NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/768942
common fish you will encounter in Nebraska. Remember, if it can be caught, it can be caught on a fly rod. Bluegill Bluegill are present in nearly every body of water in Nebraska, and their aggressiveness makes them an easy catch for anglers. As warmer weather heats the shallows, bluegill begin to move toward shore. When water temperatures near 60 degrees, bluegill can often be found at the first major drop-off along shallow areas. Use a weighted fly, such as a woolly bugger or swimming nymph, and count the fly down as it sinks through the water column. When the fly reaches the desired depth, begin retrieving the fly with short, quick strips. Watch the tip of your fly line for any movement that indicates a strike. Remember the depth at which you catch each fish and repeat along the length of the drop-off. As water temperatures climb into the 70s, bluegill will begin to spawn. At this time, fish can be found in very shallow water, often in less than a foot. Hyper-aggressive males guard their spawning beds, and virtually any cast that hits the water will produce a fish. This is the perfect situation to learn to fly fish because even novice anglers can have great success. My favorite technique during the spawn is to use a floating foam spider in combination with a small bead head fly such as a hare's ear or a pheasant tail nymph. Tie the nymph off of the bend of the hook of the spider so that it suspends just off of the bottom. Bluegills will either slash the spider off of the surface or take the nymph encroaching on their bed. If the fish take the nymph, the spider will be pulled under the surface, effectively acting as your bobber. Huge numbers of bluegill can be caught during the spawn, but only the largest fish need to be put "on the reel." Continue to "strip" in line to land the fish, pinning the line against the rod handle with your finger as you go. Bass Largemouth bass are an aggressive species that are happy to eat anything they can fit in their mouth. Often the key to catching bass is simply to get a fly in front of them and make it look alive. Bass are similar to bluegill in that they will move to the first major drop-off adjacent to spawning areas as warm spring air begins to heat the water. Bass will usually be the first fish in a body of water to spawn, with bluegill and other species moving in afterward, often taking up the same beds made by bass. The largest bass will be the first to spawn as water temperatures approach 60 degrees. Smaller bass will continue moving in as water temperatures climb. The same tactics used for bluegill will work for bass; just upsize your presentation to make your offering more attractive. A streamer-style fly seven inches long is not too large for bass. Bunny leeches, deceivers, Clouser minnows and the ever present woolly bugger are all effective flies for bass. When the dog days of summer arrive, there's no more exciting way to fish than casting topwater flies to shaded areas along the shoreline. Dahlberg divers and deer hair poppers are both productive fly patterns. Don't be surprised when a large bass explodes on your fly, creating a huge disturbance on the water and inhaling your fly off of the surface. Crappie Often ignored by fly anglers, crappie are a prime example of a species more readily caught on the fly. Crappies prefer to "eat up," attacking their prey from below. If you look closely at the shape of a crappie's mouth, you can actually see how they are built for this style of feeding. Their jaw line rises upward at a steep vertical angle, extending until parallel with their eyes. This aids them in feeding as they Alex Gonzales fly fishes for bluegill at Walnut Creek Recreation Area in Sarpy County near Papillion. PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS Woolly bugger 66 NEBRASKAland • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 Royal wulff Sparks' foam hopper