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At any given time during the months of April, May and June, you’ll find a few items in my truck that are with me wherever I go. These items are a 4-weight fly rod and reel, a box of small flies (nymphs in sizes 14 through 20), neoprene waders, polarized glasses, and grub-style artificial bait.

It’s during these months that sunfish and crappies seek out the warmer, darker-bottomed bays and shorelines to spawn, and there is no better time of year to catch them. Having these requisite items handy allows the fly angler to hit various lakeshores quickly and begin fishing with very little preparation time. Over the years, I’ve found that the fly rod cannot be beat as the ultimate tool to catch spring panfish.

The primary advantage a fly fisher has over the spinning rod angler is the bait itself and its presentation. A small, nearly weightless nymph very closely resembles the sunfish’s natural forage base (mayflies, caddis flies and small crustaceans known as scuds), and tipping these nymphs with a plastic grub for scent really seems to really aid in getting their attention.

A good pair of polarized sunglasses will cut through the surface glare of the water and allow you to “shotgun” the water to visible fish at or near their spawning beds.

While making short, 1-2 inch line strip retrieves, watch the end of the fly line for strikes (or a very small indicator placed a few feet up from the nymph). If the fish are in slightly deeper water, use a weighted, bead head nymph that has a faster sink rate.

Be prepared for a lot of action if you choose to chase spring panfish with a fly rod. It’s been years since I’ve picked up a spinning rod to catch sunfish, and there’s a good reason for that: sunfish go out of their way to eat the nymphs I throw at them because they’re programmed to eat them. That’s a pretty slick formula that often results in limits of sunnies.

If you’d like to give it a try, but lack basic equipment, don’t hesitate to email me. You can reach me at [email protected].

I’m always happy to share what I know and can assist you in gaining affordable gear.

Dan Brown’s weekly outdoor column is brought to you by Frankies Bait and Marine in Chisago City and St. Croix Outdoors in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Dan Brown is a director at the Chisago Lakes Achievement Center in Chisago City. In addition, Brown is a fly casting instructor and trout fishing guide at Seven Pines Lodge in Lewis, WI. Recently Brown was featured on Ron Schara’s Minnesota Bound and ESPN II’s Backroads with Ron and Raven, as well as KSTP channel 5’s Eyewitness News Morning Show. He is a Taylors Falls resident and can often be found on the area lakes, trout streams and the St. Croix river.

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