Two consecutive unseasonably warm days sent me to a small pond expecting that the sun had sufficiently warmed the surface to invigorate the bluegill population. This is one of the few circumstances that induce fish to ignore sunlight penetration in exchange for a few degrees of warmth. As cold-blooded creatures, the slight warming of the water increases their metabolism and appetite. This situation lures bluegills within a couple of feet of the surface but always over deep water, never into the shallows. They are widely scattered and cruise at that depth in search of food. I chose A 6-wt. rod for this bank-stalking outing so softly landed casts of 40-feet or more could easily be executed. I used an intermediate line to keep it beneath the wind-blown water’s surface and well within the fish’s vision. I utilized size-12 yellow Bully Spiders to reflect the sunlight to make it more visible to the bluegills and provide subtle action. The action, as expected, was seldom fast-paced, but each time the fly acquired “that heavy feeling,” It resulted in a soul-satisfying rod bend and a vigorous fight. Unlike most fishing situations, middays bathed in bright sunlight after two warm days are required to trigger these winter warmwater bonanzas. A couple of hours of casting brought 16 pale-colored bluegills to hand, but at mid-afternoon, the sun retired behind a large cloud bank, the breeze became chilly, and the bluegills seemed to disappear. Christmas is just around the corner, and our latest books and original flies are available at www.thebluegillpond.com for the fly fishers on your list.
Tie On Something Christmasy
