Missing Dry Fly Strikes

[RCFetter]

I have almost no experience with dry flies. Last night I was catching bluegills on nymphs and then tried some drys. I was getting a lot of strikes but could not hook up. At first I attempted to set the hook immediately with no success. Then I waited a few seconds and then I waited about 5 seconds but could not hook anything.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[djs12354]

One Mississippi.......Maybe 1.5

 

[SteveG]

What size fly? Mountain brookies sometimes do the same, if they are small.

 

[duckfoot]

Bluegills have a mouth about as big around as your little finger. They almost never successfully hit what they want on the surface.

Go smaller so the hook goes in their mouth.

 

[phiendWMD]

Are you fishing up or down stream? I find myself having a lot of trouble if I'm fishing downstream. I pull the fly out of their mouth. When I'm casting upstream I pull the fly into their mouth. If you're waiting 5 seconds to set the hook it seems safe to assume they are taking the fly. That seems way too long to me. I usually set instantly. I don't set hard for blue gills. Just gently raise the tip. If you set hard you'll pull the fly out or send them flying past your head if you hook up. Pay attention to the angle you're fishing. Reposition yourself if the fish are below you. Once the fly drifts so it's even with you cast again.

Duck I regularly catch bluegills on a size 10 3xl hopper with a big foam body when I'm bass fishing, to the point where I get sick of taking them off. Some of them are the size of a Bic lighter. They can be so aggressive, especially if there are a lot of them and they are competing for food.

 

[pcray1231]

Yeah, it's about a "one thousand one".

That said, I wouldn't get worked up about missing gills. As was said, they have tiny mouths and getting a hackled fly in there is tough. They hit and the fly simply "pushes off" their mouth. It's not you missing them, they are missing the fly.

You can try going to a very small fly.

 

[RCFetter]

Thanks guys. I was using large Wulffs, about size 10 and 12, in shallow water at Lake Luxembourg in Core Creek park. Going to a smaller dry fly makes sense because I was catching fish on size 14 nymphs.

The funny thing is there were a lot of fishermen there but I was the only one with a fly rod and the only one catching anything.

Those small bluegills must be on steroids because they sure do fight hard.

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

I catch small blue gils on size 16 wulffs normally. the 12s I tie for some trout are too big. I like to fish a 16 or 18 for brookies on dries so you get the smaller fish too. Smaller hooks or smaller fly bodies themselves can sometimes make the difference. If you're in a pinch, try trimming your flies down some with a pocket knife or your line trimmers.

 

[boychick]

Try parachute flies for blue gills, sometimes the hackle on a Catskill style fly can be tough for a blue gill to get their mouth around. Wait for the fish to take the fly and turn away, about the amount of time Pcray suggested. Blue gills are great practice for dry fly fishing. The big ones can be very picky and they have all the time in the world to stare at the fly in a pond.

 

[RCFetter]

Thanks again guys. The problem was I was too impatient. I can brag that I caught my first fish on a dry fly I tied. It was a large mouth on an elk hair caddis size 10.

 

[AkDan76]

16 black foam ants or red have been killer for me on panfish.

 

[BREECHESANGLER]

I usually wait about 1 mississippi or less for all fish.

 

[Breeze717]

I had the same problem last weekend. I was catching trout all day on a San Juan worm, and they started rising in the afternoon. I did my best to set the hook but just ended up frustrated. One thing about the switch from spinning to fly is this whole patience thing. Going to give the 1 Mississippi a try tomorrow though.

 

[pcray1231]

The Brits, who kinda developed the whole dry fly game, teach you to say, "God Save the Queen". It's one less syllable than "1 Mississippi", so there's that.

 

[dc410]

RC,

You're tying some really great looking flies. All of the information shared above is spot on. Just tie your bluegill flies on a smaller hook and even downsize the hackle a bit more than normal and you'll get 'em. Good luck!

 

[TimRobinsin]

sometimes it looks like they took the fly but they didn't. I like to go a little smaller in size if this is the case.

aside from that, the counting thing helps but if they really want the fly it doesn't matter as much. if a trout really buys a presentation you will hook it. now that said you might hook it but it might pop off mid fight if you waited too long or the fish realized mid grab that it wasn't food. this is the nature of dry fly fishing.

 

[bigslackwater]

The funny thing is there were a lot of fishermen there but I was the only one with a fly rod and the only one catching anything. Those small bluegills must be on steroids because they sure do fight hard.

Some fisherman choose not to bother with the small blue gills. The bass guys are "going big or going home." I'm with you though. When I'm on a lake, I'll usually fish small flies and catch a ton of bluegills. I'd rather see some action than none!

 

[acesedgley]

I have been fishing the same size poppers/deer hair poppers for both bass and bluegills. You'd be amazed how big a popper one of those gills can get in their mouth.
You'd also be amazed at how small a popper or streamer I've caught a couple of BIG large mouths on.