BLUE GILLS
Blue gills are the most popular fresh water pan fish around. Children and adults alike love to fish for them, and if you see a bobber floating - that is a telltale sign that they are fishing for bluegills. Depending on what are you are from - they are also called brim, bream or coppernose. Whatever part of the country you live in, bluegills have different names. In some parts of the country they call the bluegill "sunfish" or put them in the "panfish" category. The picture on the left is a huge bluegill that Cailub caught himself last year on his first open-faced (spinning) reel. It was a beauty and he was so proud. (we were too.) Monster bluegills are out there folks! The world record bluegill was 5 lbs 7 oz and was caught in South Carolina. Wow.
They run in "schools" of 27 (just kidding, normally it's 20 to 30 or so). They spawn in June and this is when the males are on the spawning bed, protecting the eggs. Some of the males will change their color to match the females, and then the "guarding males" aren't aggressive towards them. Slick. Then they enter the nests and spawn. These fish are known for stealing bait off the hook, but I personally think that perch "rule" in this category.
FOR BLUEGILL RECIPES CLICK ON ANY PHOTO!The photo above is Cailub reeling in a large blue gill when we were ice fishing. Speaking of catching blue gills, they really hit hard for their size.Depending on the size, they are often used as bait for larger predators like the musky, walleye and northern pike. Do you want to learn how to catch them? Following are some bluegill fishing tips to net the big bluegill. Here are the items you basically need:
Bluegills prefer clear and quiet water on a sunny day. (I do too!) After they are done spawning and the weather is warmer, you'll find them "hiding in the weeds" where it is cooler and abundant with food. Because bluegills prefer to stay in shallow water (under 9 feet), it's easy to fish off the shore or bank. On the lake, you will normally find bluegills under a fallen tree and in weed beds. In the spring and the beginning of the summer, they can be found in shallow water. Remember that the males are protecting the spawning bed, they bite on smaller lures at this time. When we are in the heat of the summer, fall and winter, blue gills are found in deeper water (over 10 feet).
The bobber you want to use for fishing should be light enough for the gillies to pull under, and large enough to keep your bait afloat. You may use one or two split-shot sinkers approximately 2 to 2-1/2 inches above the hook, (use a number 8 fish hook) so the fish can see it down in the water. If it is too light, you will have the bait floating, and if it is too heavy, it will pull down on your bobber (and we can't have that). CLICK HERE FOR BLUEGILL RECIPES The bobber should be able to hold your bait at least 2 inches off the bottom of the lake. After you cast and the bait is sinking to the bottom, make "jerking movements" as it cascades down. This gets their attention fast. By the time the bait reaches the bottom, most of the time you will already have a fish on the line. If the bobber is jerking up and down a little, you have a fish nibbling. If the bobber starts moving away from you or the bobber is pulled under water; set the hook. (Pull up!) If you set the hook too hard, the hook will be ripped out of their mouth. Now walleyes are different, but I will get to that on another page.
HUNTING
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