy knowing that you can catch and release plenty of fish, most anywhere. 

    If you have read my articles on fishing the water column, or my other articles in which I describe probing water -- it may sound boring. And if you only want to see the surface splash of takes on poppers, it can be, But, if you want to effectively and efficiently catch fish, these are things you should heed.
    Put in the time on the water getting to know the dynamics of the system, and you can do this.

    Hot summer conditions are gonna come. You can’t stop the seasons. But, you can see it as your opportunity to be THE fly fisher on the water catching and releasing fish. 
    And while your sweating, chugging water and cursing the gnats around your head, keep this happy thought in mind:
 
It isn't Winter with freezing temps, ice everywhere and no fishing.

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Bill Byrd was a retired guide and author in GA. He started fly fishing in 1968 and started freelancing as a fly fishing writer in 1995.  He had articles in Warmwater Fly Fishing, Saltwater Fly Fishing, Fly Fish America, Bassmaster Magazine, and other publications. And while he got paid for these things, his main goal was helping you be a better angler.

Sadly, this fine  man passed away in 2021, and we lost a great brother that day. Through personal correspondence, Bill gave me exclusive rights to edit and share his articles, an honor I hold dear. I hope you like them.
However, the web archive of his articles from byrdultrafly.com is still available.
You can find a link to them, below, and I highly recommend you download any of the articles that interest you....
https://web.archive.org/web/20210210233327/http://www.byrdultrafly.com/

I hope you enjoyed this and learned something from it. I get nothing from this other than the satisfaction of a job well done, so if you enjoyed it, a like and share is appreciated.
And if you are inclined, feel free to join our no-drama, no-hype Facebook group:

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Tight Lines,
David Hutton

© All rights reserved, Bull Byrd (RIP), David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2023

A Fine Day For A Birthday

A Fine Day For A Birthday

June 5, 2018 

“Birthdays - phooey! I don’t do birthdays!”
There are some people that always say this. Maybe you know someone like this
Each year, their birthday rolls around, and not only do they refuse to celebrate, but they won't even acknowledge its existence. 
I dunno, but we'd probably say they're in denial.
Or something. 

Well, lets, get one thing clear - I'm not one of them. 

My birthday was this week, and I took note of it.

The years are passing, you see, whether I like or not. 

I can't dodge or deny that, so I commemorate each one that gets behind me by trying to do something I like on my birthday. 

And for me, that's fishing!

So, I took the day off from work, and managed to get my lazy butt out of bed by 6:30 a.m.,... which turned out to be less painful than I imagined. 

I'm not retired yet, and I normally sleep in on days off. I really wanted to sleep.
The trick was to just get moving and outta the bedroom. With that done, it wasn't so bad... as long as I kept telling myself that.
So far, so good.

But it gets better.

To my pleasant surprise, the weather was cool, and overcast - fine enough for any 5th of June, but especially for a birthday. 

I realized my eyes weren't going to be seared outta my skull by the glare, and I might not be cooked like a shrimp on the barbie.

Woohoo! This was looking better all the time.

Nevertheless, I'm still frustrated about my hat...the hat I can't find. 

It's a floppy straw hat, but made from synthetic materials and it's foldable. 

I gave a whole $1 for it at a yard sale, and my wife hates it. 

That's right - it's cheap, and the wife thinks it's hideous.

Right there, that's a pretty special fishing hat.

And, as if those endearing qualities weren't enough, it also blocks the sun, while also being airy and cool.

Yessir, buddy. That's a good hat.

So, what happened to it? All I can guess is, I folded it up and stuck it somewhere ... and now I don't remember where. I hesitate to call that a senior moment, so I'd appreciate it if you don't either.

The alternative I came up with is, well, goofy, to say the least - a bright Day-Glo cap, with red-and-white skull bandanna. 

Lawrence of Arabia meets Old Dingbat in a float tube. 

Talk about HI-Visibility....

HIGH VISIBILITY

On a positive note, I'm sure my wife will hate it, too.

New Site, Minor Issue

The chosen location for my birthday outing was new to me. 

I discovered it a couple weeks ago, as I passed by on the highway. 

I've been that way many times, but never saw it until I pulled in that day. 

I looked it over and was impressed enough to put, "Adams Park," on my site list. 

Yes, you read that right - I have a list of fishing sites. 

Not long ago, I did a piece here on The PFnF Blog about systematizing how far one might travel to find decent fishing. Everyone is different, of course; some people will travel hours to wet a line. 

As for me, my normal limit is about 30 miles and less than an hour's drive time.
Adams Park is much better than that; it's only 13 minutes from home. So it makes the list. 

The site itself is tucked away next to a bridge - a small, private "pocket park," with clear and easy access. 

The site sports a couple of tables for picnic'ing, if you're into that.

It also has 2 shallow boat ramps, and parking for about 15 vehicles. It's clean, and kept up nicely. 

I wouldn't be inclined to launch a big, deep-water boat here, but its fine for jonboats, kayaks, and other shallow draft designs. 

This includes float tubes, naturally, and coincidentally, that's what I happened to have with me on my birthday. 

It is also on an arm off the main lake, so it receives clear, wind blown surge straight from the big water.

For all that, there are two drawbacks:

1. No toilet facilities 

2. It aint free. 

The lack of toilets is not that big a deal; other access facilities around the lake don't have them. 

But the fees... well. We're talking a whole $5 to park. 

This also includes ramp use, so that may be a bargain depending on how you look at it. Other private facilities around the lake charge a ramp fee, too, so that's not so unusual. 

But float tubers pride themselves on avoiding such fees whenever possible. After all we can carry our boats on our backs; we don't need no stinkin' ramp fees!

Nevertheless, I called it a birthday present to myself, and pony'd up the Lincoln... in the interests of the blog and the sport, of course.

Clear Water

Walk-in Launch

The Fishing

Over the last weekend, my pre-birthday excursion didn't go so well. In not-unusual fashion I got out pretty late in the day, and couldn't buy a bite. 

Put another way, I was roasted by the sun, blinded by the glare, and try as I might, I was ignored and laughed at by the fish.

But, my birthday trip was, well... better.

For starters, the water here is different than the bath-tub backwater I was in previously.
It's clear, it's freshened by wind and there are plenty of weeds growing. The bottom is hard and not inclined to be mucky.
The sky was also overcast, yet bright, and the bluegill were both plentiful and willing.

I found no real monsters here, but the fish were consistently average. And every bluegill aficionado will tell you that's just fine, as long as they are biting.

Of some interest... or maybe some disappointment... was that I caught not one bass. A lot of minnows were being chased, and with all the weeds, docks, and sloping points around the site, I was confident my favorite bucktail, "The Dixie Finn," would do the trick. 
I expected at least a few buck bass.

One of the nice things about float tubes is they are thread-the-needle fishing platforms. They're slow, but they let you fish hands free, and you can dissect an area methodically. Every pocket, stick up, and bit of downed wood can be fished from a float tube. 
Actually, you may as well do that, because you aren't going anywhere fast.

So that's just what did. I plied the whole area with bucktail streamers, poppers, sliders, woollies, and sundry other flies... to no avail.

But I wasn't mad - I'm a bluegill fly-rodder first and foremost. Catching lots of those is my pleasure.

Anything else is icing on an already great birthday cake.

The Flies - Good, Bad, and Ugly

The picture below shows all the flies I tried that day. 

                         

Used and Abused

The fly holder is an iPhone clip-case; I just added a foam backing where you impale a fly when you take it off your line.
I can affix it most anywhere with the strong spring clip and it stays put. The latching ears and edge railing that formerly held a cell phone now act to protect the flies from being knocked loose.

At the end of every fishing session, its a handy record of what worked and what didn't.

Looking it over, you'll see about everything represented, from flies for the surface, down to the bottom.

This next foto shows the "killing flies" - the ones that did most of the work. 

                                  

The "killing flies"

The term, "killing fly," is an old term that comes from England, and it just sticks with me. In today's "catch and release" culture, using a term like 'killing flies' may be off-putting to some. But I like it... and I practice catch and release most of the time. 

From left to right, the killing flies are:

- Skip Morris SMP

This was new to me. I've known about them but this was the first time I used them. I'll tie more; they caught plenty of fish.

- Wapsi #10 Popper (Old Faithful)

I've used this very popper for over a year, and it was swallowed by a big bluegill today. It's been repaired and refurbished, and it's still going strong... I call it "Old Faithful" for good reason.

- Mink and Pheasant nymph
This is a hybrid version of the "Casual Dress," using mink for the tail, body and thorax. Instead of ostrich for the head, I added a hackle collar of pheasant. It's pretty ragged by days end, but this one was still catching fish when I left.

- Briminator

At some point, I'll tie on a Briminator; it's inevitable. 

Why? Because they catch fish.

If you don't use them, it's time to change that.

- Bead head Sinking Spider

This little bug got more strikes than catches - I think the fish snatch at the dangling legs. But it was a busy fly, whenever it was tied on.

- Soft Hackle (center front)

A simple fly, thrown together from some black poly "fur" and a badger hackle. The poly was once a yarn of some kind; I found it in the gutter and teased it out into a furry dubbing.

If I were to give a ranking to these, it would look like this:

1. Mink and Pheasant

2. The SMP

3. The Briminator

The Mink and Pheasant was the flat out workhorse; it accounted for more fish than any other.

All in all, it was pretty good day for a birthday. I look forward to the next one.

Thanks and Tight Lines,

David

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You Do What You Gotta - Jun 3, 2018

You Do What You Gotta

David Hutton, Palmetto Fly N Fish, ©2018

"Man, its hot," I said, to myself.
"No, strike that - it's FRIGGIN' hot."
We're talking sweat in your eyes, but you can't see anyway because the glare is burning out your retinas. That kinda hot.

Temperature in the mid 90's, heading to 100.
The sun is a cutting torch, and I left the house way too late to avoid it.
Oh well, you do what you gotta.

The Launch Point

The Cumberland float tube and I went to a place I call, "Barstow Bay" to fish, what I call, "The Cove and Rocks."
If you'll notice, my float tube launch site shown above is a boat ramp... yes, I launched my float tube from a boat ramp. 
Hey, I'm no fan of slipping down mud banks to reach the water. 

Trekking miles with a float tube on my back, horseflies biting my backside the whole way.... well, that is also not on my list of favorite things.
I'll take a boat ramp if I can get it. 
Fortunately, The Cove and Rocks are adjacent to the ramp. This makes it an easy launch, my butt is safe from the carnivorous flies, and there's fishing to either side. 

This site usually produces decent bluegill, some bass, and the occasional water snake for company. In fact, the nicest bluegill I've caught on the fly at this lake came outta here. 
But today, it was nuttin.'
I wasn't skunked, so that's something. I caught two dinks - but it was a dismal showing for 5 hours.

Skunk Beater Dink

The View Astern

Mayfly's Demise

While out, I ran across a few large mayfly "spents," i.e., adult flies that have died and are floating in the water. These "spents" are a creamy yellow, and are a common sight this time of year. 

I'm 90% sure they are the much acclaimed hexagenia limbata. 

Fly fishermen drool at that name, I assure you.

All mayflies spend their juvenile lives as aquatic nymphs, and these are an inch or so long. They spend their subsurface time scrounging around, burrowing on the bottom. 

Then at some magical signal known only to them, they rise up to the surface and emerge into the muggy night air of June. 

Large swarms of horny mayflies soon fill the dark skies. 

Essentially, mayflies are flying sex organs with only one purpose....

Once their mating flights are over, the adults fall back to the water and expire. 

There, they float on the wind and currents until they are eaten, sink, or drift ashore for good. The life of a mayfly is short, frenetic... and glorious.

Now, I say they're "eaten" like it's a possibility, and you'd think these things floating along would be an easy feast. 

But, I've never seen the first one of these 'spents' taken by a fish. They just drift away and disappear among the flotsam along the shore. And when I say big mayflies, well...see the pics below:

Mayfly, 2" Wingspan

Spent, Dead and Drifting

Dressed For Float Tubing

Warm Water, 2-3 ft., Visibility, Stained

Moving on from the mayfly porn, I noted the water itself was quite warm; I'd estimate high 70's. 

Any thought of Spring coolness is adios, amigo. 

Given that, I leave my waders at home starting about mid-May, and just wear cotton pajama pants until September or so.  

Cotton pajama pants? Yeah, I know how that sounds, but hear me out.

These pants are comfortable, loose and non-clingy, and they keep the sun off the top of my legs.
You brown-skinned guys may have heard about people like me - I'm the proverbial burnt lobster after just an hour in the sun.
Therefore, anything that keeps me from cooking is a good thing.
Plus I have a phobia about going bare legged in the water, especially if I get out to wade, or go ashore for Nature calls.

They sell wading pants, of course; they sell most anything you could want. 

But I'm never gonna spend $150 on something like that - I get the P.J.'s at the Goodwill for a buck or two. 

Their chief drawback is they lack functional pockets, but that's why I have a fishing vest and a float tube with pockets.

And in case you wondered, Mickey Mouse or Star Wars pajama pants are not worn. Strictly solid colors. 

Hey, I may be weird, but I have some dignity.

Ending Load Out

Along with the P.J. pants I go a'fishing with the following:

• Vest full of "stuff"
• Long sleeve shirt
• Head/Neck protective Buff
• Big-ass Hat
• Sunglasses
• Suspenders (holds up the P.J.pants)
• Neck Lanyard with tools
• Flies/tackle
• Spare tube valves, pump, patch kit
• Water

Just water; I rarely eat while I'm fishing by myself, except maybe a granola bar or a little half-sandwich.

The fins I use get some questions on occasion, so I'll mention them. These are Mares 'Avanti Quattro's.' I picked them up for $35, used, on ebay (but like new). 
A long-time float tube user of my acquaintance recommended them, based on his years of experience.... and that was good enough for me.
They are quite flexible due to their segmented design, with a long power stroke. 
They are also very efficient; small flicks of the tips are enough to move you smoothly. 
Really bearing down on them gets up some speed. 
They are a little cumbersome, but they're scuba fins, after all...not ballet slippers.

I pair them with scuba reef boots - zippered neoprene booties with a molded rubber sole.

TIP: Never walk forward wearing scuba fins. Backwards is the way to go. Don't ask me how I learned this.

What Didnt Work

The Flies of Failure

I tried most every kind of fly I needed to, but it wasn't much use.

* Top water poppers, sliders, bugs - all they got were a few half-hearted swats from the fish.
* Subsurface nymphs, streamers, critters and crawlers - these got a couple nibbles, at best. 

I worked the water column from the surface down to about 6 ft., per my usual system, but it was to little avail.
Both fish were caught on or near the surface, right up against the shore, and tight under overhanging trees. 

I should also mention that some fairly solid casting skills are required to land a fly under shrubs and trees, under these conditions.
And... since I'm only half skilled, more than a few flies had to be rescued from tree branches.
This is in addition to all the usual underwater snags and hang ups.

Some deer came down to watch me for awhile; they twitched their ears and smugly giggled like only deer can.
I know they did. 
No snakes appeared, either, which is a little disappointing. 
They tend to keep you on your toes. 

The Future
Personally, I think with the Hot Season upon us, these close-to-shore spots are played out during the day. I'll pack along my sinking line next time, head straight for the second depth break, and go with large nymphs, Woolly Buggers, and bucktails. 
If that is a no-go, well..., it'll be Beetle Spins, cane poles, and worms.

Hey, you do what you gotta.

Thanks, and Tight Lines,

David
Palmetto Fly N Fish

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Blast From the Past: Bluegill, 1949

This is in my files, with the date 1949. That's all I know - the year it was written. 
But you'll note some interesting similarities, compared to now.
It seems bluegill fishing hasn't changed all that much...

Among anglers who pursue panfishing, the unanimous choice, for both scrap and downright good eating, is Lepomis macrochirus, aka, the bluegill.
    Just as the largemouth black bass is appropriately called the King of American gamefishes, the bluegill certainly rates as the Prince among Panfishes.

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    Nearly every angler fondly recalls barefoot, boyhood days when the "ol' fishin' hole" gave up dandy stringers of bluegills.

    Whether caught on an accurately cast dry fly, or a one-cent hook and a piece of sandwich meat — the bluegill shows no significant preference. Co-operation seems to be the characteristic of this bantamweight. 

    When on the feed, bluegill will take a bite of anything remotely resembling food, especially the competitive young of the brood. For a session of utmost fishing enjoyment, with delicious eating the reward for a heavy creel, no panfish sport surpasses that which can be had with a light fly rod, once the bluegill are located.
    They seem to school readily, strike vigorously and feed often—a most inviting combination for angling sport.

    However, despite the greediness of the smaller bluegill, which makes them easy victims for the frying pan, the larger family members are more cautious and selective in their eating habits.
    Consistently catching more than the occasional heavyweight bluegill requires study, skill and "know how"—but the satisfaction is worth the effort.

Many Names
    The bluegill is the most widely-known member of the sunfish family and therefore subject to a variety of nicknames. The most common are: bream, black ear bream, blue bream, copperhead bream, brim, blue sunfish, coppernose sunfish, sunfish, sunnies, perch, sun perch, blue mouth sunfish, polladee, blue, punkinseed... and surely there are more.

Characteristics
    The coloration of this fish will vary greatly according to water conditions, but usually the back is dark, olive-green with a purplish luster. Chain-like greenish bars run girth-wise.
The belly often is a brilliant red-copper color while the cheeks are an iridescent greenish-blue. The fins are a deep green and the ear tab, or opercle, is a velvety black.

Wide Range
    The native range of the bluegill includes the Great Lakes region, Mid-and-South Atlantic states. However, it is now found in nearly every part of the United States and Canada.

...and nowadays it has spread to Japan, South Africa, Eastern Europe, Mexico, Italy, and God knows where else.

    Its favorite hangouts are brush piles, lily-pad fields, stumps, bridges, docks, boat landings, weed beds or just any deep hole or pocket wherever there might be aquatic food.

Size
    Although monster bluegills are always being reported, the average size will approximate ½ pound. By the fisherman's thumb rule, a bluegill from 6 to 8 inches is a "nice one," from 8 to 10 inches is a "dandy" and anything exceeding 10 inches is a "lunker."

    Although no official records have been recognized, a number of authentic catches between 2 and 3 pounds have been recorded in various local fishing contests.* These are just as exceptional as a 60-pound muskellunge, a 15-pound largemouth bass, or a 4- pound crappie.

* Remember this is from 1949.
    One year later, in 1950, Ketona Lake in Alabama offered up the current worlds record bluegill - a fish that measured 15″ long, and weighed 4 pounds, 12 oz. It was caught on a cane pole and worms. 
    Today, Ketona Lake is a private pond, owned by a mining company, and is not open to the public for fishing.

    Just for reference, here is my friend from BigBluegill.com, Dr. Bruce Condello of Nebraska, with a pair of fish from a private pond in AZ... and these are "only" in the 3 lb. class....

Flavor

    Regardless of the water it inhabits, the bluegill can be given the blue ribbon for excellence in flavor. The meat is sweet and firm, and from cold water, is more like lobster than finny fish.
Once cleaned, it is practically no trouble to prepare for the skillet.

Foods
    It has been said that the bluegill will eat anything digestible and is the nanny goat of the fish family. I'm certain it is like other fish in that it eats what Nature provides, making it more opportunistic than goat-like. But there is no doubt it will take a great many foods, and the menu is extensive:

Small minnows, both terrestrial and aquatic worms, nymphs, grasshoppers, crickets, small crustaceans, and a horde of countless insects, both aquatic and terrestrials.
And don't forget hotdogs, candy, popcorn or picnic leftovers.

Methods
    The greatest total of bluegill are taken by still-fishermen using garden worms or crickets for bait, 
Fishing with a bait rod and small spinning lures also produces nice catches

Tackle
    For this kind of just plain "bobber fishin,'" the outfit is widely known and easily obtainable:

8 or 10 foot cane pole with a length of line as long as the pole

Gaudy float, light and thin

Split-shot sinker

Size 4, 6, or 8 Carlisle hook

Can of garden worms

    With these, the fisherman is all set to enjoy serious fun when he locates a school of bluegills.

Fly Fishing For Bluegill
    For those with sportier tastes, a fly rod will furnish plenty of thrills, and ever more fly fishermen are finding the scrappy bluegill is great sport on light tackle. In selecting a fly rod, keep in mind that lightness is desired, but the rod should possess enough backbone to handle the bass that eventually horn in to take small lures.

Tackle
    Especially suitable for this type of fishing is a trout weight rod made of split, tempered bamboo in the 8 or 9 foot length, built on a No. 1 ½ or 1 ¾ ferrule. These rods will weigh from 4 1/2 to 5 ounces and balance properly with an E or F level fly line.

Here again, this was 1949. The way rods and lines were categorized was different. In today's parlance, we'd be talking about a slim, 2-5 wt. rod. 
A level line is maybe a challenge to come by, but will allow for a delicate presentation, a double taper line would be ideal.
If all else fails, the standard weight forward trout floating line will do the job. 

    Leaders 4 to 7 feet in length, testing 4 to 6 pounds are recommended. In extremely clear water, a tippet in size 1X or 2X, will produce when the big gills are wary.

    For the most enjoyable fishing and for best results, the line should be dressed* before every trip in order to keep it floating throughout the day's fishing. 
A reel can be either single action or automatic, as there is little stress put on it.
* Modern PVC floating lines had not been invented yet.

Flies
    There are times when the largest plug, spinner, or whirlygig will take the smaller, pugnacious bluegill. Instead, a skillfully cast and  manipulated fly will often produce the largest specimens on a consistent basis.

    The fly that probably gets used the most is some form of the sponge spider.* But time and again, fly fishermen find most any of their pet trout flies in size 10 or 12 to be just as effective.

* In 1949 America, when this was written, the term, "spider" referred to patterns with sponge-rubber bodies and rubber legs. Today, very few people use sponge rubber bodies - closed cell, EVA foam is the norm.

Flies   

    Here are a number favored artificial flies and fly rod lures for bluegill. These are by no means the only ones that will work, but you can hardly go wrong with any of them:

• Rubber legged spiders
• Nymphs
• Wet and dry trout flies of all kinds
• Cork, or foam bodied bugs
• Poppers
• Smallest “Wilder Dilg” feathered minnow flies (bullet head sliders, popular in 1949)...

• Small bucktail jigs with tiny pork strip trailers
• Small spoons
• Spinner-fly combinations...
  
  
  
  
  
  "Fore and Aft Spinner Fly" by David Hutton

    In fact, the bluegill can be taken in so many ways it is a favorite of the everyday angler. While some game-fish require expensive tackle, arduous preparations, and safari-grade expeditions, the prolific bluegill will delight the klutziest angler by making a bobber go crazy.

    Ounce for ounce, the battling bluegill is the most concentrated package of angling sport in the entire finny tribe of fish - that is, if you'll take the word of those fishermen who consistently bring home bluegill instead of excuses.

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I hope you enjoyed this, and will share it with your friends

Tight Lines and thanks,

David

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