Double Duty Nymphs for Panfish and Bass

January 6, 2020 Panfish On The Fly

Although you can catch big bluegills on the surface. You will often catch more (and bigger) fish with a nymph!

As much as I like the take of a chunky bluegill as it slurps a fly off the surface, I know that if I want to catch more and, likely larger, fish, I need to fish beneath the surface. There is no question that nymphs and wet flies account for more fish and, in my experience, larger panfish. Although my favorite way to fish below the surface is with wet flies, I am often found with a nymph of one sort of another tied to the end of my line.

Resin Bodied Wet Flies Part II

December 27, 2019 Panfish On The Fly

UV Resin Bodied Soft Hackles are killer flies for all species of panfish.

I received numerous requests for additional information about the Resin Bodied Wet Flies I wrote about in my last blog post. I thought I would do a follow-up post explaining how I tie these patterns and share some of my favorite tying recipes.

Epoxy/Resin Bodied Wet Flies

December 20, 2019 Panfish On The Fly

One of the great things about fly fishing for bluegills and other panfish is that you often have the opportunity to catch a lot of fish. Catching a dozen or more fish on a single flies has a tendency to wear them out pretty quick. It is an excellent problem to have if you are a fly tier because now you have a reason to tie more flies! That being said, I am always looking for a way to make flies more durable.

Fly Tying With Sheet Foam

December 14, 2019 Panfish On The Fly

Foam fly patterns come in all shapes in sizes for fish both large and small.

Sheets of inexpensive closed-cell foam have long been used for fly tying. This versatile material can be found everywhere and can be used to create an endless variety of flies and bugs for warm water fly fishing. Foam sheets can be found in local craft and variety stores, even your neighborhood Walmart carries the stuff. Of course, your local fly shop will carry sheet foam as well but often with an inflated price tag.

The Micro Gurgler

October 25, 2019 Panfish On The Fly

I recently wrote about Jack Gartside’s Gurgler pattern and how I adapt the design for fishing for bass and panfish. Tied in a size six, a gurgler makes a great pattern for both bass and large panfish. However, there are times when I want to fish something smaller just for panfish, and that is where the Micro Gurgler comes into its own.