Lots of rain and roller-coaster temperatures left the water in my “go-to” pond high and discolored, but the 87-degree afternoon lured me out with my fly rod. Casts to deep wood structure were ignored despite numerous fly changes. Finally, I theorized that the darkened water protected the fish’s eyes from the intense sunlight and that the warmest water would be in the shallows. I tied on a chartreuse Bully’s Bluegill Spider that would be most easily visible and cat parallel to the shoreline. The fly was repeatedly hit on the verticle drop. Thirty bluegills, most over 8 inches, made deep bends in my 3-weight before I released them. It’s been a tough spring, but fishing is still the best part of it.
The Vertical Drop Wins Again
