| Powered by Fly Fishers International September 2020 Newsletter Going back to where it all started… Sometimes we like to make things more complicated than necessary. Fishing is a perfect example. We of Going back to where it all started…Sometimes we like to make things more complicated than necessary. Fishing is a perfect example. We often feel that we need special gear for each type of fish we catch, a mountain of flies, fishing tools, packs and even a fishing inspired shirt. We check the barometer, tides and when the sun will rise and set. While most of this is fun to acquire and understand, it isn't necessary to catch fish. Especially this month because we are going to focus on fishing for probably everyone's first fish, the mighty bluegill. They fight great, are colorful, abundant, don't require lots of gear and catching them will make you feel like kid again. If you are a little rusty on your bluegill knowledge, don't worry, we will help you find the big ones, how to cast to them and how to tie proven bluegill flies. An as always, if you have questions, reach out to us through the TPFR forum, contact us via social media or even ask us our monthly TPFR casting church. Don't be shy, we want you to succeed. Why is this important? September is TPFR's Annual Bluegill Tournament! It is lots of fun and your boss told us any time you spend fishing for bluegills can be considered "teleworking." See below for more details. Tight lines! Your friends at Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders | Where to Find Big BluegillsMany of you have already caught bluegills in the shallows of numerous lakes, rivers and ponds of the Potomac watershed. While fishing the shorelines will often produce lots of fish, these will usually be the smaller fish, not the trophy fish necessary to win the TPFR Bluegill Tournament. While most of what you have learned is transferable for catching big bluegills, there are some adjustments you need to make to increase your success rate. With water temperatures now above the middle 70F's, larger bluegills in the DMV will be on their summer pattern and will heavily relate to cooler, oxygenated water and be found near or just off the deeper weed edges, often at the transition of soft and hard bottom. These deeper edges over hard bottom are where the large bluegills typically spawn. If you aren't finding bluegills on the deeper edges of vegetation, move out deeper to to check for nearby suspended fish. As the water cools, bluegills will move shallower. In addition, larger schools of bluegills will also suspend over deep water feeding on zooplankton or invertebrates. While these schools are harder to find, they can give away their location when you see several offshore rises. Bluegills can be found in most freshwaters of the DMV. In Maryland, Greenbrier and Cunningham Falls Lake, Piney Run and the Eastern Shore mill ponds all hold sizeable fish. In Virginia, Burke, Thoreau, Brittle, Occoquan and numerous other nearby lakes and ponds are other hotpsots. The Maryland State Bluegill record is 3lbs 4oz and caught from Deep Creek Lake. The Virginia State record was caught in a private pond and weighed a massive 4lbs 8oz. | What Gear to Use for BluegillsSince typical bluegill fishing requires accurately throwing a small popper with a nymph dropper, a 4wt or 5wt rod with a floating line and an 9 foot 3x leader to the popper and then 2 feet of smaller tippet (4x or 5x) to a nymph works well. Basically, just use your trout gear. In addition, when bluegills aren't feeding on the surface, having another rod setup with a 10' slow sink tip line with a 4' leader (straight 4x or 5x) with a nymph is very useful. | Tying BenchEffective bluegill flies in general, are small and slow moving to resemble their prey and fit in their mouth. Design your surface poppers or sponge spiders (size 6 to 10) with rubber legs and soft hackle that will quiver without lots of added movement. For slow sinking flies (size 10 to 16), standard patterns such as pheasant tail nymph, woolly buggers, hare's ear, scuds, midges, san juan worms, soft hackle flies all are effective. These core set of flies will allow you to fish from surface to bottom. Currently Beer Ties at Whitlow's are on hold, so we can't meet, share a beer and tie some effective bluegill patterns. However, here are some useful videos to help you tie your very own proven bluegill catchers. Don't have time to tie? Your local fly shops carry a great selection to help you put more bluegills in the boat (and possibly a TPFR Bluegill Tournament medal around your neck.) | Casting Corner – Useful Casts for Bluegill FishingJoin us for the next Casting Church on Sunday, September 13th with modifications to maintain social distancing. All skill levels are welcome! As always, we will have casting instructors available to help you refine your casting stroke, and even review casts, or talk gear that will help you catch bluegills. Until then, here are some good videos to help you make the basic pickup and laydown cast, use an oval cast to cast those popper dropper rigs for bluegill as well as casting sinking lines. Like many fish, bluegills can be found from the surface to the bottom, so a successful angler needs to be able to cast a variety of lines including floating lines as well as sinking tip lines. | TPFR 2020 Bluegill TournamentCompete in our annual TPFR bluegill tournament. Go to your favorite Virginia, Maryland, or DC panfish location between 7AM Wednesday, September 2nd to 4PM Wednesday, September 30th, take pictures of your fish next to the TPFR supplied ruler to enter in the following categories: Register via e-mail to contact@tpfr.org beginning Wednesday, September 2nd 7AM through Sunday, September 27th at 4PM. Tournament Admission fee is $10.00 for those 16 and over, free for those under 16. For junior participants, just email us at contact@tpfr.org to enter.
Rules for the tournament: All Federal, State, and local laws must be obeyed. Bluegill is being used as a general name for fish in the Sunfish family: Bluegill, Red Breasted Sunfish, Warmouth, Etc. No Crappie or Largemouth. Fish must be caught on fly rod and reel Fish must be caught in DC, MD, or VA All submissions must be emailed to tournament organizers no later than 4pm Wednesday, September 30th. You absolutely must have fun. All picture submissions must include the tournament-supplied ruler. Winners will be announced at the October 11th Casting Church located at Fletcher's Boathouse
| | Editors Note: Had a great fly fishing trip that you would like to share with TPFR members? Please send us your pictures from your recent trips at contact@tpfr.org. We would love to highlight them on TPFR social media. | Potomac River and Fly Fishing News | Four Mile Run Kid's Fishing Clinic A SuccessOn July 30, 2020 I had the opportunity to assist The Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation with their inaugural Kid's Fishing Clinic. The clinic was held in conjunction with the Community Lodgings' summer program. Eight of the Foundation's Nature Explorers and Restorers (NEAR) kids from the Community Lodgings' summer program participated in the clinic.The clinic opened with Foundation President, Kurt Moser welcoming the kids, describing the planned activities, reminding everyone about COVID-19 requirements, and learning a little about each child's fishing experience. A few moments were spent talking about what fish eat and do for the environment. Kurt shared any fish caught during the clinic would be released so they could grow into bigger fish. This was followed up with how to handle a fish that would be released. The Foundation interns and volunteers were introduced.Next, it was off to a Four Mile Run Park grassy area to learn and practice casting. After a short casting demonstration each child was given a fishing pole for practice and to use during the clinic. The kids quickly developed the casting feel. Many of them were consistently casting 10 to 15 feet. Now it was time to go fish! The fishing destination was the unnamed creek that enters Four Mile Run on the west side of Cora Kelly Softball Field. This creek is known for the blue gill and bream that hang around where the creek empties into Four Mile Run. Kids lined both sides of the creek and began casting their float and hook with artificial bait to the wary creek residents. It wasn't long before floats began bobbing and wiggling as they drifted in the current. Wily bluegills attempted to steal bait off the hooks without getting hooked. Before the clinic's end, a few of those wily bluegills found themselves in the hand of an excited child. While COVID-19 added a few new challenges to holding a fishing clinic. It didn't hamper the success of kids' bobber fishing a creek for bluegills on a beautiful day. The Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation plans to hold future Kids Fishing Clinics. Help them if you can. Visit the Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation website at https://www.fourmilerun.org/ to learn more about the Foundation and their mission.Thanks! Daniel Lazenby, TPFR Community Service Chair | It takes a village…If you are able, consider purchasing your gear from these local businesses which have supported you with top quality gear and helpful advice to make your fishing trips a success. These local stores are open for in-person shopping, curbside pickup or web-based orders. | | | | |
0 comments:
Post a Comment