I was off base when I referred to these fish as big bluegills or gillzillas, until my friend Greg enlightened me. They actually are Redear sunfish and will readily take a small balanced leech style fly under an indicator. Here’s the difference. Redear sunfish have a more gold and green coloration with faint vertical bars, while bluegills have more yellow or orange coloration. The main difference between the two is their operculum colors. The bluegill features a deep blue or black color while the redear sunfish has red or orange tips near its head. I learn new stuff every day on the water… – Al Q
flies, sand & surf 