Poppers and Bluegills...

[Stonewall2002]

Sorry for such an elementery question, but here goes. How do you rig up poppers to fish for bluegill? I know some of you tip them with meal worms, but how the heck does one cast them rig?

Keep on chuckin'

[butternut13]

Usually with either a fly rod or an ultralight rod, but flyrod's are the best for distance.

[Jackster]

The other thing you can do is cast them with regular spinning gear if you put them about 2 feet behind a clear pear shaped bubble float.

[Moose1am]

I like to use a #5 Weight Fly rod with #5 weight forward Tapered floating fly line. I attach a 6" long heavy leader to the fly line with a NAIL KNOT. I then make a loop at the end of the heavy leader material. Then I use a 9ft long 2lb tippet and attack the looped end of the leader to the looped end of the tippet line. I then tie on a small popper with a #10 size hook or smaller to the 2lb end of the fly leader.

I find a spot that has blue gill and then I use an overhead cast to put the popper in the right spot.

With a fly rod and fly line you are actually casting the line not the lure. The lure just follows the fly line.

The tiny 2lb tipper on the fly line leader helps fool the war gills.

If you can find some gills that are bedding this is a killer setup in shallow water.

I also like to use the enamel ant lures. They come in black and or red or Black/red and have hairs that stick out around the body. They will sink slowly to the bottom. You have to watch the fly line's leader where it enters the water to detect strikes. The line will twitch when you get a bite.

You can put or spray some scent onto the flies to help make the bluegill hold on a bit longer.

Soft sponge spiders also work very well for big gills. They sink slowly and have they have long rubber white legs.

Regards,

Moose1am