bluegill and the bacon fly

the first bluegill on the fly

Pond fishing bluegills is a great way to introduce a kid to fly fishing and an almost sure fire way to catch some fish every outing. Any bead-head nymph is a good stating point, you want something that is gonna sink. I love to add a pinch of raw bacon fat to the back of my fly in an almost “tail” sort of fashion. Bacon fat has earned me more fatty panfish over the years and by far is one of the most user friendly baits out there. It certainly has the scent and texture that fish like and it is almost impossible to shake from the hook. There are times when you can catch a dozen fish on one single piece without ever rebaiting. As soon as that raw bacon hit’s the water, the oils from the fat start to disperse and calls the fish in from far.

luke, are you having fun?

Lets just say that teaching a 5 year old how to fly fish isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. It takes a certain amount of patience and a whole lot of understanding. Casting, line management, and presentation are completely different then spin fishing and for someone who just learned how to cast a spinning rod last year it can seem quite intimidating. The key here is to keep things fun and light hearted. The more serious fishing becomes to a youngster, the less fun it seems. We like to explore new areas, look for cool bugs, and spot fish swimming in the shallow water. The important thing is spending time together and learning to enjoy and respect the outdoors.

sunset over our bluegill hunting grounds