Favorite Bluegill Flies

[Bajema]

Never really fished for bluegills or other warm water species, but the family camping trip is next week and the opportunity is there. Any recommendations on what flies I should use? I’ve got mostly trout flies for stillwater and streams, but I have some time to do some tying as well if there are some particular patterns that would be good. Thanks!

 

[DarrellP]

I have had good luck with hair wing wets, like a McGinty, Profesional. Also any red wet fly. Fish under a Hopper or popping bug

 

[Cabezon]

Small cork/balsa popping bugs are always fun, which I typically buy. You can tie equivalents with spun deer hair or elk hair or use foam. For nymphs, you can't go wrong with pheasant tails (bead-head and not) and damsel nymphs.
Steve

 

[Stonedfish]

Small foam spiders or little poppers. The only problem with the little poppers is they tend to inhale them.
The white ones killed on all types of panfish in Minnesota recently.
SF

 

[Norm Frechette]

 

[Zak]

In addition to the top water stuff, slow-sinking leggy flies with lots of movement work for me. Like this ugly fly:

 

[Zak]

And this one:

 

[BriGuy]

Boobies!

You can fish them as a popper on a floating line, or fish them subsurface on a sinking line. Plus, the big foam eyes mostly stop them from swallowing it too deeply.

 

[Bob N]

Simplicity, always works

 

[IHFISH]

Yup. Only tried it once last year but the mini gurglers with craft store foam are fun and don't get swallowed deep.

 

[FinLuver]

Just about any smallish fly works…blacks, browns, greens, oranges, red, peacock…elk or deer hair caddis…

 

[Bajema]

Sounds like I’ve got a lot of options. I’ve been tying up some small foam stuff tonight. This should be fun.

 

[Bambooflyguy]

I use trout flies.....fish eat bugs! Have fun, light weight shorty bamboo.....

 

[DarrellP]

Try a Cajun coachmam

 

[Old406Kid]

These Popcorn Beetles are a Pyramid Lake go to but also work well on panfish...easy peasy to tie and can be fished as a gurgler on a floating line or fished on various rates of sinking lines.

 

[Zak]

The Heather Nymph @Tom Butler showed us is another good one! Here's my take on it.

 

[Zak]

Try a Cajun coachmam

Neat fly, thanks!

Cajun Coachman

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[Old406Kid]

I just saw this interesting panfish pattern called a triangle fly on another site.

The Op says it's highly effective yet keeps them from swallowing the hook.

 

[iveofione]

I just saw this interesting panfish pattern called a triangle fly on another site.
View attachment 24248
The Op says it's highly effective yet keeps them from swallowing the hook.

The Spinach Taco!

 

[Billy]

I just saw this interesting panfish pattern called a triangle fly on another site.
View attachment 24248
The Op says it's highly effective yet keeps them from swallowing the hook.

That's really cool