Thread: streamers for bull gills

I went out today and was actually just throwing a fly I picked up from the fly shop today (#8 Black Nose Dace) and had an awesome time catching male bluegills in spawning colors as well as largemouth and a really nice crappie! If you have not tried streamers for these fish, I suggest it.

That's one thing I gotta learn to do. Is it easy to learn to work a fly rod??

Originally Posted by mostlybrim37

That's one thing I gotta learn to do. Is it easy to learn to work a fly rod??

I had been fly fishing for a while and decided that I wanted to improve my techniuqe. I thought the best way to do that is to just start from scratch so I could see all my flaws. I bought an instructional video from Cabelas. It was advertised as for beginners. Can't remember the name of it. I will try and find it. Anyway, It was great. Took me through step by step. I was amazed at how much I was doing wrong. My casting is greatly improved and I would recomend it to any one. In fact, if I can find it, I would loan it to you.

It's not hard at all, although I think my technique makes expert fly fishermen die a little inside.. I am self taught haha.

Yep. Been there done that, Andy. Black Nosed Dace is a good streamer but I'm usually using a #8 Crappie Candy (a Clouser Minnow jig type fly with beadchain eyes for weight) for fishing deeper water. Black Wooly Buggers and Black Leeches (Beady Eyed Leeches, Boa Yarn Leeches, ect.) also score well at times. Lately though, #4 and #6 Minnow Crease Flies have been scoring really well for me on bream and LMB. Great to hear you're having good luck on the fly rod, Andy .

#4 Minnow Crease Fly (Surface minnow baitfish imitation or the fly angler's answer to the Rapala)


mostlybrim37,

It is not hard but my suggestion is if possible, get a fly casting instructor to start you out casting correctly to save yourself a lot of disappointment. Tackle shops should be able to point you to a local fly casting instructor.

How do you fish them? Is it a floating fly or does it sink? I'm talking about the wooly bugger and black nose dice.

I haven't fished panfish without my fly rod for many years. I maintain you will catch more fish with a fly rod, regardless what time of year. I fish water during the summer months 15-20 ft deep using sink tip line. Norhtern Pike on the fly also are a fun.

Originally Posted by doghead82

How do you fish them? Is it a floating fly or does it sink? I'm talking about the wooly bugger and black nose dice.

Streamers like the Wooly Bugger and Black Nosed Dace are subsurface flies. How to fish them depends on the water if there is current, structure, etc. but after casting to a target area (usually surface or subsurface structure of some sort) I basically just slowly line strip the fly back to me (retrieve) after the fly drops or after it naturally swings with the current if there is one.

A Mickey Finn is also an excellent choice. I like to fish it using a float and fly method.

old ship

Do I have the basic principle right?? It is the fly line that provides the weight not the fly, to "cast" with a fly rod, right???