Thread: Fly fishing for gills?

On advice from this forum, I avoided the Shakespeare fly fishing combo and bought a Scientific Anglers kit. Now that I have the basics, can anyone recommend some good dry flies and poppers? I saw a fella at the lake last summer with a floating cricket that did very well. This cricket lure looked very realistic- where can I buy some?

Originally Posted by nralover

On advice from this forum, I avoided the Shakespeare fly fishing combo and bought a Scientific Anglers kit.

Smart move.

Originally Posted by nralover

can anyone recommend some good dry flies and poppers?

Spiders:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...002000_175-2-3

Accardo poppers:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...002000_175-2-3

Betts poppers:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...002000_175-2-3

Walmart and Sports Authority usually carry flies like these, also.

Enjoy! Gills really smack these things.

If you can get some casting lessons from a good instructor, that will really help. If not, pick up a casting video by one of the following:

Joan Wulff
Mel Krieger
Lefty Kreh
Tom White

Bass Pro also sells a Scientific Anglers video on FF for bass and panfish. It's done by Larry Dahlberg (the "Hunt for Big Fish" guy on TV), and it's excellent.

like deathb4disco said, the selection of small poppers sold at WalMart and KMart are good poppers: they catch fish and are inexpensive. Plus catching any kind of fish on the surface, from stripers to bluegills, is a blast. If you tie your own, there's a fly called the Madame X that is killer for Summer sunfish, which imitates a grasshopper. It can also be tied in black to imitate a cricket.

PM me your address and I will send you a good bluegill fly that one the guys on crappie.com tied for me.

Originally Posted by nralover

On advice from this forum, I avoided the Shakespeare fly fishing combo and bought a Scientific Anglers kit. Now that I have the basics, can anyone recommend some good dry flies and poppers? I saw a fella at the lake last summer with a floating cricket that did very well. This cricket lure looked very realistic- where can I buy some?

PM Skiptomylou on the fly tying forum. He makes nice little critters and poppers for Bream.

I've been fly fishing for decades with an outfit thats practically antique. I use an old Heddon glass rod (yes, metal ferals) and an Ocean City #76 fly reel. Found the reel at a yard sale, encrusted in grime and the line was partially melted to the spool. It cleaned up perfectly and I've never thought to look for a new one since its performed so well. The rod is heavy enough to handle big bass (7 1/2lber largest so far) yet limber enough to enjoy the panfish.

As for flies, right out of the box you cant beat Betts. I hate going out without a selection of their "Slim Jim" and "Miss Prissy". I will occasionaly go with a wet fly and float tab when surface action is slow.

I fish crappie and gills in 15 - 20 ft. of water using wet flies, after they bed, and find I catch bigger fish than in the shallows using popper's during the bed period. With a wet fly many times they will take the fly while the fly is dropping at the depth they are suspended.

Originally Posted by Flyrod Man

I fish crappie and gills in 15 - 20 ft. of water using wet flies, after they bed, and find I catch bigger fish than in the shallows using popper's during the bed period. With a wet fly many times they will take the fly while the fly is dropping at the depth they are suspended.

Saw your answere about Not using a sink-tip flyline, and just curious as to how long of a leader do you use when fishing this way, and do you use any kind of strike indicater, or just watch the leader. THANKS

Flyrod man, do you use a sink tip.