Thread: flies for bluegill and crappie

Discount Flies is one option:

Buy Fly Fishing Flies For Less at DiscountFlies Online Fly Shop

Lots of other options: Bass Pro, Cabela’s, etc. Even Walmart usually carries a few basic flies.

The clear float you’re talking about is a “casting bubble”. BP or Cabela’s usually have them.

Anything small and “buggy” works well for bluegills, but I wouldn’t go smaller than a #12.

Minnow imitations work better for crappie.

I do the same thing but instead of the "water bobber" I just use a small weighted float to get the nymph out there. Bead head nymphs also do really well. Stop n go retrieve seems to work best for me...and wait 'til a 10-12 lb grass carp takes that nymph...you're in for a treat if he stays on for any length of time!

I use a "black gnat " or black ant " 90 % of the time with a fly rod . A " Bream Killer " the rest . Only thing my dad used and 40 yrs. later I have /am following his lead .

Generally I like to use sizes 8 or 10 nymphs for bluegills. Any of the standard trout nymphs such as Hare’s Ear, Prince, etc work great for bluegills. You can find these nymphs tied on jig hooks with beads, they seem to be a little more resistant to snagging weeds or brush.

I have bought from a site called breambugs.com . They make the old Bream Killers that were made by Ligon way back in the day. They work really well.. I use a large (no.4) Popping bug made by the Gaines Company in Pennsylvania and tie on a 16" dropper line from the popping bug eye and trail a breamkiller. The Popping bug serves a dual purpose. It is a strike indicator as well as a viable bait. I have often times caught two at a time. Good Luck!

Originally Posted by chetc

i never fished with flies before. but i was fishing for crappie yesterday with my normal plastic bobby garland baits. not much action, a little ways from my wife and I was a gentleman catching bluegill really well. on his way out he stopped by and i asked how he was catching so many fish, he gave be a small fly with like 4 rubber legs no weight, just a hook tied with some kind of a chennile ect. i was using 4lb line he said to tie it on and put the bobber about 16inches back and i started catching fish. so i am going to start fishing this method, so for starters where do i start looking for flies, where are good places to get them at reasonable prices. it was fun, the guy who gave me the fly did say he tied his own they looked something like this. he was also using a small bobber that he said you can put water in it, he was getting out a mile from shore. ????? where do i start
chet

By the way whoever made those flies did an amazing job. I forgot to mention the reason I use such a large Popping bug is it allows me to use a large breamkiller (no.4) and still float. The large breamkillers help weed out some of the smaller bluegills and the larger gills have no problem with the larger baits. The smaller breamkillers (No 6 and smaller) tend to get swallowed by the fish before the strike indicating popping bug gets pulled down and since I am strictly catch and release, i want no swallowed hooks.

Just noted Moonrunners post "Bream Killers" right before this one. He is using exactly the breamkiller I am describing. I keep a bag full. Also if you want the popping bugs I desribe look up Gaines Popping Bugs on the net. They are made in USA!!!!!