Stop and Smell the Pumpkinseed: Why you Should Target Small Fish
Too often fisherman get caught up in chasing the biggest and baddest fish. Don't get me wrong, I would rather catch a Steelhead, than a Yellow Perch any day of the week.
However, occasionally I like to have fun taking a break from the chase, and enjoying a day on our local sunfish lake.
Bluegill need educating, too.
Yesterday was that day. We packed a cooler full of "sodas," loaded up the boat with light tackle, and hit the lake.
For those with a busy family that love to fish, Shepard Lake should be your next outing. Bring your canoe, kayak, or jon boat with an electric Minn Kota trolling motor. If you don't have a boat, fish off the dock. The fish are abundant all around the dock. If you don't like fishing, but love being outside, Shepard lake has a well-kept campground.
Kid Friendly Fish Action At Its Best
Build a nice campfire, and roast some hot dogs while the kids catch fish off the dock. Between the two of us fishing, we easily caught over 100 sunfish. Two minutes didn't go by without at least a bite, but that was expected. The fish were literally everywhere.
At first, the panfish were holding close to shore, and in the shade. As the day went on, they moved away from the shore and out a little deeper. The crappie were holding in 5-10 feet of water in scattered schools. A #8 white woolly bugger, or a #8 Olive Balanced Leech would do the trick for those fussy crappie.
For the young kids, throw half of a nightcrawler weightless a couple of feet under a bobber. This will get so much action, re-baiting will become tiresome. The lily pads are coming up quick, so the time to get on the water is now!
Bluegill is the perfect species for anyone new to fly fishing to target. Tie on a fun dry fly, and possibly a dropper if you can handle the quick action. Fly fishing with my Echo Base 3 weight was a blast! Just stay calm when you unexpectedly hook into a 3 pound largemouth bass as you strip in your bluegill. I highly recommend fishing for panfish with a 3 weight. A buttery fiberglass rod would be ideal for these fish as well.
Best Line To Use For Catching Small Fish On The Fly
Dry line is what you need to fish for these little buggers. Sinking line will work too, but it is more fun to watch a bluegill attack a fly on the surface. The Bluegill and Pumpkinseed were anxiously waiting for my #10 Black Toast Ant to hit the surface.
Honestly, I don't think the fly mattered at all. I probably could have tied on anything that floated. My friend even mentioned that a rubber band twisted onto a hook would probably work, and I don't doubt it.
We have warm weather coming our way, so now is the perfect time to introduce someone fishing. Whether you only have an hour or an entire day open, spend some time down by the local small lake, and relax.