It's just a bluegill

 Another old one from www.sexyloops.com

With the cherry blossoms blooming all around Tokyo signalling spring, I've been tying a lot of panfish flies as I get ready for the warmer weather. I stuck a few pics and how to videos online and the responses have been pretty mixed. I'm not surprised that some of the flies have been divisive-some of them are, frankly, pure filth but I have been a bit surprised by how many people are dismissive of panfish as a target. 

Yes the can be very easy to catch, and are abundant within their range, they're aggressive but they're not always stupid and they're beautiful little and sometimes not so little fish. Yes trout are pretty -the disdain for the bluegill comes mainly from trout anglers it seems-, especially small panfish-sized ones can also be very easy to catch.  For me there's at least as much angling skill in going along a bank on foot or in my zoomy bubble boat (float tube) identifying structure, making a nice presentation with a dry, popper, dragonfly nymph, or some horrendous little attractor to bluegill as there is in randomly throwing out a bug under an indicator for stockies.  

I love bluegill maybe it's cause I'm Scottish and bluegill are exotic to me, but I doubt it cause I always had a soft spot for perch.  There's something to appreciate in all kinds of fishing and although I wouldn't make them my main target, catching these beautiful fish on very light gear is something I look forward to every spring.