Hands down, the most frequent question I am asked is what is the ideal rod for chasing panfish. Before I answer that question, we need to consider our quarry. Panfish is a term that covers a broad range of fish, including members of the sunfish family, including crappie, rock bass, and warmouth, as well non-sunfish like white and yellow perch, white bass, yellow bass, Rio Grande Cichlids, and several other smaller freshwater fish.
Read moreFlat Daddy Gurgler
The original Flat Daddy is the perfect fly for spooky, shallow-water panfish. It lands lightly on the water and can be cast easily with two and three-weight rods. The fly has a very subtle action on the water, diving slightly when retrieved without creating a lot of disturbance that may spook fish in the shallows. It is the perfect early spring topwater fly pattern. Fast-forward to mid-summer, the fish have left the shallows and are now holding in deeper water. You need to get their attention to bring them to the surface now. Enter the Flat Daddy Gurgler.
Read moreThe Winter Panfish Fly Box
Most of my wintertime fly fishing is focused on trout. Not because I cannot catch panfish on the fly during the winter but because my local lakes are usually frozen over by this time of year. This year things are a bit different. Whether it is a result of global warming, changing jet stream patterns, or fluctuating ocean temperatures, the facts are clear; we are experiencing a mild winter here in the northeast. This morning, a day in the second week of February, I woke up to a temperature of sixty degrees at 5:00 am! Not a typical February weather pattern!
The trout fishing has been good, but these warmer days have me thinking about panfish. I have written extensively on where to find panfish during the colder months. In this blog post, I want to focus on the flies and equipment I use to target winter panfish. My fly selection during this time of the year differs from the warmer months.
The Winter Panfish Fly Box
My winter panfish fly box is missing a lot of common panfish patterns. Gone are the poppers and foam bugs, with one exception, all of my topwater flies are missing. The flies are much smaller as well. The fly selection consists primarily of wet flies, soft hackles, and nymphs. Here is a rundown of my top five winter panfish patterns.
Soft Hackles
Soft hackle wet flies will produce fish all year long, so there is no surprise they top the list. However, effective cold-water panfish patterns must have the ability to be fished very slowly and still provide some movement to attract fish. The soft hackle checks both these boxes. I can crawl them along at a snail's pace, and the delicate hackle will still move seductively in the water.
Traditional Wet Flies
Also, in my winter fly boxes are traditional winged wet flies. While I usually reach for a soft hackle pattern, there are times when winged wets will outproduce them.
Nymph Patterns
Nymph patterns are the most versatile patterns in my winter fly boxes as they can be fished by slowly retrieving them through the water or fished under an indicator. A panfish in cold water has a reduced metabolism that reduces its willingness to chase down a meal. However, a nymph dangling under an indicator seems to do the trick.
I tend to fish smaller flies during the winter as most of what the fish feeds on tends to be smaller. Midges have become an important food source, and other aquatic insects are still maturing, so they will also be smaller. My winter nymph assortment will include a variety of nymph patterns in sizes 14-18. There is nothing fancy here, just a mixture of natural, olive, and black Hares Ear nymphs and some Pheasant Tail nymphs. I always include a few tiny, damselfly nymphs in this box as well. I don't know how active these insects are during the winter, but a size 16 damselfly nymph is often a top producer for me.
Worm Patterns
I will include a few worms in my winter fly selection, particularly those tied with that silicon "squirmy" material. A squirmy worm dangled under an indicator is not much different than a worm under a bobber, and we all know how effective that method of fishing can be.
Midges
Midges, also known as Chironomidae, are often the most active insects during the winter months and make up a considerable part of a winter panfish's diet. All stages of this insect, the larva, pupae, and winged adults, can be pretty small. Even smaller items on the menu include zooplankton. These tiny invertebrates are active all winter long and often form dense clouds on which the fish feed. My fly box always contains a variety of simple midge larva flies in various colors and sizes. Pupae and winged adults have a place in that box as well. If there is open water, midges will emerge and hatch twelve months out of the year. I have had excellent dry fly fishing in late February, using tiny winged adult patterns.
At first glance, the cold water panfish fly box is rather dull. But the flies inside can bring success for the angler willing to brave the cold in search of winter panfish.
How fly fishing for panfish made me a better trout angler.
Many people associate me with panfish, which is to be expected for someone running a website and blog dedicated to fly fishing for panfish. However, many folks don't know that I am a fly fishing guide specializing in fishing for trout. Although I spend countless hours chasing sunfish and bass, I spend just as much time wading trout streams throughout the country.
Read moreThe Mop Gurgler
Flies using dust mop material have been around for years now. Mop flies are embraced by some and scorned by others. The argument about them still rages, but the one thing that cannot be disputed is that the flies tied using mop material catch fish, a lot of fish!
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