Secrets of Late-Season Panfishing, with Bart Lombardo

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

Panfish are easy to find and catch in the spring and early summer. But later in the season, not so much. Panfish are still around, but we need to look for them in different places and use modified techniques. Bart Lombardo [33:40] is an expert on all things panfish, and he gives us his secrets for finding and catching these delightful fly-rod targets as we approach late summer and fall. In the Fly Box this week, we have a healthy assortment of tips and questions from listeners, including:

• A suggestion from a listener on a way to spot small dry flies if you have trouble seeing them on the water
• Do you ever fish under bridges? Is it worth it?
• When tying in palmered hackle, what is the point in tying hackles in tip-first?
• What is your philosophy for selecting a dry fly when using a dry/dropper rig?
• I recently caught some nice fish on the edges of strong whirlpools. Have I been missing something, and what suggestions do you have for fishing this kind of water?
• If trout aren't actively feeding in higher water temperatures, what difference does it make if we stop fishing at 68 degrees?
• I fish two different streams and the fly size recommendations for each one is different. Why such a discrepancy?
• What knots do you suggest for tying a 65-pound fluoro shock tippet to a 20-pound class tippet for pike?
• Do you think construction a half mile upstream of a spot has scared all the trout away?
• Is it OK to move the fly when you mend? Is it OK to mend when fishing a dry fly?
• Should you come in from the top of the eye or from the bottom when tying a knot to your fly?
• I am only catching smaller smallmouth bass in a spot. How can I find the bigger ones?