Are there any Panfish Flyfishermen out there

[Baron]

I'd like a chance to discuss what works and doesn't for post spawn pans. My experience in this area has been farm ponds and small warm creeks in Bucks Co. Worms and small Mepps were the order of the day. I'd like to catch BG and YP for the freezer from outside the weed line in larger lakes in the summer. Techniques and styles have changed allot in the last 35 years and thats about how long its been since I fished for them on purpose.
New to Fly Fishing, many of the flies I see look like Bluegills and Perch would love'em. The popularity of jig styled flies add to this feeling.
In the cooler days of spring I've been learning to use a fly Rig and am loving it. I'm hoping I can switch to Warmwater Species for mid-summer fun.

 

[afishinado]

In the cooler water try any type of trout fly nymph or small bugger. I use my beat up and/or reject ties for panfish. They usually are not fussy at all. Size 8 - 12 work well. Stay away from the really small sizes because they are often swallowed by the fish. If that happens a lot, I'll switch to a much larger fly.

Later, when the water warms up, I like to fish on top for bluegill/sunnies using poppers or any type of dry fly. That's my favorite way to fish for panfish. I prefer poppers or foam bodied flies because regular dry flies tend to sink after catching fish (and you will catch a bunch of fish) while poppers or foam flies continue to float without having to fuss much with them. They really hammer them.

Crappie tend to hit smaller streamers since they are more minnow eaters. You often will catch a few bass too when fishing for crappie.

A lot of fun to be had fishing for panfish with a fly rod.....good luck.

 

[frederick]

Count me in!! I love panfishing with small poppers, especially for gills. I have a few new places to try this year, loaded with lily pads, hard to get around, and I will use my kayak to get at the fish there.

 

[Dave_W]

Avid panfish FFer here.

I really only focus on ponds/lakes in springtime targeting 'gills and crappies.

For summer panfishing you will find me on small creeks targeting red-breast sunnies and rock bass.

If you're hankering to target gills and perch in summer on outside weed edges I'd recommend the use of a sinking line is you anticipate fishing deeper than several feet. FFing is lakes in summer, especially for trout, is a challenging game for FFers due to the fish being deep (which is why I prefer springtime).

NOTE: There's a thread in the warmwater forum on fishing lakes for panfish if you didn't already see this. (I'll move this thread to the WW forum in a day or two).
DW

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

One of my favorites types of fishing is lilly pad pond fishing in pocono lakes for largemouth.
Not for the bass though but the big bluegill, sunfish and occasional pickrel. Go with a size 10-6 buggers.
10 for the panfish and bigger for the rest.
You can catch a mess of fish early and late into the season.

Places i go the panfish can be huge.

 

[flyflicker]

I second the durable dry flies/poppers mentioned above. It is addictive. Plus if you can take a kid along you will have them hooked for life!

 

[tomgamber]

I learned to flyfish in bluegills and crappies on Maiden creek near Reading. Honestly, I get more pleasure these days by casually chasing panfish then I used to from the thoughtful science of catching trout. I will fly fish for anything but bluegills are just a treat.

 

[Baron]

Years ago the Jordan creek in Orefield was full of colorful Rockbass. They were easy to catch during spawn. They looked like Warmouth but Warmout don't live here. Would've been perfect for a fly rig and someone who knows how to use them.

In a very short period of time you guys overloaded the data bank. Notes are being recorded and orders placed. Would wtf line with 9' leaders of mono and 2' of floro tippet be okay for early season surface lures? When the warmer weather comes and they move deeper a 12' floro leader with a floro tippet and some split shot would get deeper.


I'll check out the WW thread.
At some point I'll open and photograph my fly box and let you all comment.

 

[Baron]

I really enjoy trout but I prefer to eat panfish. On the beginner forum a member is helping me get tuned up for trout and there is a tremendous number of locals whom have been helping me with trout as well. My real love is Pickerel, Perch and Bluegill. I suspect I'd like Crappies as well but have never caught any.

 

[Baron]

Dave could you please help me find the forum thread that you mentioned. I'm still fumbling around on this wonderful site and thank you for the help.

 

[JerryC]

I love fishing for bluegills, red breast, pumpkinseeds. Top water is the way to go for me. I've been having better luck the pass couple of years with slider patterns and floating mop flies. Generally, I tie my flies on size 6 and 8 hooks and hardly ever fish anything smaller than that.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

A good size bluegill is an amazing fighter. A small fryingpan my daughter got.

 

[Dave_W]

Hi Baron,
Click this link and it will take you to the other thread being discussed:

Panfish

 

[Dave_W]

Baron wrote:
Would wtf line with 9' leaders of mono and 2' of floro tippet be okay for early season surface lures? When the warmer weather comes and they move deeper a 12' floro leader with a floro tippet and some split shot would get deeper.

Yes, both of these leaders constructs will work fine for what you have in mind.

 

[Dave_W]

Baron wrote:
Years ago the Jordan creek in Orefield was full of colorful Rockbass. They were easy to catch during spawn.

Rock bass in streams are great fun on a fly rod.

The consensus around here is that rock bass are less common across PA than they were a generation ago (I agree with this).

Nevertheless, rockies remain common in many places and one of the best to look for them is in trout streams that tend to get warm in the summertime. They like a small to medium sized streamer fished around woody cover.

 

[Baron]

JerryC why not smaller? Is that a good rule for Nymphs.

I've gotten 11 inch Rock Bass in the Little Lehigh on hot summer nights.

The ones I caught on the Jordan were more heavily striped with contrasting dark and light. Makes me wonder if they were all males sitting on the nests?

 

[Dave_W]

Baron wrote:
JerryC why not smaller? Is that a good rule for Nymphs.

I've gotten 11 inch Rock Bass in the Little Lehigh on hot summer nights.

The ones I caught on the Jordan were more heavily striped with contrasting dark and light. Makes me wonder if they were all males sitting on the nests?

An 11" rock bass is big.

As for the colors, you may be right about the males. I can't say I have noticed changes in rockies' colors during the spawn (many fish do exhibit these changes, such as common shiners) but some rockies do have deeper or richer colors, especially with regard to the dark edges of their fins with some having a striking black tone.

They're cool fish.

 

[Dave_W]

While rock bass and crappies will eat streamers and have large mouths, if you're targeting bluegills I recommend you re-think the flies you're using.

Due to their tiny mouths, bluegills are hard to get unhooked and they tend to swallow nymphs. I tie my bluegill nymphs long and slender on very small streamer hooks - think a shank length of about an inch and #16. Finding such small streamer hooks can be difficult but any long shanked hook is helpful because the 'gills don't tend to swallow such a long nymph and you can get them unhooked more easily.

Always have your hemostats when fishing bluegills as, even with long shanked hooks, they are tough to unhook.

 

[RLeep2]

There are (or were anyway...) bigger Rockies that come in out of Lake Erie to spawn in Presque Islo Bay. 11 to 12 inchers, while the exception, were not really uncommon. We'd often find them mixed in with the smallmouth when they were also in the Bay.

Generally, when fishing the smaller lakes around here, I'll use a #8 1XL Mcginty or grizzly/black wooly work for bluegills. You miss some smaller fish, but that hook once debarbed, is a lot easier to lever out of the fish's mouth than a #12 or even a #10.

 

[shakey]

I love fishing for panfish !! Sometimes I prefer it to trout fishing.

I like a dry dropper rig in summer.

Hard to beat a gartside gurgler or a Chernobyl any up top , with a wet fly dropper . Cheap store bought poppers are fun too.

I like to use brimminators, cat’s whiskers,Gray wooly worms, McGinties ,and any oversized trout wet or nymph.

Marabou,hairwing or hackle Wing streamers can get HARD hits.

A streamer tyed with a red yarn or floss body and a white wing is fun .