Thread: First Gill for 2026

Had a cold front come through last night dropped the temperatures into the upper 20’s . Sunshine , with temps in the low 40’s , but light winds . Sounds like time to start winter fishing for gills at the town pond .
The shallow water small pond cools down and fast , but also warms faster than the bigger reservoirs.
I took two rods , a short Abu Garcia with 2# P line , and a 5’8” Palms Pinwheel rod , with 3# P line.
I tried twitching with the shorter rod . Nothing !
I tried float fishing the flats with the Pinwheel combo , Nothing !
I decided to tie on a drop shot rig using a couple tiny flies , one about 16-18” above the weight , and a tiny spider fly 10-12” above the lower fly , a woolybugger pattern.
The drop shot on the Pinwheel gave me some long casts .
I would fan cast an area . On about my fifth cast with the drop shot, I felt a tap , raised the rod tip to set the hook and caught a decent first fish of the year .
Unfortunately that was my only fish of the hour and a half I had to fish .
It was nice to catch a gill again .
May go back tomorrow , if I can .