How to Fly Fish for Blue Gill

Bluegills are commonly thought of as pond or small lake fish. However, bluegill live in larger lakes and even large rivers. Spring and summer are the best times to fish for bluegill as the water temperature rises to a suitable spawning climate. Use the tips below to successfully fly fish for blue gill.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Light tackle
• Bait or lures

1. Locate the shallow warmer waters of lakes and ponds. These areas are where the bluegill come to spawn. Look for the male guarding a spawning bed and cast to him.
2. Cast near fallen trees and rocks in larger habitats like rivers. Male bluegill may build very large beds or much smaller beds. Oftentimes, there may be dozens of beds together.
3. Look for scour holes near the banks and shores. During the late summer after spawning, males move to deeper water or scour holes that have exposed roots or vegetation.
4. Use a simple hook and bobber technique to catch bluegill. Bluegills are drawn to insects or worms. These fish are very easy to catch, as they will strike just about any bait offered. Light fishing tackle is best with 2 to 4-lb. test line.
5. Consider a dry fly or almost any nymph fly when fly-fishing. Popping and stopping is a common fly-fishing technique to lure the bluegill.

Tips & Warnings

• Try using grasshoppers as bluegill bait. Hook the grasshopper through the underbelly and allow the grasshopper easy movement.
• Bluegill itself can be cut up and used as great bait for other larger fish.
• Observe the creel limit for bluegill in the area being fished.