Early Season Tactics For Panfish

March 14, 2020 Panfish On The Fly

With the right tactics and flies panfish can be caught just after ice out!

A common question I am often asked this time of year is how to reliably catch bluegills before the water warms up and the fish begin their spawning rituals. Many fly fishers chuckle about the notion of panfish being hard to catch on a fly. These anglers likely only fish for bluegills and other sunfish during the ideal conditions that present themselves during late spring and summer. Trying to catch panfish on the fly just after ice can be a bit of a challenge.

Fly Tying Friday - The Roman Candle

February 28, 2020 Panfish On The Fly

This week’s fly pattern was submitted by Robb Nicewonger. It is a fantastic streamer that can be modified to target a number of different warm-water species. The photographs in this post will certainly back that up! Robb tells the story better in his own words, so he will take it from here…

Fly Tying Friday - The Shimmy Cricket

February 14, 2020 Panfish On The Fly

The Shimmy Cricket will dive when retrieved and pop back up to the surface with a shimmy!

The fly pattern for this week’s fly fishing post was submitted by Martin Burch a member of the Panfish On The Fly Facebook Group. The fly is called the Shimmy Cricket. The Shimmy Cricket is a topwater foam bug that is easy to tie and has great action on the water. When tied correctly, the fly will dive under the surface when stripped, with a tight wiggling action.

The Rabbit Strip Zonker

February 9, 2020 Panfish On The Fly

The Chartreuse Rabbit Strip Zonker - A favorite warm water streamer of mine.

One of my favorite trout streamers is a simple rabbit strip zonker. This versatile streamer has also found a home in my warm water fly boxes. In late winter/early spring, when crappies first start to get active in my area, this is a go-to pattern for me. I also have caught quite a few bass and pickerel on these flies, not to mention the occasional slab bluegill.

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.