January 26-27, 2024

 Drove the 6.5 hours from St Louis to west-central Arkansas to fish with a buddy.  He'd previously scoped out the location, and the plan was to get me my first Striped Bass on fly, and hopefully get both of us our first Blue Catfish on fly.  Goals were achieved, despite the cool wet weather and the water being more muddied up than usual.

I tried a number of fly patterns...but ended up catching EVERYTHING on this trip on the fly below.  Pearl estaz grande body, silver flash and white peacock tail, on a 1/8 oz jighead (Waspi Super Jig Head).  That heavy jig wasn't easy to cast very far on the fly gear.  I did do some fly casting, using a sink tip and also floating lines, but in the end vertically jigging this heavy deal to get down and stay down on the bottom got me the fish, plus I've been having elbow issues in my casting arm, so this technique was easier on me.  I tell you what...when those Drum would thump the jig, and I'd set the hook, those dudes are STRONG and definitely sent pains up my arm!  Fun!

I didn't catch big numbers of fish, but they were strong fighters.  I caught 5 Freshwater Drum, 4 Striped Bass, (3 French Hens), 2 Blue Catfish, 1 White Bass, 1 Largemouth Bass.

Day 1:

Striped Bass on Fly

Freshwater Drum on Fly

Day 2:

Blue Cat on Fly

White Bass on Fly

2nd Blue Cat on Fly

The Striped Bass and Blue Catfish enabled me to reach my goal of 100 U.S. Freshwater Species on Fly.  This also put me at 115 Species on Fly.

Redspotted Sunfish on Fly

  ***I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored.  I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.

We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences.  But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly.  We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***

This blog post is about Redspotted Sunfish.

Redspotted Sunfish on Fly

Although I had taken Ichthyology in college, and had been nearly a lifelong angler, Redspotted Sunfish were basically unknown to me until a couple years ago.  I'm certainly no expert, but I just don't see anyone talking about these fish, especially as a target for fly fishing.  So, I will share what I've learned so far.

Below is the range map for Redspotted Sunfish, an excellent visual created by KOAW.ORG.  Check these guys out, they have really done some great research on all the sunfish species!

I've caught them in small creeks and swampy areas in southern MO and northern AR.

Really cool fish!  I've caught them on surface flies (like a foam bug), on microjigs, and on a small black unweighted woolly bugger.

They don't get very big, so keep your fly small.  #10 or smaller will do the trick.

These are #12 or #14 microjigs, which work well for Redspotted Sunfish.  Small Woolly Buggers also get eaten.

Best times to catch them are Spring close to when they are spawning, in my experience, but I also haven't gone looking for them after about mid-summer.

As you might expect, I feel it helps immensely if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can present the fly to an individual fish or spot, and see how they react.  But I've caught ones I did not see before they ate the fly. 

They seem to like being near vegetation, but I've caught them near rocks as well.

They don't get particularly big, usually, and they aren't particularly strong fighters. Redspotted Sunfish can be enjoyed on 3wt-5wt fly rods.  I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be 2lb-6lb Fluorocarbon.  

Redspotted Sunfish are very challenging, uncommon, unusual, interesting, and fun.  I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be more appreciated.  Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them!  Good luck! 

Here's some pics of Redspotted Sunfish I've caught while fly fishing:

Channel Catfish on Fly

 ***I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored.  I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.

We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences.  But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly.  We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***

This blog post is about Channel Catfish.

Channel Catfish on Fly

Channel Catfish on Fly

Channel Catfish on a Bass Popper!

Channel Catfish can be found in the middle of the U.S., east of the Rocky Mountains, and west of the Appalachian Mountains... and Canada thru Texas.

They have been widely stocked, and can be found in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds.

Channel Catfish are fairly omnivorous, but in my experience, they seem to become more and more predatory the larger they get.  All sizes will hit a fly.  They will feed everywhere from the very surface to the very bottom.  In a reservoir or spillway where they may be feasting on Shad, I've caught them on white fly patterns that resemble a shad or other baitfish.  In a pond where they may be feeding on nymphs, I've caught them on flyrod versions, like a Gartside Nymph or Jumpin' Catfish Nymph or Woolly Bugger.  I've caught them on bass-sized fly rod poppers in the evening when they may be hunting for frogs or small bluegills.  I've caught them on a Zonker fly pattern, and I've caught them on sculpin or crayfish patterns on the bottom.  I've caught them on microjigs suspended beneath a strike indicator.  I've caught them on flies tied for carp fished on or near the bottom.  There truly is no wrong way to fly fish for Channel Catfish, but the fish will have to tell you what they want.

Stu Thompson catches nice channel catfish on his DDH Leech fly pattern in the Red River in Manitoba near Winnipeg.

Where I fish, I catch Channel Catfish most often during the warmest months of the year.  I don't know what they do when it gets colder, but I just don't see or catch them then.  I say that, but I've also caught them while ice-fishing.

As you might expect, I feel it helps immensely if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can present the fly to an individual fish or spot, and see how they react.  But most often I'm fishing stained water.  When ripe mulberries are falling into the water, channel catfish will hang out in the water underneath those trees and eat the fruit that drops in...or a fly that looks roughly like a mulberry.  Even during the rest of the summer, I've caught catfish under overhanging trees.  They probably like the shade, but they will certainly check out any "plop" sound on the water to see if it is food.

They do seem to like feeding along rocky shorelines.  They will feed just under the surface at times, but most often are feeding near the bottom.  They will also feed along weedlines.

Channel Catfish can get big, and are excellent, strong fighters. They can be enjoyed on 4wt-6wt fly rods.  I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be about 8lb Fluorocarbon.  

Handle Channel Catfish with care, as the spines in there dorsal and pectoral fins can poke you.  It stings, but they are not poisonous.  Also, don't lip them like a bass.  Expecially the larger ones have very rough tooth pads on their jaws, and a VERY strong bite force.  They WILL clamp down on your finger!  

Channel Catfish are very challenging, strong, and fun.  I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be appreciated by more fly anglers.  Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them!  Good luck! 

Here's some pics of Channel Catfish I've caught while flyfishing:

Small Channel Catfish will hit flies too!

Big  Channel Catfish on a nymph.

31" Channel Catfish... approx. 12 lbs, caught on a small fly during my lunch hour.

Longear Sunfish on Fly

***I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored.  I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.

We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences.  But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly.  We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***

This blog post is about Longear Sunfish.

Longear Sunfish on fly

Longear Sunfish have been, or are being, broken out into several species and subspecies.  You are welcome to look up information on that if interested.  I'm just going to group them together under "Longear Sunfish".

Longear Sunfish inhabit much of the east-central U.S. west of the Appalachians, from the Great Lakes region, Ohio River system, and lower Mississippi River system (south of Iowa), plus southern states from Texas to Alabama.

They most often seem to prefer reasonably clear rocky streams and creeks.   

They will eat terrestrial bugs that fall onto the water, aquatic nymphs, worms, small fish, and small crustaceans.  So, they will eat from the surface to the bottom.  Its fun to catch them on topwater.  They are really aggressive fish and will strike larger flies and lures, but their mouths are sort of small, so its probably best to use a hook size of #8 or smaller, and a #10 or #12 might be best.

I catch them most often during the warmer months, from mid-Spring to mid-Fall.  Outside of their spawning season, they can be somewhat drab colored, but during the spawn...they are definitely one of the most beautifully colored of the sunfishes.

They seem to like a gravelly bottom, and they can often be found out in the open over a flat bottom in a medium current, or near structures such as rocks and wood.

If you can see them, you can often put a fly close enough to them to elicit a strike, but they can certainly be caught by fan-casting or blind casting an area.

Again, foam topwater bugs are a fun way to catch them, but if they don't want to eat on top, you can usually coax them to eat subsurface.  If your fly is the right size, and looks alive, they will hit it.

Dapping a small microjig in likely areas or to specific visible fish is a consistently successful technique.  The microjigs I use most for them are from 1/100th oz to 1/64th oz, #10 hook.  Color doesn't seem to matter at all.  

These microjigs are tied on #12 or #14 custom jigheads, and have caught plenty of Longear Sunfish for me.

They don't get particularly big, usually, and they fight well enough for their size. Longear Sunfish can be enjoyed on 3wt-5wt fly rods.  I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be 2lb-8lb Fluorocarbon.  

Wading creeks or medium- to small- streams during the summer is a GREAT way to spend time in nature and catch these gorgeous sunfish.

Longear Sunfish are very beautiful, aggressive, and fun.  I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be appreciated.  Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them!  Good luck! 

Here's some pics of Longear Sunfish I've caught while flyfishing: