They climb plant streams near the bank to undergo their final molt, leaving their nymphal husks behind. This activity occurs very early in the morning and the insects are vulnerable to bream predation at that time. Bluegills often knock the insect off the stem and then quarel over it as it tumbles toward the bottom. Nymphs also ascend the stems of water plants while foraging for prey. Finally, they are often observed crawling along the bottom or waiting in ambush, in plain view of prowling bluegill, while searching for food.
Mature bluegill tend to ignore a fast- sinking, weighted nymph.
The nymph will be most attractive to the fish as it slowly tumbles and free-falls through the weeds on its way to the bottom. They seem to enjoy descending with the offering and may circle it, examining it from every angle before taking or, as often as not, rejecting the artificial. Although a smaller bluegill tends to snatch his prize and run, so the others can't take it away from him, larger fish will sometimes mouth the fly and quickly eject it with no lateral movement at all and strike detection may be entirely dependent on visibility. Any unnatural motion of the fly during this descent will spook the fish, but once it settles to the bottom, or on vegetation, a slight lifting motion with the rod tip may induce a take, especially from smaller bluegill and juvenile bass. It's not feasible to weed-proof a nymph and a retrieve will only result in constant snags.