Fly Fishing,    Fly Fishing Beginner,    fly fishing industry,    fly fishing media,    ian rutter,    tailing loop

Growing Fly Fishing, One Bluegill Angler At A Time

By Tom Chandler 10/3/2011 5 minutes

In an interview for a popular fly fishing blog, my guide friend Ian Rutter suggests the fly fishing industry -- now heavily engaged in a lot of hand wringing over its shrinking fortunes -- is at least partly to blame for its situation:

We all aspire to fish for large fish in exotic locations, but it seems like that's the bulk of what you see in the fly fishing media. I seem to remember when Montana and Alaska were the ultimate while trout in the Smokies, Pennsylvania and New York were the "common" destinations. Now Montana is a baseline and everything has to be bigger and more extreme. It's fun for diehard fly fishers to watch those videos and read those articles, but it's a lousy way to attract new fly fishers.

Every week I talk to folks who are curious about fly fishing but weren't even aware that you could use a fly rod for bluegills, let alone bass or other very common fish. It's not unusual for me to hear from people who trout fish, but haven't cast a fly rod in a year because they don't live near trout water. I doubt anyone loves trout fishing more than I do, but is there any more perfect a fish for a fly rod than a bluegill? They rise, attack a fly, fight hard for their size, and most importantly, you can find them anywhere. I'm just mystified that the fly fishing industry continues to push more exotic fish and locations to a dwindling number of people when there are plenty of people who would love to get involved in the sport, even if they don't live near a trout.

If you read any of the popular fly fishing magazines, you might be nodding your head right now.

South America, Russia and Alaska pretty much dominate fly fishing's print media, and you'd have to wonder how a wannabe fly fisherman would view that particular landscape.

And just to prove Ian's no poseur, my last trip to Tennessee found us spending a day catching big bluegill (big enough to put a serious bend in the 6wt I was throwing).

I had a ball.

Would I have paid a guide for that trip? I don't know, I'm an experienced angler.

But I do know I would have gone back a dozen times already if I lived there. And I'd take a beginning fly fisher there first.

Of course, reality pokes its head in the door, and with ad dollars hard to come by at the moment, the magazines and travel agencies and fly shops will continue doing whatever it takes to hold onto their existing base.

Learn More - Fly Fishing for Beginners

Still, the rapid growth in the number of anglers fishing for non-salmonid species seems real and ongoing, and it's one area where the Internet is dramatically ahead of fly fishing's print media.

I'm never quite sure if fly fishing for carp or drum or whatever is a counter-culture rebellion against the sport's traditions, or simply fly fishermen giving high gas prices the middle finger (probably a combination of the two), but I don't care; I like it.

In an era when $800 fly rods and $4000 destination trips consume the magazines, the real growth in the sport will probably remain a grassroots thing, and as Ian noted (at least in his neck of the woods), you don't get any more grassroots than bluegill.


It's unlikely we'll see too many "Bluegill specialists" popping up in the media -- and visiting fly fishermen will probably still glaze over when I mention the smallies at the local lake as a diversion -- but a healthy dose of sunfish (and carp, and drum, and smallmouth bass) could be one prescription for an ailing industry.

In the shooting world, people don't start shooting long-range precision matches; they hammer away at cans with fun, affordable .22 rifles.

The fly fishing world seems to have forgotten that.

(You can read Ian's whole interview at the Tailing Loop.)
Destinations
Asheville North Carolina
 (1)
Culturally inclined and well preserved, Asheville is surrounded by majestic mountains, lush national forest lands and scores of fresh water rivers and streams. Long recognized for ... moreits art-deco architecture, performing arts and numerous music festivals, this mid-size city of about 84,000 has also become well known for its abundant trout fishing and is frequently referred to as the Trout Capital of the South.

//

And, you don’t have to go far to fish! The Davidson River, named after an early settler to the area and voted one of the top 100 trout streams in America by Trout Unlimited members, runs right alongside town. Less than an hour’s drive easily gets you to the Tuckasegee River. The South Fork Holston River (SoHo) considered one of the finest tailwater trout fisheries east of the Mississippi, and the Watuga River, also highly regarded, can be reached in 2 hours or less. By some estimates, there are over 4000 miles of public waters within driving distance of Asheville.

Rivers like the Davidson are most popular during the spring and fall months although year round fishing is permitted in tailwaters. During the hot summer months you may find yourself competing with tubers, kayakers, canoeists, swimmers and people just enjoying a waterside picnic.

Steeped in history and surrounded by natural wonders, Asheville offers a wide variety of options to those not choosing to fish. These include:

The Biltmore Estate, the largest single family home in the US

Asheville Art Museum

Black Mountain Golf Course

Beer City Bicycles

Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians

Great Smokey Mountains National Park

Appalachian Trail

There are several options for traveling to Asheville, including:

Fly into Charlotte’s Douglas International Airport and drive for about 2 hours

Fly into Piedmont Triad International Airport (serving Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point) and drive for approximately 2 hours

Fly into Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport and drive for approximately 2 hours
Trips:
Full Day Wade Fishing Trip on the Watauga River
Davidson River Wade Trip with Brown Trout Fly Fishing
Watauga River Float Trip with Brookside Guides
All 19 Fishing Trips
Fishing Waters:
Tuckasegee River Fishing Report
Watauga River Fishing Report
South Fork Holston River Fishing Report
All 4 Fishing Water Reports
Fishing Waters
Tuckasegee River Fishing Report
Only an hour outside of Asheville, all four sections of the Tuckasegee River are included on the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail, five if you count the West Tuck - and there ... moreare only 15 spots on the trail list! In other words, this river has a lot to offer. Beginning at the confluence of the Panthertown and Greenland Creeks, the river flows for 60 miles until it joins the Little Tennessee. Its basin is sizeable, draining an estimated 655 miles.

The river is well stocked with brooks, browns and rainbows, although there are still wild fish throughout. State support for the river is generous with an estimated 50,000 fish added each season. Not surprisingly, the river boasts one of the highest fish counts in North Carolina, purportedly 9,000 fish per mile. Large numbers of rainbows and browns reach trophy proportion, both in weight and length.

Delayed harvest has been successfully employed through the 5 mile section between 107 Bridge and the riverside park in Dillsboro. As a result, this section is catch and release only, from October to June. That said, experts consider this the best place to achieve a “Tuckasegee Slam” where you reel in all three species in one spot.

One of the more inviting aspects of this river is its accessibility. Highway access is ample and parking is well marked and available for most of the river. The East Laporte Park to the 107 Bridge offers picnic tables and public restrooms. The river can be waded and floated in the middle and lower sections.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Brook Trout
Fishing Trips:
Tuckaseegee River Float Trip with Brown Trout Fly Fishing
Tuckaseegee River Wade Trip with Curtis Wright Outfitters
Tuckaseegee River Float Trip with Curtis Wright Outfitters
All 5 Fishing Trips
Watauga River Fishing Report
The headwaters of the 78.5 mile long Watauga, begin at Peak Mountain in North Carolina on the western slope of the Eastern Continental Divide, and end at its confluence with the South ... moreFork of the Holston River. This trout filled tributary of the Holston is a mere 1 hour, scenic drive from Asheville.

Managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) the Watauga, like most rivers in the watershed, is affected by dams, water releases and reservoirs. The Watauga Dam created the 6,430 acre Watauga Lake. Three miles further down river, are the much smaller Wilbur Dam and Lake, used during the summer to release water back into the river. The 20 mile tailwater from Wilbur Dam to Boone lake is the most prized trout fishing part of the river.

Like other tailwaters in the region, the temperature remains between 50 to 55 degrees most of the year, providing great habitat for trout. The Tennessee Valley Resource Authority (TVRA) stocks the tailwater with rainbows, brooks and browns alongside a small population of wild trout. Most fish are in the 12 inch range although much larger fish are there to be caught. Estimates range from 2,000 to 5,000 fish per mile.

Depending on water releases the river can be waded although it’s advisable to get a TVA discharge schedule before entering the water. Wading access can be limited since property holders own the riverbed and can deny entry. The water may be fished at any time from a small boat, although due to shallow pools, you may want to keep one generator running if you use a drift boat. The river is composed of a few fast runs and long sections of rifles but large, long pools can also be found.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Brook Trout
Fishing Trips:
Full Day Wade Fishing Trip on the Watauga River
Watauga River Float Trip with Brookside Guides
Watauga River Float Trip with Brown Trout Fly Fishing
All 7 Fishing Trips
Davidson River Fishing Report
A favorite among NC fishermen, the Davidson originates in the mountainous Pisgah National Forest, a scenic area surrounded by other national parks and preserved forest land. As the ... moreriver wends its way south and nears Asheville, it empties into the French Broad River. Since being included on the Trout Unlimited list of top 100 trout fishing streams in the nation, its popularity has grown, bringing an increasing number of out-of-state anglers.

Luckily the state works hard to keep the river healthy and the fish flourishing. The river is divided into sections based on the regulations that apply to each. From its headwaters to the confluence with Avery’s Creek, it’s wild fish only, fly fishing only and strictly catch and release. From Avery’s Creek to the national forest line, you’ll find hatchery supported brooks and rainbows.

The section between the Pisgah hatchery and Looking Glass Creek is what really draws fishermen to this river. Here you can expect to find clear, slow moving pools, few overhead obstructions and lots of hatches that support brooks, browns and rainbows, many over 18-inches long. Like other heavily fished waters, the fish can be cunning and despite their large numbers, hard to reel in.

Route 276, near the town of Pisgah, parallels the river, providing lots of public access. There are stretches of restricted private land, although there is a 3 mile section where you can purchase temporary fishing access. Much of the river can be waded and enjoyed with your feet in the water.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Brook Trout
Fishing Trips:
Davidson River Wade Trip with Brown Trout Fly Fishing
Trips
Tuckaseegee River Float Trip with Brown Trout Fly Fishing
$
375-
$
450
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
4 hours - 1 day
Tuckaseegee River Wade Trip with Curtis Wright Outfitters
$
200-
$
450
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 3 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
4 hours - 1 day
Fly Fishing in Asheville with Curtis Wright Outfitters will ensure the best opportunity for you to enjoy this unique area and catch and release some spectacular fish. Our guides are ... morefriendly and knowledgeable.

There’s no better way to experience the larger rivers of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee than in a boat. Float trips cover between 3-9 miles of river depending on the trip. So whether you are experienced or a novice, float trips are a great way to see a lot of scenery while catching fish. You will be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the fishing, as our experienced guides lead you down one of these scenic rivers for an unforgettable trip.

Floating is preferred by many as the most effective way to fish the larger rivers of WNC. The Tuckaseegee River offers great scenery and fishing from October to June. The Watauga and South Holston are big, beautiful tailwaters offering dry fly, nymph and streamer action year round. The French Broad and Nolichucky are home to an abundance of very large smallmouth that can be taken on the fly or with spin gear. Smallmouth bass fishing is best from March to December. Whatever fish species you are interested in targeting, a float trip is an epic way to spend a day!
Watauga River Float Trip with Asheville Anglers Guide Service
$
350-
$
450
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
4 hours - 1 day
The Watauga river is located in east Tennessee near Johnson City and is just a hour north out of Asheville North Carolina. The Watauga river starts in Boone NC and flows west into ... moreeast Tennessee into Watauga lake. After it comes out of Wilbur dam it flows and winds for 22 miles of blue ribbon trout fishing water.

The Watauga river is a tail water, which is dam released off of the bottom of the lake providing cold water and great trout fishing year round. There are large numbers of wild and stocked brown and rainbow trout. There are consistent blue wing olive and midge hatches year round and huge caddis hatches in the spring and sulphurs through the summer months. The Watauga river has a wide deep river bed providing great float fishing trips for all anglers and skill levels.

Let Asheville Anglers float you down river for a Watauga river fly fishing trip of a lifetime. Whether you are in western North Carolina or east Tennessee the Watauga river is a great choice for any fisherman.
Outfitters
Brown Trout Fly Fishing
Float & Wade Fly Fishing Trips for Trout and Small Mouth Bass. Brown Trout Fly Fishing LLC is The Only ORVIS Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide Service in Asheville, North Carolina. We ... moreSpecialize in Guiding and Teaching Fly Fishing for Trout and Smallmouth Bass in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee.
Fishing Trips:
Guides:
Outfitter Blogs:
Regional fly-fishing tournament taking place in western North Carolina
Growing Fly Fishing, One Bluegill Angler At A Time
AuthorPicture

Tom Chandler

As the author of the decade leading fly fishing blog Trout Underground, Tom believes that fishing is not about measuring the experience but instead of about having fun. As a staunch environmentalist, he brings to the Yobi Community thought leadership on environmental and access issues facing us today.

54 comments
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One of the nice things about living where I do is that the trout streams get too warm to fish during mid-Summer. Seriously. I love trout and if the water temps didn't get up into the lethal range I'd probably spend all Summer chasing them. And so I turn to smallies and bluegills. The Wisconsin River flows 5 blocks from my house and with minimal effort I can find myself thigh deep in coolish water ... more casting floating "flies" to fish that could tow any trout the same size around half the state. And once and awhile something bigger and toothier will take a poke at my bug and if the tippet stays in one piece I find myself fighting a fish that you'd have to travel a thousand miles to equal him in size if he were a trout. Since I only live a couple miles from several good trout streams, they'll still occupy my mind for most of the year. But if I didn't I could happily fish the rest of my days catching panfish, bass and pike.
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Yep. This is good advice. A good friend of mine is severely handicapped and his hard hull Hobie pontoon takes him everywhere he wants to go.
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I ain't the High Priced fly guy by a long shot and never will be either.. I've gone back to using my first fly rod bought from Academy in 1979 for about 20 bucks and even though I've acquired a dozen more fly rods since then all but one were less then 60 bucks. Anyone who thinks it's an expensive sport has been looking at too many magazines that sold them up a creek. Yes you can "drink the koolaid" ... more and spend thousands on gear but come on down south and I'll out-fish you with a $30 Eagleclaw and the cheapest flyline I can get.. Down here in Central Texas it's all warm water fishing and that means bass and bluegills mostly but the carp chasers are gaining ground fast. Hot and sweaty, down and dirty, snakes and all, 99% of my fly fishing is for bass and sunfish in out of the way places and off the beaten path and I'd have it no other way!
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Welcome home Grasshoppers!
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swellcat: Trout are now gateway species leading to our truest, worthiest quarry: bluegill. It's taken fly fishing a long time to get there, but we have.
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Olaf Nelson: Alf– The beauty of casting flies for bluegills is that you don't really need to worry much about knowing how to handle the rod, the line or the fly. Improvise a little and see what happens. Then in the spring maybe you can hire a guide or take a lesson. For now, though, there's still plenty of time before winter to get a good taste of how much fun it is to catch bluegills (and green ... more sunfish, shiners, chubs, bass, drum, and many other Mississippi River species) on a fly. I would guess you could continue to catch many of them through the winter near warm water discharges into the river. Why wait? Go now! Trout are now gateway species leading to our truest, worthiest quarry: bluegill.
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Spend just a little more ( $300 at Costco) and get a pontoon boat. Way faster , much less work, no leg cramps, and river compatible . Learn river safety rules and you will find the boating is almost as fun as the fishing.
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[...] fishing in Colorado. There’s been some discussion about jump starting the fly fishing industry of late and it seems many fly fishers got their start on a local Blugill pond. Here’s one in [...]
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Great observations. Time for me to (wake up, quit dreaming) get back to basics. Very good.
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Good words from you both! I confess, I've never until just the other day, chased a Bluegill with a fly rod. As a kid we noodled for them all the time with spinning gear. What fun it was on the fly! I'm starting to feel a little out of place here in Montana because it's all about trout and I'm trying to hunt down good bass and pike holes- blasphemy? Whatever, I just like to fish. It looks to me like ... more the industry has painted itself into a corner by following the deep pockets and forgetting about where it all gets started. And honestly, the longer the deep pockets and their suitors are off chasing tarpon and bonefish with Cadillac gear and designer duds the better because they could end up prowlin' around our peasant fishing lurks and muddying things up with their "elitist" attitude. Either way the current industry attitude is probably not going to entice the Huck Finn's of the world to trade in their cane pole, cat gut and bobbers for a fly rod.
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Great post! And for the most part I agree, however here in Ontario, there is a growing emphasis on species other than just trout. One of my favorite guides (who is in high demand here) gets quite a bit of business in guiding for carp as well as smallmouth bass. Mind you, he was one of the first to really promote the fun in fly fishing for carp quite a number of years ago. Another one of my acquaintances ... more is guiding almost completely focusing on smallmouth bass in the Trent River system, while another guide I know has created a great niche in guiding for fly fishing musky. Personally, I think brown trout are over rated anyhow. Can't beat a smally, pound for pound on a fly rod!
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Be careful the Didymo doesn't rise up and swallow you whole (the basic concept behind my new sci-fi/fly fishing novel).
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Great article! As a guide and fairly recent convert to the fly rod I was, and continue to be, amazed by the price of fly gear. Need a plastic box to hold flies? 4$ at the local tackle store, and 24$ at the fly shop. However, here in south Florida saltwater fly fishing seems to be gaining momentum. Guys like me, who have never caught a Trout or casted anything lighter than an 8wt are fly fishing for ... more Snook, Jacks, Tarpon, Redfish, Bonefish, Permit and Seatrout either from shore, kayaks, or small cheap boats. Guys like the WorldAngling.com crew are making movies like http://highinthelowlands.com/, which is what inspired me to pick up a fly rod. Although, I still see a lot of the elitism from some of the segments of the fly population I just laugh. I am on the water or at least casting at something pretty much every day. Saltwater species, Bass, Bluegill - I don't care. I just get stoked on fly fishing, no matter what I am fishing for. I try to share the stoke as much as possible also. Fly fishing is my favorite type of fishing, and I love it because with a handful of flies I can be catching fish anywhere.
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Alf: Interesting read. I'm 69, live in Iowa along the Mississippi and have never fished a fly in my life but this summer I bought a group of low-mid range 3-4wt components specifically to go play with bluegills. I haven't figured out yet how to handle the rig and accordingly haven't visited any water with it, but that gives me something to look ahead to for next spring.I'm considering a weekend visit ... more to NE Iowa and a guided day with one of the several trout shops/guides that operate in that trout area of Iowa. I'd learn the mechanics of handling the rig from that experience with them.Anyway, thanks for the commntary. Alf, go to hawkeyeflyfishing.com, to find a local chapter of HFFA. I live in Central IA and while I love to go to NE IA to fish for trout, most of my fly fishing is for bluegills and bass. Dave
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This was a wonderful read, and spot on. Here's to homewaters!
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[...] soon, but if you elect not to boycott the Angling Ascot then I urge you to look no further than the Trout Underground for a possible solution at how the industry might be saved using [...]
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You raise some valid and interesting points. I'd like to respond in greater depth but my chopper is about to touch down in remote New Zealand, where I'll be be spending the next two months sipping single malt, smoking fine cigars, and dining in luxury...when I'm not angling for trophy sea-run brown trouts.
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i agree with Ian completely. the fly fishing industry has created its own problems. from my perspective as a custom rod builder, avid angler, and fishing guide, it seems that this industry has deliberately priced itself out of reach of the average fisherman. considering this is the nations most popular sport and a billion dollar + industry, i question their motives. lets look at prices. ive built ... more a lot of fly rods. there is REALLY no easier or cheaper rod to build. the components are minimal, usually one small cork grip, an uncushioned reel seat, guides and tops without inserts, one winding check and youre done. the graphite fabric and bonding agent to build the blanks is the same as any other graphite blank. how does this get to the $8OO price tag you mentioned? because the american fisherman is one of the most uneducated consumers on the planet, thats how! they are easily taken in by clever advertising campaigns and professional endorsements and never stop to question whether or not they are paying rolls royce prices for a fancy paint job on a chevy, which they are. lets look at high end fly reels. again, the cheapest and simplest reels to produce. how many moving parts are there in the most complex fly reels? a minimal drag system, a frame, a spool, a couple bearings, a clicker and a ridiculously simple handle. once again, outrageously over priced! and lets look at the cost of fly line. yes, the good stuff costs more, but im willing to bet the profit margins run in the thousands of percents. how many average fishermen are willing to forsake their familiar spinning and casting gear to get into fly fishing when there is such a discrepency in prices for this gear, and every publication you look at says that you NEED to spend your kids college fund to get useable equipment. you fly fish, i fly fish, we both know this isnt true, and we know just how grossly overpriced some of this stuff is. but any magazines, commercial advertisements, articles, etc. that pertain to fly fishing will never tell you this. these high dollar manufacturers are their sponsors, and its not likely that pure fishing or other common mans companies will make any serious attempt to advertise in the same publications. they know their demographics too well. maybe we should all change our attitudes toward low end or entry level gear and stop looking down and start welcoming ANY newcomers to this sport, regardless of income. ive owned fly outfits that were valued at close to $1000, and some that wouldnt bring $25 on ebay. they all caught fish! the biggest disappointment has been with the so-called high end rods and reels that arent any better, and often not as good, as the more affordably priced options. one other thing, youll have 100 times as much fun catching a 20 lb. carp as you will a 20 inch trout on a fly rod!
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I came to fly fishing in a circuitous way. My uncle died, left me his tackle, and I started messing with it. He had an old Monkey-Ward Sport King bamboo fly rod with an ancient automatic reel. I played around with it on farm ponds a few times, hooked some blue gill and got hooked myself. I've since fallen in love with Trout, fishing mostly in the Driftless region but with an occassional sojourn to ... more Colorado. Even so, I still hit farm ponds. In the spring you can cast out a dry fly and watch a blue gill come right up for a strike. It's the same kind of fun even if it's not the prettiest of fish. In the end, fishing is just a grown up version of playing, and playing is supposed to be fun rather than work.
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Alf-- The beauty of casting flies for bluegills is that you don't really need to worry much about knowing how to handle the rod, the line or the fly. Improvise a little and see what happens. Then in the spring maybe you can hire a guide or take a lesson. For now, though, there's still plenty of time before winter to get a good taste of how much fun it is to catch bluegills (and green sunfish, shiners, ... more chubs, bass, drum, and many other Mississippi River species) on a fly. I would guess you could continue to catch many of them through the winter near warm water discharges into the river. Why wait? Go now!
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Great stuff. I live in NJ and although there is great trout waters around, when it warms up, us locals catch whatever else on our 5wt's. Largemouth, smallmouth, carp and I especially love me some bluegills. Check my blog for some bluegill love. www.theflyshutter.tumblr.com.
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[...] Underground has a nice piece on growing the sport of fly fishing through bluegills (and smallies)  I think it is a great [...]
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Well done. I like to see a little push back against those who call fly fishing an elitist sport.
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There's not much to added to the article above; shops need to make money and ads need to be sold. But we also need to grow our base. After work creek crawling has been a long time diversion of mine. I'm fortunate to live in North Texas where there are innumerable opportunities to hop out, drag the rod out from behind the seat and start fishing.
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Russia is my favorite fly fishing spot. Go there every year..
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Consider getting a float tube to fish that lake. They're affordable, easy to transport, and a lot of fun to fish from.
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Kentucky Jim: Holy smokes! You mean you can get one of those “destination trips” as cheaply as $4,000.00? I think I saw a week in Belize once for that much (not including airfare). But it's just a number...
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I am learning to fly fish. However, the closest trout waters are 2.5 to 3 hours away. With the cost of diesel (currently $3.65/gal), I have to really budget for the trip. The information in a lot of the fishing magazines relates to expensive, guided trips. I'm on a fixed income and can no longer afford "events" like these. My wife's view is that I should just put all the fishing stuff away or sell ... more it since I never seem to get out to where I can fly fish. An hour away is a nice lake, but you pretty well need a boat to use it. We are not getting more trout streams since we have been in a drought for over 8 years now. I'll keep trying, but it is getting to be more of a challenge.
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Bluegill in Central Park sounds like pretty good fodder for the Big Rags. Of course it might blow the lid on Jake's hotspot but everyone's got to take one for the team at some point, right?
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(nodding head) This is a great article, Tom! I've enjoyed reading the numerous responses as much as the article itself. Obviously, you've tapped into something. My first fly fishing experiences were on small farm ponds and lakes back in Kentucky. It was a big deal to go to the Smokies to fish for trout. Problem was, I didn't understand how to catch 'em. But I understood how to catch Bluegill! Holy ... more smokes! You mean you can get one of those "destination trips" as cheaply as $4,000.00? I used to belong to a club where people commonly spent upwards of $7,000.00 per year going to exotic places to catch exotic fish. I felt like a fish out of water (pun intended). I could not spend that kind of money; still can't. But, as so many people here have said, its not necessary to do that to have some fun with a fly rod. The guy who caught a 3.5 largemouth on a fly rod in a creek near his house? Wow! Now there's a lucky man. Alaska and Montana are still on my bucket list, but if I never get there, I'll still have lots of fun with a fly rod. Now I'll go check out Ian's interview.
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flylink: Thanks for providing all us regular fly fish folks an articulate (and realistic) voice. Thanks so much. Not bad for a guy writing in his underwear in his parent's basement (description provided by the Leading Industry Figure).
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Good luck. Send photos...
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Guy: I intend to remedy that situation this weekend. Take plenty of #14 Flashback Peacock wet flies.
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Steve Z: It took teaching my son to cast at a local pond to get me interested in Bluegills. I gather you haven't taught him how to sneak on Rosenbauer's stream yet?
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Mat Trevors: The gear-chucking bass guys say I can't catch bass on fly gear; the fly-chucking salmon/trout guys spit at my feet & mumble stuff about “trash fish.” Does that make you an elitist trash specialist?
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Ian's the real thing, and it says something about the industry's preoccupation with bling that he's not on every pro staff in the country.
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You just nailed on of the Two Greatest High School Mascot Names Of All Time: 1. The Fighting 'Gills 2. The Battling Smallies
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Purist.
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I started fishing in the early 70s, and cast my first real fly rod around 1975 (that was the 7.5' 5wt Fenwick built from a blank). Since the suburban jungle that is Thousand Oaks wasn't known for its trout fishing, I did what any pre-drivers-license kid would do; I hopped on my bike, rode five miles, and fished the private lake I wasn't (technically speaking) allowed to fish. It held lots of bluegill ... more and crappies with the occasional bass thrown in, and while it would be years before the word had any real-life meaning to me, it was seductive stuff. If you don't have a bucket of bluegills or crappie or smallies in your past, trust me; you're missing something.
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Man this is exactly spot on! Im a nineteen year old college student and know first hand how much of a turn off these "magazine articles" can be to a broad group of potential fly fishers. Most of the time the common response as to why someone hasn't tried fly fishing is I cant afford it or there's nothing to catch around here on a fly rod. Year after year the major publications push spending an upwards ... more of a grand on an outfit alone(I dont have anything against them, I own a few sages). To someone just interested into getting involved in the sport this can be a strong force to persuade them otherwise. In a time when more and more kids aren't leaving the house at all, it should be the goal of the industry(if it plans to continue long into the future) to get as many people involved as possible. Fly fishing for bluegills is almost a guarantee that a young child will have a ball. After taking the neighbor's son fishing this past summer, all of the boy and girls wanted a turn. I have been reading your blogs for a few years now and this is my first post. I want to thank you for saying what should be said.
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Thanks for linking to the interview, Tom. I'm glad that a number of folks have been able to read Ian's interview because he really nailed it. I want to fish for taimen in Mongolia as much as the next guy, but I'm with Ian on this one. It sure is cool to hear such an accomplished guide espousing the pursuit of bluegill, isn't it?
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I can't stop babbling about smallmouth on the fly rod; unfortunately we don't have bluegill in Atlantic Canada (to my knowledge). But if we did, I'd probably have them to myself, much like I do smallies. The gear-chucking bass guys say I can't catch bass on fly gear; the fly-chucking salmon/trout guys spit at my feet & mumble stuff about "trash fish." I have a few friends interested in trying ... more fly fishing, & I'll be taking them for smallmouth first...just not my favourite spots...
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As with others, I started with the Fightin' Gill and even though I spent 30 years in Montana and now live along the Snake in Wyoming - I still miss those ferocious tugs on the line. Fishin' is fishin' when you get right down to it.
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Obviously, I agree
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It took teaching my son to cast at a local pond to get me interested in Bluegills. Once you start, you can't stop. Good fun. On a spring evening, there's nothing better for reducing stress after work than a beer, a cigar and Bluegills on their redds.
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I have been looking for good bluegill water close to my place for years. You simply have to love the bluegill.
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You know......you're absolutely correct. All I ever fish for is trout and the closest for me is about an hour away. Meanwhile there's a lake 5min from me that has bass, bluegill and crappie in it. I've been walking around with my nose so up in the air that I wasn't able to see the joy and benefit of chasing after these "common" fish. I intend to remedy that situation this weekend. Right after I get ... more back from trout fishing on Thurs! LOL!
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Tom, The reason I follow you (and others mostly gleaned off your comments/site) is that Big Media you are not. Sure, I like to dream about huge trout in Patagonia, and Peacock Bass on the Amazon, but dreaming is probably about as far as I will get! Oh, and reading the oh so not realistic to my income fly rags. You write about things that are close to my reality, and obtainable on my income level (well, ... more maybe not a nice bamboo rod, but hey, everybodies got to dream!). Bluegill on a small pond? You bet! Day of HUGE fun! Trout and high streams haunt my dreams, but I have a couple of fairly secret ponds to cure my fishing jones. Thanks for providing all us regular fly fish folks an articulate (and realistic) voice.
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Interesting read. I'm 69, live in Iowa along the Mississippi and have never fished a fly in my life but this summer I bought a group of low-mid range 3-4wt components specifically to go play with bluegills. I haven't figured out yet how to handle the rig and accordingly haven't visited any water with it, but that gives me something to look ahead to for next spring. I'm considering a weekend visit ... more to NE Iowa and a guided day with one of the several trout shops/guides that operate in that trout area of Iowa. I'd learn the mechanics of handling the rig from that experience with them. Anyway, thanks for the commntary.
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I really appreciate this post. I'm a college student in NYC right now. I only started fly fishing this last summer while home in Georgia. Though I still fall asleep dreaming about trout, I spent most of my time out on lakes or rivers going after bluegill and the occasional bass. Because of the distance, I was only able to go after trout once. Now that I'm back in the city, I fly fish in Central Park. ... more Not a whole lot of room to cast, and every tourist wants to take a picture of you, but the bluegill keep me plenty busy until I take a trip out of the city.
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It's funny, as someone relatively new to the fly rod, I've already started to downplay the fact that I sneak off to the local pond to fish bluegills during the week, or with my kids on weekends when I can't get away to the trout stream. There really is no reason for it, other than that just seems to be the way is in the FF community. Except for Tom Rosenbauer, who often promotes panfishing, in his ... more podcasts, as a good way to keep yourself fishing. I think if I hadn't stumbled upon bluegills, I might not be as enthusiastic as I am, because my good fishing days would be much fewer and farther between. If I have a bad trout day, I make sure I set aside an hour or so, at some point, to entice some bluegills with a black beetle to keep my spirits up. Those little guys can fight!
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Great post Tom. I love trout as much as the next guy but warm water fly fishing is just a hoot. Especially in a place where there are several species of fish. You just never know what you might hook. Fun, pure and simple. Throw in a six pack of cheap beer and you've got a party!
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Picked up a flyrod when I was thirteen. Not very many trout in Texas but plenty of bluegill and bass. Caught a 3lb smallmouth on a 5 weight and have never looked back! Wish I could afford a trip to Montana but looks like I will stick with catching smallmouth, largemouth, and kentuckys on the Brazos. Can't wait till my little nephew is old enough to throw a flyrod. You better believe he will be attached ... more at my hip!
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Thanks for the reality check. Living in middle Tennessee, I love to fish for trout, but the closest tailwater for me is about 1.5 hrs away. But I have a "creek" 200 yards away for our house that I frequent once a week. I have yet to be skunked on my "home water" and my son caught his first fish on a fly rod there. Blue Gills, Pumpkin Seeds, large mouth bass are always caught and an occansional small ... more mouth all from a creek no more than 14' across and two feet deep. All the challenges of the "trout" water are there. We even have speciality flies (#18 wooley buggers) that we have tied and a 7' two weight that almost bent in half when I caught a 3.5 lbs large mouth. My point is that we have an enormous about of fun on water close by, always catch fish, we don't have to compete for a spot (nobody is ever on the water) and we haven't spent my son's college education on travel and equipment. I too would love to see more about the simple essence of our sport.
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