Panfish on the Swung Fly

Based on the title of this post some are going 'Awe h--l he's been watching those guys fish for steelhead'. My response is yes I have but that's not where this came from or even where it's going. I swing streamers for trout around Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee a lot. It's a technique that works. Well, river panfish also appreciate the technique. A 'Bugger' and a nymph does the job so well. I have shared this with friends and feel like when I am done they are wanting to say ' really, want did you actually use' or 'If you weren't going to tell the truth why bother'. Go figure?

Now to add to the implied similarities to the folks on the west coast or the neighbors 'up north'. I use a 'switch rod' like setup. It a 11' crappie rod with a fly reel and 5wt line. I use to call it 'the hillbilly/ghetto spey rod' or two handed nymph rod. Either way it works to cast one or two handed. Great for swinging my rig.

Well today there was some time in the afternoon and the river had resumed a normal flow and color for the season. Here's some panfish caught on the swung fly.









Now several of the bluegill were just big for what they are. Good little fight on a very limp rod.






I caught a lot of fish today. Missed two big crappie. They were a little gun shy seemed like. They ran at the fly and struck short or just straight up rejected. Can't catch them all :)

Now I know some 'trout snobs' are going why would you do this and admit it by writing about it. Just remember your fly fishing skills only get better by practice. The're probably panfish close to where you live. Most importantly they are just a whole lot of fun to catch. Particularly the 'big ones'.