Fly-casters in search of bluegills should be aware of certain "risks" associated with fly-casting, noted Frye.

"I warn people that bluegills aren't the only fish that take flies," he said. "You're going to hook largemouth bass, channel catfish, crappies, carp-there aren't many fish that won't take a fly. And if you want a real thrill, hook onto a big bass or 5-pound catfish with a fly rod. My trout-fishing friends out west in the mountains don't believe that I intentionally fly-fish for carp, but once you've hooked a 20-pound carp on a fly rod, catching trout isn't as big of a deal as it used to be."

So the next time you land a bluegill on spinning tackle and see the twistertail or night crawler dangling outside the fish's mouth, think smaller. Think about using a fly rod to give bluegills an irresistible morsel to gulp easily. You'll put more bluegills in your frying pan by fly-casting -- and maybe cross paths with some of the larger predators in the pond or lake while you're at it.