# Gills on the Fly?



## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Call me crazy. But does anyone target Gills or let alone Crappie on the Fly Rod. I caught a 13in State Record Gill on a Fly Rod last year and I'll tell you what. That was a lot more of a fight than a 18in. Largie would give. My point being is that a 8+inch Gill is a pretty good fight. Plus they hit a lot of simple flies. For Crappie I like little White Wooly Buggers for them. In around 5ft. of water near brush piles.


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

Yea I do. 5 yrs ago I got 14 1/2" on a 5wt which was caught and released not once but twice. Gonna be doing it on a 1wt/3wt this year. Back in 07 before my knee got torn I caught over 1800 gills and sunfish. Fishing hasnt been the same since.


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## RonT (May 4, 2008)

Bluegills are one of the (very!) few freshwater fish that I'll eat. No Steelhead, no LMB, SMB, Crappie,.....
And...agree on the fight, If they lived in streams (as normal natural habitat), a whole new sport fishery would open up. Cast to and caught a rising fish in the Clearfork once that turned out to be a ~6" BG, gave every indication of being much bigger. I gave him a break and turned him loose, hope he made it.
R


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

:good:


RonT said:


> Bluegills are one of the (very!) few freshwater fish that I'll eat. No Steelhead, no LMB, SMB, Crappie,.....
> And...agree on the fight, If they lived in streams (as normal natural habitat), a whole new sport fishery would open up. Cast to and caught a rising fish in the Clearfork once that turned out to be a ~6" BG, gave every indication of being much bigger. I gave him a break and turned him loose, hope he made it.
> R


I agree with that statement 100%


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

I like Gills a lot. But if I get one over nine inches he goes back. I could keep all the I want that are 6-8inches but I won't keep anything over nine. It just helps to keep a good sustainable fisheriy. The last thing I want is overharvest.


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## wabi (Jun 14, 2008)

Gills and crappie are my main two targets. Our local lake is full of them, and I haven't found a better way to relax than to toss them small flies on the 3wt.
Actually had a few evenings last summer when I had to quit because my arm/shoulder gave out. 

Been years since I kept any to eat, though. The population gets hit hard there already. A lot of catfish bait comes out of the lake.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

I live walking distance from a nice park that has a +/- 10 acre lake loaded with large bass, catfish, crappies & bluegills. In the summer, there is nothing more relaxing after work than having a drink, smoking a cigar & casting an ant pattern on 7x tippet from my 3 weight Scott to the bluegills and pumpkinseeds lying in wait in the rock drainage areas. It's also very enjoyable for my son, because we can have a 50+ fish day, nearly every day of the week if we want to. I don't eat them from lakes & rivers but I do have access to some reservoirs where I've caught some large ones on the fly, & I'm sure they would make great table fare. 

I also recently watched a video that showed how to filet them very easily, so now I will have to give it a try. 










on the reservoir:









I'll often get bored & fish for them, even if I'm using a 7 or 9 weight. Just tie on some super light tippet & cast the size 12 fly a mile.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I love using my 3 wt and some dry flies to catch gills! try a size 14 griffins gnat out or foam beetle! they destroy them! matter of fact use just about anything. they even chase and bite at the algae that collects on my knotted leaders... lol


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## JOJOFLY (Jan 12, 2011)

They are a blast-Fly line zig-zags like you hooked a torpedo.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Did someone say crappies on the fly?  Over the last few years, they have been one of my main targets, and I have them patterned well to know by date/temps when the big ones are in shallow water where I can easily get to them.






































And a hoss gill from a pond for the heck of it:


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

do you mind giving out a few of those dates/times? lol


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Steelhead Fever said:


> do you mind giving out a few of those dates/times? lol


Maybe you should just take a closer look at the photos...


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Crappies are fun. Only fished for them once on the fly. They were really aggresive and kept picking off my minnows so I brought out the Fly Rod and absolutely hammered them


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

And the 2 lb slab!


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## anglerNpurgatory (Jun 17, 2010)

You bet I target 'gills and crappies with my fly rod. Late spring is a hot time for panfish in the shallows. One of my most memorable days last season was wading up to my chest on a sandy flat at the local reservoir, catching hand-sized 'gills on pretty much every cast. A white beadhead mini-bugger under an indicator does the trick every time. I also like fishing a nymph dropper under a big bouyant bug.

As a kid learning to fly fish, 'gills were my bread and butter. My uncle would get us into a private lake that used to be stocked with monster redears. I made some real memories there with my old Shakespeare outfit and some foam spiders. Really kindled my passion for the sport.


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

I like dries and nymphs when fish are feeding on top after bugs and stuff. Whats is fun though is when you have a small popper and through it out their in a school of Gills and see like 5 at a time come up after it. Thats fun. Biggest Gill on a popper was 11inches and the biggest on a Dry was 13in. Those two put up fights like you wouldn't believe.


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

These are ready for gills


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## JOJOFLY (Jan 12, 2011)

[http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/picture.php?albumid=1237&pictureid=6464[/IMG]


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## JOJOFLY (Jan 12, 2011)

Yeeea guess the pic of the gill didn't show-lol anyways great pics of the crappie & gills-I love catching both on fly rod-was tryin to post gill caught couple weekends ago but it's the first one in my album.


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

A conservative guess is that over 90% of my fishing is a 2, 3, or 4 wt fly rod for big gills. As already mentioned, releasing the large ones helps to maintain & improve fishing for large gills. I release all over 8".
The gill in my avatar was 11 1/4" long & 6" from the base of the dorsal to belly. It was caught on my 3wt & released.
Mike


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

I might make a trip out tomorrow because I have a spot of open water I can hit and I've been catching fish their on conventional tackle. Just have to see which way the wind is blowing. What would you suggst. Nymphs, puppas, minny whooly buggers? I'm just curious. The fish have been aggresive over their. I caught a ten inch Gill on Monday their so mabye I can get some larger ones this weekend. Boy its been cold though.


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## jkurtz7 (Jan 17, 2008)

95% of my fishing is for bluegill. There is nothing like catching hog gills on a 1wt, 2wt, or 3wt rod. I also target crappie from the last week in March till the end of April. 








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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

I've been making Crappie flies. My favorite is a Whooly bugger with a Flashabou body with epoxy on the Flashabou to keep it from moving up and down the hook shank. Here's a pic.

P.S Those are some nice fish. I love it when the Crappie are schooled up in shollow water and you can go out and see 3-5 Crappie come up after a fly. Thats cool!


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## Jitterbug52 (Jan 27, 2011)

Interesting post. I absolutely love fishing for 'gills and crappies with a flyrod...they are abundant, and they put up a good tussle (I have a six foot flyrod that's just right for them) And an added bonus to fishing for 'gills, crappies, rock bass, etc are those moments when the bigger boys decide to come out and play too. Smallies, largemouths, carp, catfish, freshwater drum, white bass can all add to the pleasure of a day on the water.

Good luck...it won't be much longer!!


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Jitterbug52 said:


> Interesting post. I absolutely love fishing for 'gills and crappies with a flyrod...they are abundant, and they put up a good tussle (I have a six foot flyrod that's just right for them) And an added bonus to fishing for 'gills, crappies, rock bass, etc are those moments when the bigger boys decide to come out and play too. Smallies, largemouths, carp, catfish, freshwater drum, white bass can all add to the pleasure of a day on the water.
> 
> Good luck...it won't be much longer!!


I got a 3lb. Largie last year and you would've thought I had a whale. That was fun. I even caught a Yellow Perch at my pond on the fly! With a Popper!


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## Jitterbug52 (Jan 27, 2011)

I am often surprised when I catch a 2 or 3 pound bass on a hares ear nymph, and I have even caught channel cats on a nymph that most people would use for trout fishing...but that makes it all worthwhile, doesn't it?

My goal for this year is to catch a longnose gar on a fly up in the Maumee River. I've caught them up there using rapalas, so I know they are there!


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