><((((°> ETFF MEETING - August 16, 2010 <°))))><
Program: Bill Heugel
of Pineywoods Fly Fishers
Meeting on the 3rd Monday of each month!
QUOTE
"The great charm of fly-fishing is that we are always learning; no
matter how long we have been at it, we are constantly making some fresh
discovery, picking up some new wrinkle. If we become conceited through
great success, some day the trout will take us down a peg."
~by Theodore Gordon -1907~
Flyrodding for Bluegills
By Dave Lengyel - Taken from the Long Island Flyrodders Newsletter
In my opinion, bluegills are one of the most challenging and fun fish to go for, especially when you catch them on a fly rod. They can be found in almost any lake, stream or pond on Long Island, and pound for pound, bluegill are probably one of the best fighting fish ever.
I tie my own flies, so naturally I have a big selection when it comes to bluegill. The only two flies I ever really use, however, is an ultra small popper or a gray hackle wet fly. The small popper is dynamite in the summer when bluegill feed off the top. When it is windy and the fish go a little deeper, a gray hackle sinks just enough to get them. You should also carry "special occasion" flies, such as an adams, black gnat, weighted nymph or a grass shrimp, so you can be prepared for anything.
I use a 5 weight rod with matching reel, weight forward floating line, 20 lb. braided Dacron backing and usually a tapered leader that starts at 10 lb. test line and ends in 2 lb. test line. If you want more of a challenge, consider using a lighter weight fly rod, such as a 1,2 or 3 weight. With these weight rods, do not overplay the fish if you are planning to release it.
There are several good places to fish for bluegill on Long Island. One of my favorites is the Peconic River. This place is ideal because it is not over- fished, most of it is shallow and weedy, and there are a good amount of predators to help control the bluegill population. Other good places to try are BIydenburg Lake, Lower Lake and Upper Twin Pond.
David Lengyel is a member of the Long Island Bassmasters and is a supporter of catch and release fishing.
Fish Facts – How do fish breathe?
Taken from the Long Island Flyrodders Newsletter
As people take a breath, they take in air through their bronchial tubes and into their lungs. Inside our lungs, oxygen is taken out of the air and transferred into our blood by little sacs called alveoli. By breathing out we re-move carbon dioxide from our blood in the reverse order. Because fish live under water, they get their oxygen in a different way. Most fish breathe by opening and closing their mouths, which fills their mouths with water. When the mouth is closed (and filled with water), a fish opens its opercula (gill covers) and forces the water over the gills and out the fish's body. As water passes over the gills, they exchange carbon dioxide for fresh oxygen. As with the human lung, there are many different parts to a fish's gill. The part that takes oxygen in and removes carbon dioxide is called the lamellae. The gills of a fish are very delicate, so you never want to touch the gills of a fish you plan to release.
The above mechanism describes the way MOST fish breathe. There are, however, several types of fish that can breathe air. Walking catfishes, European eel, electric eel, tropical catfishes and the African and South American lungfishes all have adaptations that allow them to breathe air. These fish use their ability to breathe air to make short over land travels. If the pond they live in dries up. No problem! They just walk or (slither/slide) to the next pond they find. This is just one example of the many special adaptations fish have made to help them survive.
One last thing to think about. The minimum amount of oxygen needed by different kinds of fish varies. Carp, for instance, can survive in water with almost no oxygen while trout need water with a lot of oxygen in order to survive.
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