Fish-On! Chapter 10 Pan Fish Brought to you courtesy of... TV Ontario © 1985, TV Ontario and The Ontario Educational Communications Authority, all rights reserved  "Let's go fish for bluegills." This statement would result in at least a few raised eyebrows and most certainly several negative jibes and derisive comments among average anglers. No one in his right mind would actually plan to fish for bluegills, or for that matter, rock bass or pumpkinseed. They are too small, they steal the bait, they're difficult to clean, and they almost always swallow the hook. They are more often an add-on to bass fishing or incidental to a catch of some other game fish. This negative attitude towards pan fish results in the angler losing the experience of taking a selective fighting fish. The bluegill, pumpkinseed, and rock bass all belong to the sunfish family, which includes small and largemouth bass. All the sunfishes ar more or less brightly colored, especially the spawning males. Each differs in its preferred choice of habitat and in anatomical characteristics in size, color, and shape. But these variations may be so light that crossbreeding can occur, particularly when bluegills and pumpkinseed spawn in the same water. They are essentially warm-water schoolers and prefer fertile lakes of moderate temperatures with abundant rooted vegetation. They are nest builders, with the male performing the duty of caring for the young.
But it is their eating and sporting attributes that endear panfish to anglers. Anyone who has fished for them will agree on one thing: the fish fry which results from a mess of pan fish is a tasty treat. Few fish tantalize the palate like these delightful little morsels.
They are found in nearly all Ontario waters from the Great Lakes to near subarctic. They are often easy catches and are usually the first fish caught by a budding angler. In fact, they may be the only fish caught when other more glamorous game fish are being sought. These species are game sports fish when tackle is matched to their size and weight.
Unfortunately, an angler is more likely to be armed with a rod and reel capable of derricking a ten-pound pike out of the water when he hooks a sunfish. Setting the hook often results in the fish landing 20 yards back in the bush as the angler leans back on the rod. On the other hand, an angler who makes the conscious decision to fish for pan fish will select a light outfit more fitting to the task. It will allow you to cast small lures, flies, and bait with more finesse, and permit the fish to fight on its own terms. A ten-inch bluegill will put up a good battle on a four-pound monofilament line or leader tippet. Ultralight spinning tackle, a lightweight casting combination, or a five-weight fly fishing system will open the door to some outstanding fishing. BLUEGILLS (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque)THE FISHThe appearance of the bluegill varies with sex and age and among individuals of the same sex and age. But it can be identified by the splash of black on the end of the dorsal fin and the black gill flap.
Usually the body is light to dark olive with a touch of purple in older individuals. Breeding males have bright orange and blue on their bodies. The belly may be bright yellow. The females and the young tend to be less colorful and are mostly grayish green.
It has a small mouth which does not extend back beyond the large eye. Its body is a flat, elongated oval. The average size of a bluegill in Ontario waters is eight inches but they do reach 15 inches and almost four pounds. A 12-inch fish is considered a big catch. HABITATThe range of the bluegill extends from the Gulf of Mexico to north of the (ireat Lakes and covers most of the area in between. The fish prefers clear water with thick weed patches near drop-offs.
It is the natural prey of bass and pike, but the little fish takes advantage of the larger fish during their spawning by eating their eggs and young fry. This may explain why some bass lakes become bluegill lakes. In addition, the game fish are taken by the angler, allowing the bluegill to grow large enough to eat the game fish fry, adding to the management problems of these lakes. It is not uncommon to find pan fish expanding to the point where they become stunted in competition for food. Heavier fishing pressure on these species and taking fish when they are spawning on the nest can ease the situation. SEASONAL CHANGESThe bluegill is a prolific breeder, laying almost 10000 eggs. Spawning begins in June in shallow water one foot to three feet deep. The process starts in nests built on the north and northwest shores of a lake since these areas receive the most early season sun. Later spawning occurs further from shore as the water warms.
After the eggs are hatched, the fish move into heavy weed cover to take advantage of food supply and the protection provided. As fish mature, they feed increasingly on a variety of food, including snails, small crayfish, insects, small minnows, and plankton. Family groups tend to remain together as a school, sometimes joining other family schools. They are least active during the middle of the day, feeding primarily in the early morning and again in the late afternoon and evening.
EQUIPMENT & TECHNIQUEReading the Water In the early spring, some insects like the water boatmen appear to have more energy than most and move swiftly to the surface. Look for pan fish splashing violently in the water, chasing them for food.
During the summer, the larger bluegills seek deeper, cooler water, leaving the juveniles and shallowwater weed edges and the docks. Dawn is really the best time to fish because the water has had a chance to cool overnight, encouraging fish to be active near the surface. They may have followed emerging mayflies or caddis to the surface during the night and may still be eating. Beaver often drop trees along a shoreline which fall partially into the water. The drowned treetop becomes home to aquatic insects and attracts bluegills. Casting into the partially submerged branches can get action.
You should try night fishing, as well. During mid-July and into August, many aquatic insects emerge during the night. The "slurp, slurp" of feeding fish can be very evident on a still summer night. Casting towards the sounds can get you a few bluegills, or even a smallmouth bass, crappie, or a marauding largemouth bass. 
Tackle Small to medium bluegills are easily caught. But larger plate-sized specimens are very selective and difficult to hook. When they do, they are quite scrappy and will race in circles as you attempt to land them. So, special tactics and tackle are needed. Spinning tackle and fly-fishing tackle are fun ways to catch bluegill, but the jumbo members of the clan are taken more regularly on bait. Usually, "pro" bluegill anglers fish from bass boats equipped with quiet electric motors. The rods they use are stiff and the line heavy. A favorite bait is a medium-sized leech on a number 10 short-shank hook. Depending on depth of water, they may use a bobber—not the large bulbous type but the long pencil-thin variety which moves on the slightest tug. A few even use African Porcupine quills as floats in order to detect the take. These "pros" have learned through years of experience where to look for the so-called "hog." They move quietly to an open spot in the weeds and drop their bait.
There may be 100 holess but only a few hold big fish. Some avid fishermen don flippers, face mask, and snorkel and swim into these weedchoked waters. Moving slowly through the underwater pathways, they discover pockets of fish that should not be there. If you're not that anxious, carefully read the water for signs or structures.
Fishing tackle used to take bluegills and other pan fish should in general terms be lightweight and flexible. At the same time, the angler must be aware of having to haul the fish out of the weeds. Lightweight tackle can be cast all day and not wear out the fisherman. The rod must have sufficient power to bring the fish quickly to net. Accurate casting is essential when you want to put the lure or bait beside a floating lily pad. A stiff, heavy rod will not cast the lightweight lures or small baits with the same ease or accuracy.
A six-foot spinning or spincast rod designated lightweight or microweight by the manufacturer is ideal. This rod has sufficient length to keep line off intervening weeds and yet has the bend and flexibility to flip tiny lures to the fish. Long casts are not usually a necessity.
Many anglers who switch back and forth from fly rod to spinning to spincast forget to change tactics, particularly in rod handling. A lure cast with a spinning outfit is retrieved by turning the handle of the reel. One can vary the speed of the retrieve with a simple turn of the handle. At the same time, spin fishermen keep their rod at about a 45-degree angle and reef back on the rod when they get a strike. In contrast, when retrieving a fly, the rod is pointed at the approximate position of the fly. The line is brought in by the left hand and simply dropped at the angler's feet. If the fly rod is kept at a 45-degree angle during the retrieve, the weight of the line will cause the fly to drop back unnaturally as the angler pauses in the retrieve to pick up more line. With the rod pointed straight at the fly, a smooth simulation of the action of an insect is achieved.
The reel is the angler's choice. Choose one which can take five- or six-pound lines. The finer line casts further with small lures. Most anglers find that open-face spinning reels handle light lines and lures with few problems. Baits and Lures Most anglers catch pan fish when fishing with worms. They are the favorite bait for the young or novice angler. Worms are best combined with an ultralight spinning rod and reel loaded with four-pound monofilament. Although dew worms are the ones most often used, the smaller garden variety work best particularly when used with size 10 barbless hooks rather than with the oversized long-shanked variety.
The smaller worms, or garden hackle, can be threaded onto the size 10 hook leaving both ends dangling in an enticing manner. The angler may need a small splitshot four inches above the hook and a tiny bobber to complete this favored rig. A lobbed cast close to floating weeds or a dock, then a short wait, usually result in a catch.
Anglers have been known to use an interesting variety of alternate live baits: maggots, grubs, crickets, large nymphs, and small minnows. The key is to use small specimens so that the fish is able to take them in its small mouth. Barbless hooks will facilitate the release of the fish when it is too small to keep. Bluegills have the reputation of being nibblers and will soon shred the bait off a large hook. A fisherman will know if one starts nibbling when the cork begins to bounce or by the little tugs at the line if light-line fishing. Patience is needed until the fish actually seizes the baited hook and starts to run with it.
The bluegill will hit a lure but only the tiniest. Casting a lure into a weedy wilderness inhabited by bluegill often results in the loss of the lure. Open water around docks and rock obstructions is a better fishing site. But if you are fishing deeper holes in lakes or at the mouth of a river or creek, spin fishing or casting a weighted lure, such as a tiny yellow jig, through these holes has proven effective. Small lead-headed jigs with a variety of dressing can also be fished under bobbers. This method provides precise depth control even for the novice angler. Add your favorite live bait to the jig under cold-water conditions or when fishing is difficult. Fly Fishing The fly rod is an ideal outfit for pan fish. A trout rod and reel can serve double duty during the season when the angler seeks pan fish. A sevenand-a-half- to nine-foot fly rod of fiberglass, graphite, or boron are all acceptable, providing they cast a four- or five-weight line. The angler's casts will not need to be long, therefore a double taper (DT5F) or a weight-forward (WF5F) line is a good choice. To save money on a line, a level fly line will do the job. Merely add a heavier butt to the leader when attaching it to the line. Long leaders are not needed when fly fishing for pan fish. A ten-foot leader with a five- or six-pound tippet is all that is necessary.
Bluegills like flies. Normally a woolly worm or a small cork bug will entice them to hit and only a change in color is needed to overcome any reluctance. Tie up or buy woolly worms size 10 in red, brown,white, yellow, green, or black. An angler who knows where the fish school is needs only to cast the fly into the area, allow it to sink slightly, and begin the retrieve. The bluegill is sure to hit the moving fly. Then there are the times when the bluegill becomes a fussy feeder. It can be as selective as trout. Not only must the angler find the fly to use but he also must adopt careful tactics. As in trout fishing, keep a low silhouette and, above all, keep quiet.
In early spring, before the bluegill begins to spawn, drift along the shallow portions of a south-facing shoreline. This area receives the greatest concentrations of sunlight, which prods shallow-water insects into life. Bluegills will move into the shallows to feed on the sluggish insects. Mayfly and dragonfly nymphs, caddis larvae, scud, freshwater shrimp, and water beetles become active. All of these aquatic creatures can be imitated by fly patterns.
A gold-ribbed hare's ear nymph pattern, size 12, is a good general purpose fly with which to start. Cast the fly almost onto shore. You should be wading or drifting in a boat 20 to 30 feet off shore. The vibration created by shore-bound anglers walking the edges can frighten the fish back into deeper water. Since you are casting into shallow water, try to cast to allow the line to straighten three feet above the water, and then the fly will probably land before the line splashes and spooks the fish. Allow the fly to sink to the bottom before starting the retrieve. Remember that in the spring, before spawning, the water is very cold. Fish are lethargic. They will not move far or fast. A slow retrieve is best.
However, on a warm, sunny day in spring, when insects such as water boatmen are active on the surface, an angler must imitate the action of the insects for success. These insects leave the water like small polaris missiles, fly off to another part of the lake, and dive-bomb through the surface to swim quickly to the bottom. The angler must create a splashy entrance into the water with a fast retrieve.
A favorite fly in late May and early June, just as the bluegill are starting to spawn, is the damsel fly nymph. These creatures are very wiggly swimmers. During the period when they swim to shore and climb out on water vegetation to emerge from the nymph state, they entice the bluegill and other fish to feed voraciously. A green nymph with a marabou tail to simulate their wiggle is a good bet.
When the bluegill begins to spawn and the fish are over the nests, the angler must remember to allow the fly lure or bait to sink to the level of the nest or redd. These fish defend their eggs and fry from predators and other members of their own species. They will not move far from the nest site and will hit anything which ventures too close and threatens the young. Drop a black woolly worm or a dragonfly nymph on the redd and you have a fish. Mini streamers are good flies for this kind of fishing as are the smallest size Rapala type lures.
After eggs hatch, the larger bluegills can be found in deeper, cooler water, so fish the shaded side of deep holes on a sunny day. Where there are drowned treetops, cast a small popper with a monofilament weed guard into the partially submerged branches. Cast, let the bug sit for a few moments, then move it. Repeat the process several times to attract the attention of the fish.
If the water temperature becomes too warm during the summer, fish the mouth of a river or creek, or check the lake for spring holes where the fish will gather. You may need a weighted nymph or lure to go deep in order to take fish there. Quite often the biggest fish are found in these situations.
If night fishing, cast a wriggle nymph pattern towards the sound of feeding fish and work it very slowly just under the surface. Fish can detect the movement from quite a distance PUMPKINSEED (Lepomis gibbosus)THE FISHThe pumpkinseed, another member of the sunfish family, is one of the most abundant and familiar species in our waters. It differs from the bluegill in color and is a slightly smaller fish. The body is compressed and more rounded in outline than any of the other sunfishes. It may reach a length of about nine inches, but the usual range is six to eight inches. The mouth barely reaches the eye, limiting the size of lures that can be used to catch them.
As if it were a showy tropical fish, it sports a coat of many colors, starting with an olive-green back which flows into orange-colored cheeks with wavy blue lines and ends in a bright yellow belly. The gill cover has a bright red spot. HABITATThe pumpkinseed ranges from Manitoba and the Dakotas to eastern Canada and southward to North Carolina and to western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Iowa in the Mississippi River system. It is abundant in most waters of southern Ontario, north to Sault Ste. Marie and Temagami.
It prefers waters which are clear and cool and do not warm up too much during the heat of summer. It likes a sand/gravel bottom rather than mud or silt, but will live in those waters if other aspects are suitable. Pumpkinseeds like weedy lakes which provide food and shelter.
Like other small members of the sunfish family, management involves catching and keeping fish. If not, they become overcrowded and their growth stunted to the point where the total fishery in the body of water may be lost. Because of their excellent flavor, they are taken in numbers by commercial fishermen in many areas. But to keep the population at safe levels, many areas do not impose size, catch, or season limits on anglers. SEASONAL CHANGESIn the latter part of May males begin to make the nest or redd on a gravel bottom, clearing the debris from an area about one foot across. The clearing usually attracts a female who may deposit several thousand eggs to be fertilized. The males guard the nest from predators and egg snatchers until the young are free-swimming. This activity may continue into July.
During summer and fall there are almost always some pumpkinseeds in shallow shoreline weeds and wood. However, it is the deeper weedbeds and brush piles which often harbor the big fish during these seasons. EQUIPMENT & TECHNIQUEReading the Water During spawning, an angler can often see the clear, circular areas of nests located in less than three feet of water. By casting a lure across the nest area and retrieving slowly, you have a fish. Catching pan fish in the spring as water begins to warm and appetites increase is not all that difficult. Catching them off these beds is even easier.
After spawning, the adults congregate beneath old deadheads and trees that have fallen into the water. In the evening they often rise from the deep water to feed at the surface, but they bite best in the early morning and late afternoon and appear less active at midday. Baits, Lures, and Spinners When pumpkinseeds are at their spawning nests, they will take almost any lure or bait providing the size is small enough for their small mouths. Larger baits may be attacked by a voracious adult but are not as effective.
There are several tricks to taking pumpkinseed when they move off the spawning nests and begin to search for food. Contrary to popular opinion, they can be selective in their feeding habits. In fact, many anglers fish pumpkinseed to sharpen their skills for trout or bass.
 The spin fisherman must learn to vary his retrieve from fast to slow. The spinner must be one which will revolve on a slowly moving line. Number one or two spinners are the correct size. Very often the treble hook used on these small spinners may be too large for the fish to take comfortably. Change it to a single straight-shanked hook. A combination of spinner and small section of worm almost always takes fish.
They may also be caught readily by still-fishing with worms, grasshoppers, and other small natural baits on number eight to ten hooks.
Flies, Floats, and Jigs When the spinner is not taking pumpkinseed but you know that they are there, switch to flies using a bobber and leader setup. This rig will work on a fly rod and also with spinning equipment.
Dave Whitlock, a well-known fly fisherman, devised a rig which enables him to sink a fly to a given depth and still use a fly rod. The setup will work well on ultralight spinning and bait tackle. He uses a tiny half-inch by three-quarter-inch closed cell foam float with a vertical hole up the centre. This slip cork float is placed on a knot-less leader tip section (or on monofilament spinning or casting line) and a nail knot is tied on the line above the float. The knot is tied with a 15-pound-test line and can be moved up or down the tippet as a stopper for the bobber. The bobber cannot go further up the line than the knot. The knot is moved according to the depth of water being fished. The fly on the tippet has a splitshot clamped onto the shank of the hook near the eye. This allows the fly to sink quickly and be jigged through the pan fish hole. When the rig is cast, the float moves down the line to the hook and the whole rig casts like a small popper. The weighted fly sinks to the depth set by the nail knot and is kept there by the floating bobber. A slow retrieve creates an enticing bobbing effect on the fly, much like a jig. A slightly bouncing rod tip or the rise and fall of wave action will create a very tantalizing action. When a fish takes, the float acts as an indicator. A floating fly line is used for this kind of fishing and usually a six-foot leader with a long tippet of five- to ten-pound strength. Commercial floats are available but an angler can make one of balsa wood, cork, or closed cell foam. A hole is drilled through the length of the bobber large enough to accept a piece of hollow plastic-handled cotton-tipped swab. Glue the tube in place. Whitlock prefers fluorescent-colored bobbers just large enough to float and still support the weighted fly. This technique is also popular with spin fishermen. Tiny jigs tipped with live bait and/or artificial dressings are effective and easy to fish under a float. (Figure 10-2.)
Another method for pan fish involves bass bugs or lures. These are often too large for pan fish to take. Conversely, the average bass is not interested in a size 14 wet fly. To accommodate bass and pan fish, tie a 12- to 20-inch section of six-pound monofilament to the bend of the bass hook. Then tie a wet fly like a gold-ribbed hare's ear to the dropper. Stick to small, size 14 to 18 flies. Cast the two together. The bass bug seems to stir up the pan fish and they hit the trailing wet fly. If a large bass is in the area it may hit the bug. At any rate, you have both fish covered with this dual rig. Spin fishermen use various two-line combinations of live bait, yarn flies, and jigs which float or sink. Ice Fishing Both bluegills and pumpkinseed can be taken in winter by slowly jigging tiny spoons, jigs, or yarn flies. Using a small float provides the required subtle action and precise depth control. Small grubs and tiny minnows also work. Anglers should fish the drop-offs beside weedbeds and be flexible with small bait or tiny lures. Knowing the whereabouts of spring holes and the mouths of creeks helps when locating winter fishing. Chumming a hole with oatmeal or small grubs will often bring in a school of bluegills or pumpkinseed. At that point, the angler is in for a good afternoon of fishing and a delectable meal to follow.
A bait which is readily available nearly all winter is the white grub which inhabits the galls of goldenrod. Locate a stand of goldenrod and collect several dozen of the bulbous galls from the winter-dried plants. A gall with an obvious hole from the outside does not have a grub in residence, having been removed by a woodpecker or other bird in all likelihood. Carefully split open the galls and remove the half-inch-long grub. Store them in a bottle of rolled oats or oatmeal in a cool place until you are ready to use them. Use small hooks with a single splitshot on the line to fish these grubs in pan fish water. The grubs are fairly tough and should catch several fish. ROCK BASS (Ambloplites rupestris)THE FISHRock bass is also a member of the widespread sunfish family and is as well known as pumpkinseed. Like the pumpkinseed and the bluegill, rock bass have similarities with the clan and significant differences in shape, habitat, and preferred foods.
They are shaped like a sunfish but have a deeper, thicker body and are not as colorful. The high frontal dorsal fin has 11 rays or upright bones and the softer posterior section has ten. The fish can be found in various shades of olive green, from yellow to almost black. Each scale has a small black dot on the outer edge.
Two identifying features separate rock bass from the other sunfish: a larger mouth with teeth and a red iris, a feature that in certain quarters has led to the name "red-eye bass."
A big rock bass is a foot long and about two pounds. The average fish, however. reaches a length of eight to ten inches and weighs much less.
HABITATThe rock bass likes clear-flowing streams with structures such as rocks or submerged logs for cover, or cool, weedy lakes of moderate size. They are often caught when fishing for smallmouth bass because they like the same type of habitat.
Its range extends from the deep south of the USA north to Lake Abitibi on the Quebec-Ontario border, and west from Manitoba and the Red River drainage of North Dakota to Lake Champlain and along the Atlantic slope. It can be found in all of the Great Lakes.
Through accidental or intentional introductions, the species proliferates across most of North America. Often, where rock bass have been introduced, the results have not been good for native species. Protection by setting limits is unnecessary in most areas because of the prolific nature of the fish and angler under-exploitation. Few restrictions apply to fishing for this species. SEASONAL CHANGES
In early June the male occupies an area of small gravel and clears it of debris with its fins. This nest site will have flowing water provided by the current of a stream or by the waves of a lake. The female will deposit up to 5000 eggs in the nest which are fertilized and guarded by the male. Although the male is protective of its young, the adults may eat their young when foodstuffs are not readily available.
After spawning, they travel in schools consisting of the largest of the species and the small yearlings. Normally, the rock bass with its larger mouth and sets of teeth will feed on minnows, crayfish, and aquatic insects. There is much competition for food within the school, making it easy to catch these fish with a variety of small lures and bait. EQUIPMENT & TECHNIQUEReading the Water Rock bass is a cover fish. It likes to be near large rocks, as its name implies, or near submerged logs, docks, and other obstructions. Cottagers most often find schools of the fish under their docks, always available to the young angler.
It has been a practice at our cottage to leave the rock bass for visitors, particularly the young ones. We can always rig up a rod with a worm or weighted fly on a barbless hook and in a few moments have them catching fish.
In reading the water of the river, an experienced angler will look for moving water surface which has changing currents, riffles, and waves caused by water moving over rocks. Since rock bass avoid the very fast water, the angler will look for slow pools and back eddies. Fish will hold at the tail of a pool where it deepens before rising to flow over the lip into a lower set of ripples and rapids. A few fish may hold right at the lip on the up-river side to take advantage of all the floating food which approaches them.
Fast water flowing over a lip of a rock will dig a hole in the gravel below. Often it will create a back eddy which undercuts the rock on the upside. Large fish tend to hold in these impossible places; impossible because the angler is at a loss to get a lure or bait to the fish. The secret is to read the fast water. Rock bass are not trout; they cannot hold for any length of time in the fast flow of water but they can and do find the back eddies.
Reading the structure of a lake to find pan fish is made easier with a depth sounder and a depth map or chart. When combined with a thermometer, these instruments make fish-finding a breeze. When you know where the shoals, bars, and reefs are located, you know that the fish will be at the water level most comfortable to them. A depth thermometer provides this data. For those not so fortunate, reading the lakes becomes a question of observation and interpretation.
An abrupt steep shoreline usually indicates deep water close to shore. A long sloping beach will more often follow the same contour out into the lake. A peninsula usually runs into the lake as a bar or reef. Water weeds growing close to the surface indicate shallow water and good fishing. White caps which form in the deeper section of a lake usually indicate waves breaking over a reef. The natural evidence is there; the angler need only interpret it. To survive, fish have learned to loiter near underwater structure which provides protection from predators, shade from the sun, and an abundance of food. Rock reefs, weedbeds, deep water, and man-made structures provide most of these features. Keep in mind that seasonal changes in water conditions will cause all fish to move to more appropriate sites. If the angler was able to take fish in a shallow reef in the early spring, he or she should move off to the deeper sides and edges to take them during the summer. Casting When a school of rock bass is located, the favorite all-time bait is a section of dew worm on a hook dropped into the midst of a school and slowly retrieved. More rock bass are derricked onto docks and bounced off the bottom of boats by this technique than by any other. The only addition to the tackle might be a splitshot to sink the worm more quickly and a plastic float to keep it off the bottom.
The scope of bait for rock bass is wider than for other sunfish. To catch bigger fish, use small minnows or crayfish. The minnow should be hooked through its lips and its back fin above the backbone to keep it alive. A small crayfish hooked through the tail and drifted through the current of a stream is an excellent technique. The angler might substitute a hellgrammite or stonefly nymph when crayfish fail to work.
Too few anglers use a bobber in fast water because it is deemed to be a still-water technique. Properly used, the bobber can carry the bait through rocky waters and not hook the bottom. Allow the bait to hang just above the bottom. A sinker may be necessary, depending on the depth and speed of the current. Few fish can hold in very fast water for more than a few moments unless they are behind or below some obstruction. Align the bait along the edge of the fast water as the float drifts through the pools and runs.
When fish are holding behind an obstruction in fast-flowing water, cast a bait or fly to the side of the fast water. The fly or bait must land exactly on that line which divides fast and slow water and not a few inches off. And it must land with an amount of slack line following, the amount depending on the water depth. The extra line will allow the current to carry the bait back under the rock to the holding fish. If the hole is large enough you may take several fish from one holding spot.
If you are working slow pools and back eddies, you may cast to the head of such water and work your fly or lure through it to attract fish holding at the tail of a pool. If fish are holding at the lip of the pool or eddy, you may need to use a nymph fly pattern with fly tackle. Put the weighted nymph deep through the holding water and raise your rod to make the fly rise like an emerging insect seeking to take off before letting the fly go over the lip of the pool.
The spin fisherman using a lure should cast slightly upstream to allow the lure to go deep through the holding water and then cast across current to move the lure across the water just below the lip. Bait should be allowed to drift right over the lip. In other situations, the spin fisherman should know how to do a flip cast as well as an overhand cast. The ability to cast with the hand opposite to the one usually used may also be handy in bushy or close quarters.
When night fishing, know the water. Simple actions become dangerous when you cannot see. Fishing at night, particularly toward morning, is a productive time as the cool water causes baitfish and some nymphs to become active and the larger fish to follow them. Use flies which are bulky and move water, like small muddler minnows or size 2/0-8 wet flies. Active lures like crank baits, jitter bugs, or jigs with safety pin spinners are good in small sizes.
Docks, wharfs, and other manmade structures are quickly inhabited by rock bass. The angler must cast his lure to bounce off the structure or, at the least, land beside it. Make your casts in a fan pattern, gradually widening the range until you reach the limit of your casting capability, and then move to a new position. The fan pattern should work from shade to sun. If you see a fish make a pass at the fly or lure, go right back at it. If no fish take after a few casts, rest the area for a few minutes.
Fly Fishing A fly rod allows the rock bass to show its real mettle as a sport fish. The angler who fishes with a light four- or five-weight fly fishing outfit will have a lot of fun. Rock bass weigh about the same as a six-inch trout and tend to fight harder. Their flat side against the water gives them greater purchase. A six-foot leader to five pound-test is ideal. The outfit is easily cast and not tiring to the angler. With the lightweight boron or graphite fly rod, an angler can use a ten-foot rod which will provide several advantages when fishing most pan fish.
The long fly rod is able to keep more line off the water and above the weeds. This facilitates lure manipulation. The angler is able to sit in a boat or use a belly boat and still keep fly line and fly out of snags and weeds. At times the angler can dip the fly over a break in the weeds, enticing fish to rise when no other cast is possible. The short line and leader used in dipping reduces the chance of losing the fish.
The longer fly rod has other advantages. The ease of landing a fish using a long fly rod has less ill effect on fish, making it possible to release the smaller ones relatively unharmed. In addition, the longer rod casts easily and does most of the work. Like a noodle rod in steelheading, the long, sensitive fly rod can feel the take more readily.
The fly rodder seldom needs to double-haul when fishing pan fish, but he should be capable of left- and right-hand casts and be able to make the fly land softly. It is also important to consider that accurate casting and a variety of casts are necessary to consistently produce big rock bass and other pan fish. As important is fly manipulation. Seventy percent of the time, rock bass will hit any fly put near them. The other 30 percent makes fishing interesting.
There are a few tricks which help to slow down or speed up the retrieve. Tie a spider pattern of dry fly, size ten. This fly is designed to skitter over the surface. Use a short line and at least a six-pound leader tippet. Fish will hit very hard. The spider fly is several stiff dry fly hackles tied in just behind the eye; no body, no tail, and no wing. Cast the fly to a spot where you know there are fish but none will bite. On a short line, with the rod held high, keeping most of the line and leader off the water, skitter the fly across the surface so that it seems to be struggling to take off. It must be on the surface, not in it or above it. The speed of skitter will vary. Repeat the successful cast, and watch the fish hit.
A second so-called trick involves the "sudden inch." A caddis dry fly, cast to the edge of weeds, is allowed to sit for several moments. Then a slight pull on the line will cause the fly to move. A fish sitting beneath the fly will believe it is alive and trying to escape. Another fish for the pan! SIZE DOESN'T COUNTThe popularity of bluegills, pumpkinseed, and rock bass with people of all ages, especially with the young, make up for their deficiency in size. These fish have provided many with their first angling thrill. And everyone agrees that pan fish taste good even though it takes time to clean enough of them to make a meal. I'm sure you'll want to experiment with cooking them, so a few recipes are provided on page 145.
I urge you to try out these sporting, delectable fish, especially when you're taking youngsters out on the water to teach them a few angling basics. You'll not only add to everyone's angling satisfaction, but also you will help to maintain fishing pressure on a fish that is often too abundant in waters inhabited by other game fish.
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