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.

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