54 Nebraskaland • May 2021
Bluegills can be caught with a myriad of fl ies. Here are
three favorites.
Hoppers
Catching giant bluegills on a hopper is a hoot and
relatively easy during the spawn. Look in shallow coves for
water movement and circular beds, but don't get too close —
anything less than a few feet from the outer edge will scare
fi sh away.
Once located, lay a brown hopper just outside their bedding
area, gently twitching it to give it a swimming motion. If
you don't get a strike, carefully recast your bug closer to the
bed, catching the fi sh on the outside of the area fi rst before
moving your casts to the interior beds.
The surface explosions are breathtaking, and so are the
massive gillies that you pull to the boat.
–L.K.
Wulffs
Originally designed for eastern salmonid fi shing, the Wulff
family of dry fl ies works equally well on Nebraska panfi sh.
There are several variants, but my favorites are the white and
royal.
The White Wulff is my go-to fl y in May when bluegills
are slurping the surface beneath cottonwood trees. This all-
white fl y resembles a blob of cottonwood seed.
A close second is the Royal Wulff . This dry fl y version of
the Royal Coachman has bushy white hair wings that mimic
cotton, plus a red body implying wounded bait. It's also easier
to fi nd in local fl y shops than the White Wulff .
–J.S.
Woolly Buggers
Up until recently, I had always fi shed popping bugs for
May bluegill, sight-fi shing beds as I found them. Then I was
introduced to the woolly bugger, a sinking fl y that allowed
me to fi sh beneath the surface when fi sh weren't feisty
enough to hit on top.
These can be tied, or bought, in a number of colors. Strip
line at a comfortable pace, pausing periodically to allow the
bugger to sink.
Then simply watch your line. At the slightest movement,
set the hook. More often than not, there will be a fi sh on the
other end of the line.
–J.K.
THREE FLIES FOR BLUEGILLS
By Larry Kurrus, Jarrod Spilger and Jeff Kurrus
MIXED BAG
Trophy bluegill caught with a hopper.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
A chartreuse and green woolly bugger.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
The legendary
White Wulff .
