Classic trout patters for Bluegills

[jifigz]

What classic trout fly patterns have people found to be exceptionally effective for bluegill? I know that gills aren't as discriminating as trout can be, and I would assume that a large number of basic dries would work. Anyone have suggestions on which classic dries they find to be best?

 

[Fishidiot]

jifigz wrote:
What classic trout fly patterns have people found to be exceptionally effective for bluegill?

Just about any small nymph or dry fly will catch 'gills (as you know).

I don't care to use my trout flies for bluegills simply because a more simple fly will work as well and bluegills have a common tendency to swallow flies and getting that fly out of a gill's tiny mouth requires hemostats. After a few gills, you've really chewed up that Adams or Partridge and Orange.
These days, I tie my bluegill flies with very durable materials on tiny streamer hooks. These tiny (size #16 or so) streamer hooks are hard to find but if you kick around fly tying shows or something you can usually find them. I like 'em with a shank about an inch long or more. These long shanks make getting the fly out much easier. Save your trout flies.

With that said. my bluegill flies resemble Walt's Worm or Green Weenie.....Just tied on long shank hooks.

 

[jifigz]

Thanks for the advice FishIdiot. I don't tie flies, but my GF's father loves tying and has an abundance of materials so I will get him behind the bench to make me good gill stuff.

 

[bialeckij]

I catch them on Adams dry flies a lot at my buddies pond

 

[jifigz]

bialeckij wrote:
I catch them on Adams dry flies a lot at my buddies pond

Awesome! I have a bunch of Adams and I won't mind those getting torn up by gills since I have so many. I release 99% of everything that I catch, but the best thing about certain panfish species is that it is actually beneficial to the fish to harvest some of them from lakes so they are not so overcrowded. Most lakes don't have a proper number of predators to keep them in check and then we are left with billions of tiny gills and other sunfish species and no big bulls. A renewable and delicious resource...gotta love it.

 

[pete41]

very hard to beat the old bluegill special
bumble bee wet fly.

 

[JerryC]

I guess the Green Weenie would not be considered a "traditional" trout fly but they work real well on bluegills, pumpkinseed and green sunfish. PT nymphs and soft hackles would be my other choices. If you're worried about them swallowing the hook up size the flies. I save the size 14s and down for trout. Even 12s can be too small at times. Same with the dries though I usually use either a CDC and Elk or Usual tied on a size 10 or 12. On ponds poppers are the most fun. The majority of mine are tied on size 6 to 10 hooks. You'd be surprised at what even a small sunfish can get into their mouths.

 

[jifigz]

JerryC wrote:
I guess the Green Weenie would not be considered a "traditional" trout fly but they work real well on bluegills, pumpkinseed and green sunfish. PT nymphs and soft hackles would be my other choices. If you're worried about them swallowing the hook up size the flies. I save the size 14s and down for trout. Even 12s can be too small at times. Same with the dries though I usually use either a CDC and Elk or Usual tied on a size 10 or 12. On ponds poppers are the most fun. The majority of mine are tied on size 6 to 10 hooks. You'd be surprised at what even a small sunfish can get into their mouths.

I figured the green weenie would be a magic ticket for bluegills since it really looks similar to small bright plastics I use on small jigheads. The only problem is that I don't tie flies and every damn store around is always sold out of those things.....that's a good sign I suppose but bad for me adding them to my fly box.

 

[jeremymcon]

jifigz wrote:

I figured the green weenie would be a magic ticket for bluegills since it really looks similar to small bright plastics I use on small jigheads. The only problem is that I don't tie flies and every damn store around is always sold out of those things.....that's a good sign I suppose but bad for me adding them to my fly box.

Jifigz, if we ever manage to get together and fish I'll give you a few green weenies. I could tie you a dozen in about ten minutes. Lol. They're not hard to tie.

I also really like fishing dry flies for bluegill. Adams always seems to work just fine, and I usually have plenty of them handy anyway. I've also done well on foam ants and beetles.

 

[jifigz]

Yeah green weenies seem to be about the easiest flies to tie. I need to invest in a vice and some materials and give it a go. I don't see myself being too great at tying some intricate patterns, however, I am not really the "handyman" or "crafty" type. I would love to give it a shot and I am not doubting myself, but it just doesn't seem like something that I would be that great at.

 

[JG63]

I used to exasperate my dad by "using up" his Quill Gordon's and Hendricksons when the QG's ran out. Then he taught me to tie and decreed that I would fill my own fly boxes (he still helped stock them though). Bluegills would just destroy them at the Carlisle Fish and Game pond. It's where I learned this sport.