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Sunfish Flies
#11016583
08/03/15 02:33 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564
J-Moe
OP
TFF Team Angler
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OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564 |
The last few weeks I have been only able to catch sunfish on a yellow Betts top water popper. I fished Dunlap, the Comal River, Brazos River and Somerville lake with the same results. I have tried multiple sizes, weights, and colors of subsurface flies with poor results. I have mainly been using Briminators and pistol petes which I had great success with during the Winter and Spring.
So for you fly fisherman, have you found the secret to catching them on subsurface flies this time of year? Any suggestions?
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11016757
08/03/15 04:10 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 524
joebeasley
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 524 |
Black wooly bugger with a strike indicator works for me.
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: joebeasley]
#11016802
08/03/15 04:39 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564
J-Moe
OP
TFF Team Angler
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OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564 |
Black wooly bugger with a strike indicator works for me. Thanks, any particular color pattern? Do you add weight to them? Also, I've never used strike indicators. Do they help to suspend the fly at a certain depth? What about presentation? Do you just twitch them under an indicator or strip them?
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11016803
08/03/15 04:40 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564
J-Moe
OP
TFF Team Angler
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OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564 |
OOPS, just saw black wooly bugger, LOL
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11016868
08/03/15 05:11 PM
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 160
txbassnewbie
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 160 |
you can use a popper as a strike indicator just tie the second line to the hook.
Last edited by txbassnewbie; 08/03/15 05:11 PM.
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11016887
08/03/15 05:19 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,539
aggiegolfer
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,539 |
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: txbassnewbie]
#11016983
08/03/15 05:56 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564
J-Moe
OP
TFF Team Angler
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OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564 |
you can use a popper as a strike indicator just tie the second line to the hook. Ah yes, the popper dropper. I have done that before. Great idea!!!!
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: aggiegolfer]
#11017023
08/03/15 06:14 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564
J-Moe
OP
TFF Team Angler
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OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564 |
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11017138
08/03/15 07:09 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,446
Dfitz
"Nice Guy"
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"Nice Guy"
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,446 |
Hey Jamie. Here are some pics of my fly boxes. Not everything is specific to Sunnies, but most pictured will catch the fool out of them. I've done really well on gold bead heads and black bodied nymph's and buggers, the Olive Bugger is also a go to. Clousers will catch any fish that eats fish, they are amazing... bass, cats and Crappie love them (I'm sure you already know this) so get ready to hold on! Lots of times I don't actually feel the eat, I'm always watching the line for a twitch. Sometimes I'll strip set to keep the fly in the water in case they miss so they have another chance to find it since I didn't yank it out of the water. Downsize your fly if you are just getting "pecked" Hope this helps.
Don't worry about the mule, just load the cart
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11017243
08/03/15 07:54 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564
J-Moe
OP
TFF Team Angler
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OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564 |
Thanks Fitz, great information. I've also noticed that gold works better than silver. I don't think I am missing the bite. I'm good at picking up small movements in the line and also feeling the bite. I do prefer Briminators and clousers over bead heads because they ride hook up. Less snags. I think I'll focus on trying a popper dropper. I suspect it may be more of an issue of getting the lure at the right depth if the fish are suspended.
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11018007
08/04/15 01:07 AM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564
J-Moe
OP
TFF Team Angler
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OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564 |
I appreciate all the input guys. It got me thinking and I was much more successful today. My favorite subsurface fly is the Briminator. I caught 76 bluegill on the fly one day. I was using a simple size 10 black with gold eyes and a brown/black collar. Ever since then I have been experimenting with color patterns, flash, cheniles and silver eyes. I caught 6 catfish and about 15 gaspergou on a black and chartreuse briminator Saturday but not a single bluegill. So I went to the creek today. I started with a yellow popper and caught a couple, but it was slow. I put on the simple black briminator and immediately caught 5 bluegill/longear. I then tried using a black bead head wooley bugger, but as expected I kept getting caught in the weeds. I tried a popper dropper but only caught one and wasn't sure I was picking up the bite. I switched back to the simple black briminator and caught 5 more. I always see people having success with flashy flies; but all my experience has shown that simple / natural is better for bluegill. Simple black, simple olive, little or no flash and gold eyes have been my most successful Briminators. I think in an effort to create the greatest fly ever and impress the fisherman I may have just out thought myself. Now I think I'll start experimenting with some small, sparse clousers. Input on your favorite clouser color patterns would be appreciated. Thanks again for the input
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11018099
08/04/15 01:29 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,446
Dfitz
"Nice Guy"
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"Nice Guy"
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,446 |
Don't worry about the mule, just load the cart
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11018183
08/04/15 01:56 AM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564
J-Moe
OP
TFF Team Angler
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OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564 |
I didn't take any pictures today. I have plenty of pictures of 6 inch longear, LOL
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11018214
08/04/15 02:04 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,446
Dfitz
"Nice Guy"
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"Nice Guy"
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,446 |
I didn't take any pictures today. I have plenty of pictures of 6 inch longear, LOL Post them up. Longear vary in color more than any other Sunfish.
Don't worry about the mule, just load the cart
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Re: Sunfish Flies
[Re: J-Moe]
#11018241
08/04/15 02:13 AM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564
J-Moe
OP
TFF Team Angler
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OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,564 |
This is a picture of my State Private Water Body Record Long ear Here is an example of the ones I have been catching lately, LOL
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