What’s your go to flies for bass and bluegills?

[Peanut Butter]

Where are you fishing?

Lake Varner here in Covington

 

[Bear44]

Lake Varner here in Covington

If they are on bed, the larger fish will be concentrated around those beds. They are also likely to be very aggressive. Beds can be as shallow as about 3 feet deep, but most will be between 5 and 8 feet. If the water is clear look for the shallower beds and start out by casting into a bit deeper water, then work your way in to the visible beds. If the water is not clear enough or you just aren't seeing any beds, move relatively quickly from place to place looking for where there are beds by making casts into likely looking spots. Focus along the sides of points and out into open water where the point extends into the lake, but the beds could be practically anywhere the depth and bottom material is right. Pay attention to your nose. You can often detect a fishy odor when you are near beds.

Again, move rather quickly from place to place. If you find them on bed, you'll get strikes pretty fast. They have a tendency to cluster the beds together, so you should be able to catch several fish from the same spot once you find it. Move the fly a few yards around the area so you are presenting to different beds. Once the action slows down, move on, but remember where that spot is. You will probably be able to come back a while later and they will be active again.

It's possible to devastate a population like this, so please consider catch and release after you have a few for the pan.

 

[Peanut Butter]

If they are on bed, the larger fish will be concentrated around those beds. They are also likely to be very aggressive. Beds can be as shallow as about 3 feet deep, but most will be between 5 and 8 feet. If the water is clear look for the shallower beds and start out by casting into a bit deeper water, then work your way in to the visible beds. If the water is not clear enough or you just aren't seeing any beds, move relatively quickly from place to place looking for where there are beds by making casts into likely looking spots. Focus along the sides of points and out into open water where the point extends into the lake, but the beds could be practically anywhere the depth and bottom material is right. Pay attention to your nose. You can often detect a fishy odor when you are near beds.

Again, move rather quickly from place to place. If you find them on bed, you'll get strikes pretty fast. They have a tendency to cluster the beds together, so you should be able to catch several fish from the same spot once you find it. Move the fly a few yards around the area so you are presenting to different beds. Once the action slows down, move on, but remember where that spot is. You will probably be able to come back a while later and they will be active again.

It's possible to devastate a population like this, so please consider catch and release after you have a few for the pan.

Very informative and very appreciated. I plan to hit it again all day tomorrow!!

 

[Peanut Butter]

Caught about 5 this size today. Betts popper

 

[panfishvinnie]

A black stonefly nymph is hard to beat for bream. I like one with a size 8 hook, but have used size 6 as well with good results.

 

[Docgreen]

Betts black ant always works for me when poppers go cold.

 

[Nat]

I use M80's with wings glued to them. Just paddle by and pick'em up.

 

[10thmountain]

For really wild creek fish I have been using green nymphs and ants with or without wings . As long as it looks like a bug...