Panfishing

 

Panfish are popular for several reasons:

1. Accessibility: Panfish can be found in most freshwater areas and are easily caught using basic fishing gear and techniques. This makes them a great pick for experienced and beginner anglers alike.

2. Versatility: Panfish can be caught using a multitude of fishing styles, including fly fishing, spinning, and baitcasting. Because of this it allows the angler to use different techniques to find one that works best for them.

3. Good Eating: Panfish taste good and can be prepared many different ways including: fried, smoked, grilled, or baked.
4. Size: Because of their size it makes them a great option for children and beginners to fish. They can be caught in large numbers just increasing the chance of having an awesome day fishing.
5. Good Sport: Panfish can be strong fighters making them a great sport fish. They are known to be a great fish to catch on fly fishing gear.

6. Year-round fishing: Panfish can be caught through all four seasons, anglers can enjoy fishing for them all year long. Making them a great option for those who enjoy fishing whenever the oppurtunity arise.

 

Panfish are popular because they are accessible, versatile, great eating, fun to catch, good fighters and can be caught all year round.

Perch: are a freshwater fish found all over the world, including North America, Europe, and Asia. They are a member of the Percidae family, this includes yellow perch and walleye.

Perch are identified by their elongated, laterally compressed body, usually they are green or yellow with dark vertical stripes. Perch have two dorsal fins, the first is spiny and the second fin is soft-rayed and have a single anal fin, located near the tail.

 

Perch, a popular sport fish, are often caught by anglers using different types of techniques, which includes fly fishing, spin fishing, and baitcasting. Many anglers use Perch as bait for larger fish species, where lawful, such as pike and bass. They are an opportunistic feeder and will consume a wide variety of food, like insects, worms, crustaceans, and other small fish. They will also feed on aquatic plants and algae.

 

Perch can be found in a wide variation of habitats, which include streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. Oftentimes Perch can be found in shallow, weedy areas, weed edges, breaks in structure, and around other structures like logs, rocks, and weed beds, and in deeper waters near drop-offs and channels.

Perch are known as hard fighters and their delicious taste, which makes them a great addition to any angler's bucket list. And like Crappie they can be caught with small streamers, wet flies, dry flies and poppers.

Sunfish: like Bluegill are found in freshwater across North America. Sunfish are usually found in shallow water around structures like weed beds, fallen logs, and brush piles. They are also loved for their small but mighty size and vibrant colors, they have colors depending on the sub-species of sunfish. They are known for their aggression making them popular for beginners and children to catch. They are a great option for fly fishing, because they are attracted to small flies and poppers.

Rock bass: These are a little fish that have received a bad name as a garbage fish. They are also known as redeye bass, they are a species of freshwater fish that are native to North America. They are in the sunfish family, Rock bass are typically found in streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes, known for their distinctive red eyes and dark, mottled coloration.

 

Rock bass are usually smaller in size, with adults averaging around 8 inches in length. Known for their aggressive feeding habits and are usually found in schools. They are a popular sport fish for some anglers, they can be caught using a many different techniques which include fly fishing, spin fishing, and baitcasting. Despite what some say they also make a good table fare.

 

Rock bass are hard fighters and are a great fish to target with light fly fishing gear, 1x-3x. They are also a great fish to target when fly fishing in small streams and creeks, as they are often found in these types of environments. They are also a popular fish to target during the spring and summer months, when they are actively feeding and spawning

Gear for Panfishing                                                                    

Fly fishing panfish can be fun for experienced anglers of all skill levels. But if you want to have the best experience, it is imperative to have the right gear. We are going to discuss some recommended fly fishing gear for panfish, including rods, reels, and flies.

 

To begin with, let's talk about rods. A fly fishing rod for panfish should be  a lightweight fly rod. Panfish, being small, don't require a lot of power to reel in, so it is recommended to use a rod with a fast action with a weight rating of 2-4. This light equipment will allow you to make precise and delicate casts. This is important when targeting panfish. Try to find a rod that is about 7-8 feet long because this will allow you to have the perfect balance between power and control.

Next, we'll cover fly reels. A fly reel should be designed for panfish; it should be lightweight, with a smooth drag system and having a perfect balance with the fly rod. If the reel has  a good drag system it will allow you to reel in any fish with ease. Having good balance with the rod will make casting and reeling in the fish more comfortable. Find a reel designed for 2-4 weight rods making sure it has a good drag system being perfectly balanced with the fly rod.

Third, let’s talk about the  most important part of any fly fisherman's fly fishing gear: the fly. When considering panfish, you’ll want to use small flies that copy the insects and other items that panfish feed on. Some of the popular flies to use for panfish will include small poppers, streamers,  wet flies, and nymphs. Try to find flies that are designed to use when panfishing, because they will be the right size and color to attract these small fish. There will be many different styles of flies for all of the different seasons that you are fishing. So when you are fly fishing during the spring and summer months using small poppers and wet flies work awesome for panfish because they copy the insects and other creatures that panfish feed on. On the other hand during the fall and winter months, nymphs and streamers are effective because they replicate the insects and minnows that the perch feed on.

Additionally, it's important to have a good selection of tippet. Tippet is the thin line that connects the fly to the leader. It's important to have a variety of sizes and strengths to match the size and strength of the panfish you are chasing. Try to find a tippet that is between 2X-4X in strength, always be sure to match the size of the tippet to the size of the fly.

Different Fly Fishing Techniques for Panfish                                     

Dry Fly Fishing:

Dry fly fishing is a popular way to fly fish for panfish, this allows anglers to imitate natural insects and other small aquatic creatures that panfish feed on. When you are dry fly fishing, anglers will cast a small dry fly onto the water's surface and wait for a panfish to inhale the fly. Dry fly fishing  is best used in the spring and summer months, when panfish can be found in shallow waters where they are actively feeding on insects and other small aquatic creatures.

 

Nymphing:

Nymphing is a technique used for panfish that allows anglers to replicate the small aquatic creatures that panfish feed on. Fly fisher’s cast a small nymph or wet fly onto the water's surface letting it sink while they wait for a panfish to hit. This style works best when used in the fall and winter months. During the winter months panfish will move to deeper waters where they actively feed on the small aquatic creatures that live in the deeper areas.

Streamer Fishing:

Streamer fishing is a popular way to fly fish for panfish, streamers allow anglers to imitate the small fish that panfish feed on. When fishing with this imitation, anglers will cast a small streamer onto the water's surface, count down the IPS (inches per second of the sinking line) and begin to retrieve the streamer with a natural style retrieve. Wait for a panfish to take the fly and set the hook. These are best used in the fall and winter months, when panfish are found in deeper waters and are actively feeding on small fish.

Presentation                                                                                            

The correct presentation of the fly is an important step when trying to fly fish for panfish. This can be accomplished by using the proper casting techniques: 

 

1. Lightweight rod: Panfish, being small, using a fast action lightweight rod with a weight of 2-4 is ideal. This rod setup will allow you to make accurate, and intricate casts that are necessary when targeting panfish.
2. Practice casting: Practice makes perfect, this is could not be a truer statement especially when it comes to fly fishing for panfish. Take some time to practice casting, so you can place the fly right where you want and it needs to be this will help you catch more fish.
3. Be a Ninja: Panfish spook easily, make sure to use the skills of a ninja using a stealthy approach when casting and presenting the fly. Be quiet, and move slowly when approaching the water.
4. Longer leader: Use a longer leader when casting the fly to panfish. The longer leader  will make the fly fisherman make delicate, accurate casts and it will help you keep the fly in the strike zone longer.

5. Slower retrieves: Panfish are attracted to slow-moving or dead flies, which makes important to focus on a slow retrieve, paying attention to this when the fly fisher is casting and presenting the fly. Doing this will help you keep the fly in the strike zone much longer, increasing your chances of catching fish.

6. Natural Presentation: Panfish feed on natural insects and other small aquatic creatures, making it important to present your fly in a natural way. Copy the movements of the natural food that the panfish feed on.

Location by Season                                                                               

Spring: Panfish will commonly be found in shallow waters, try to look for places like the edges of soon to be weed beds, around fallen logs and brush piles. In the spring most species of panfish will also be moving into the shallows to spawn. Focus on areas where the water is less than 3 feet deep. The fish will be hungry after a long winter and they will be more active as the water warms up. When spring arrives panfish will be found near the surface, so you’ll want to use flies that imitate the small insects and aquatic creatures that they feed on. A dry fly or a small nymph are great choices in spring.

Summer: In the summer after the spawn the panfish can be found in deeper waters, like the edges of deep weed beds, near fallen logs or brush piles. Look for water that is more than 3 feet deep. This is because as the water warms up, the panfish will move to deeper water to help them stay cool. During the summer, panfish will be more likely to be found at the bottom of the body of water you are fishing, try to use flies that imitate the small small nymphs, streamers and larva. 

Fall: With the changes that fall brings, panfish will typically be found in shallow water, they will gather around the edges of weed beds as they are dying down, fallen logs and brush piles. Once again, look for areas where the water is less than 3 feet deep. As the water in other areas cools down, the panfish will move back to shallow waters to feed. In the fall, panfish will be found near the surface, so you’ll want to use flies that imitate the small insects and other aquatic forage that the panfish feed on. You can’t go wrong when you try a dry fly or small nymph.

Winter: In the winter, panfish can be found in deeper water around rock piles, sunken islands and breaks in water depth.  As the water cools down, panfish will retreat deeper to follow the thermocline to help them stay warm. As winter progresses, panfish will find refuge on or near the bottom, it is important to use flies like small nymphs and streamers.