Fly Fishing for Bluegills

Photo: USFWS Pacific Southwest/Flickr

While most of us are focused on chasing trout after a long, cold winter, there are plenty of anglers looking at another species – bluegill. These small fish are fun to catch on a fly rod, provided you know what you’re doing. That’s where this latest story from Joe Cermele, over at Outdoor Life, can help. Cermele lays out a complete guide to fishing for bluegills that’s helpful whether you’re a new or veteran angler.

And it’s not all about catching small, easy fish, either. “Because of the time I’ve spent chasing bluegills, I’m more proficient at detecting subtle subsurface strikes from trout and I understand the benefit of working surface flies gently for species like smallmouth bass,” Cermele writes.

Bluegill fishing is also a great way to introduce new anglers to the sport, since they’re relatively easy to catch.

“Many of us owe bluegills for sparking our love of fishing, considering how eager they are to snatch a worm under a bobber,” Cermele says. “But they’re also the perfect target for people looking to get into fly fishing, especially kids.”

You can read the entire story here.