# Bluegill Flies/Patterns????



## Downriver Steel (Sep 15, 2005)

I am looking for some bluegill patterns that people have had decent success with that are not in the popper category. Just looking for some suggestions. Any info is appreciated. Include pics or recipes if possible unless it is a common pattern.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

I've had pretty good luck with the Professor

Either fished clean or behind a popper










Simple tie

Yellow floss with gold ribbing, red hackle fibers for the tail, mallard for the wing, or I've tied them without the wing and used a turn of soft hackle behind the eye. I've stopped using the tan beard. It seems to show the yellow better without it.

Fished with short strips and allowed to sink in between


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## Bob T (Feb 6, 2000)

Wow, there are a lot of flies for gills and such but I find I have the most fun with just a sponge spider. Never needs to have floatant on it and brings them up like crazy. I sometimes put on a dropper with just about any trout nymph on it if I am not getting any action with the spider. For crappies and for perch I use a Thunder Creek streamer to imitate a small baitfish.

Bob


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

I like a soft hackle under a floating fly.


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## tommytubular (Jan 25, 2002)

Here's one that I got turned onto in a bluegill fly swap last summer....I believe Alexsalmon tied it....

I tied a couple to fish with and they tore them up....

I sat down and tied up one this morning to photograph......quick, easy and effective.

I believe he tied his with elk hair.....this is with dyed black deer hair.....








[/IMG]

Deer (or elk) Hair Beetle

Hook - Mustad 33903 Kink Shank size 10
Thread - 6/0 black
Body - Krystal Flash Chenille Peacock
Over Back - Black Deer Hair


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## steelie (Sep 20, 2000)

Good Day,

Both flies are well tied and you should be proud!

You know, I really like these little buggers, bluegill. They are such a great fish to experiment with patterns upon... I really love their terrritorial aggressiveness.

Steelie


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## landshark (Aug 1, 2005)

hey bob do you have a recipe on tying the sponge spider. your set up is interesting. i would like to tye some and give it a try this year on the ice.

thanks,


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## tommytubular (Jan 25, 2002)

landshark said:


> hey bob do you have a recipe on tying the sponge spider. your set up is interesting. i would like to tye some and give it a try this year on the ice.
> 
> thanks,


I believe the flies he is talking about are floating spiders....

they use a sponge body and rubber legs......would be hard to get them to sink

another one Ive used during the summer and through the ice is a opal ant...

about a size 12 or 14 short shank nymph hook
two small craft beads
a turn or two of hackle between the beads

I dont have a pic...sorry


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## Jackster1 (Aug 17, 2001)

Gotta love a Madam X! It works well dry or can be sunk and either twitched or slowly retreived sub-surface to wake up sleepy 'gills.
It's a getter no matter what time of year!
http://www.flyfishingconnection.com/patterns/flies/102/Madam+X/


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## Pork Chop (Jan 21, 2003)

Here's a picture


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## Jackster1 (Aug 17, 2001)

I like that ant, Pork Chop! Nice! Real nice!


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## tommytubular (Jan 25, 2002)

Pork Chop said:


> Here's a picture



Thats the fly.....and the tier that started my obsession with fly tying...

Thanks again Porlk Chop!


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## steelie (Sep 20, 2000)

Good Day,

Rubber Spider like this I assume.



Steelie


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## Matt3ddsteel (Jan 10, 2002)

This past summer I tried estaz egg flies tipped with a wax worm and the big gills tore them up.


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## hooknem (Mar 14, 2003)

Adams works well. I like to drift them just in the surface film (not floating real high) and give them the occasional very subtle twitch. Also, small Clousers in the springtime work well.


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## Bonesaw00 (Jun 25, 2006)

landshark said:


> hey bob do you have a recipe on tying the sponge spider. your set up is interesting. i would like to tye some and give it a try this year on the ice.
> 
> thanks,


I am relatively new to tying as well...just under a year. I was looking for something that would consistantly rip them gills and this bug I started tying did the trick. Even ripped an occasional bass. Sorry for the atrocious pics. A close range lens and a silly profile plate is in the works soon... I have also found that by tying in more legs you only spend more time pulling them out of the hook shank all day. 

Fyi..Andy's in Melvindale has spinner bait legs in the back that most of you tyers would love. Real cheap at .55 cents, and just about any color you would need. 

1. tie in your thread base in black on a size 12 dry of your choice









2. I found more success layering something on the hook. Chenille, crystal chenille. here I used Antron yarn in orange color. Love the stuff. Anyways, wrap it up to the head and tie it off neat-like. 









3. Now take a bug bodie size 10A and tie it on just like in the photo. Make a couple of taut wraps. Take a couple of pieces of rubber legs. Place one on either side and make 2-3 more not so tight wraps. The tight wraps will create an undesireable effect on the legs. After a couple of tries, you will get the hang of it. 









4. Finish the fly by tying a couple of half hitch knots right in the same spot and apply either a dab of glue or flex seal.


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

It's hard to tell you are new at tying. Nice looking 'gill bug.


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## tommytubular (Jan 25, 2002)

Bonesaw....

What Gunrod said......nice job and thanks for sharing

Probably going to have to add a few of those to my gill box now


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## Bonesaw00 (Jun 25, 2006)

Thanks for the compliments... I need to pick up a different lens for my digital to get in there a little closer. Not bad for 15 minutes of throwing the pics together though. 

I tie something almost every single night, even if just one. If I have one piece of advice, it's not to throw away the not so good ones. They work too. I remember tying up some silly thing over the summer and threw it in the box. Heading down to the wyandotte launch every night trying to catch one of them resident carps, I tried everything I had with no success. 

I threw the ugly thing out there, and I mean ugly. As I was stripping it in and it was out of the water, something took a flying leap at it. 

Now that I know my camera can somewhat handle the close-ups, I will get to work on that recipe for the Steelie Nymph that my friend swears by and this pic sells me on them. March is coming fast...


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