The Bluegills Are On

[ozark trout fisher]

Admittedly bluegill aren't my favorite fish in the world to catch, but I always find myself pretty happy every spring when I'm able to start catching a few Bluegill in the regular spring spots. It's kind of the first real sign of spring for me. I've caught a few through the winter in deep water with live bait, but now they're finally in shallow water, and it's awful nice. Anyone else enjoy it when the bluegill move in for the spring?

[Chris Barclay]

I'm glad to hear this! I will be heading out this afternoon with my fly rod to see what I can find.

I have to admit a guilty pleasure that bluegill and their varieties are my favorite fish to catch. I'd rather catch a 10" bluegill than a 7 pound bass.

[Justin Spencer]

Bluegill are what got me hooked on fly fishing. In the spring couldn't wait to get out of school and home, jump in the leaky johnboat and catch dozens of hand size bluegill on wal-mart poppers. Glad to read this thread, I'm teaching my 6 year old to fly fish, and with the NFoW in my front yard had nearly forgotton about the fun that can be had in nearly any body of water bigger than a puddle. Great way to get a kid hooked on fly fishing and great fun for anyone wanting to feel a tug on the line, or put some fish in the frying pan! Thank you for reminding me of it.

[loo10]

Are the big 'gills doing anything in the larger lakes? Table Rock, Stockton???

[jdixon]

love catching bluegill on fly rod with cork poppers, they are pretty fiesty and easy to catch. can't wait to grab the personal pontoon or bellyboat and head to the strip pits, good news. they are also very tasty and I don't feel to guilty for keeping them.

[ozark trout fisher]

Yeah, that's how I taught myself to fly fish too. There's nothing like standing on a pond on a summer evening catching bluegill on a popping bug. It's a kind of fishing where you don't actually have to take things seriously, and I like that sometimes.

[ozark trout fisher]

I went back out again today... All the ponds were muddy, so I tried a Crystal Woolly, thinking that would be my only chance to get anything on a fly rod. It was pretty slow, but I have a soft spot for fishing alone in crappy weahter, and I did manage a few more Bluegill as well as the first largemouth of the year. It wasn't too bad at all really.

[Chris Barclay]

I was out yesterday at Busch. Caught a few redears and a few largemouths. The redears were a very pale color except their bellies were a bright yellow/orange so I guess they are starting to get their spawning colors. Not bad for rainy and dropping to 45 degrees by the time I left.

[drew03cmc]

I caught four five inchers the other day on a #12 red fox squirrel BH nymph or something like that. I was just out there casting in crappy weather and got a couple light takes. I missed a good fish, but caught four. I am going today to see if I can't muster a carp, catfish or walleye in the local outlet.

[ozark trout fisher]

I was out yesterday at Busch. Caught a few redears and a few largemouths. The redears were a very pale color except their bellies were a bright yellow/orange so I guess they are starting to get their spawning colors. Not bad for rainy and dropping to 45 degrees by the time I left.

I know what you mean about their pale colors in the early season. They just look so cold! I haven't gotten into the redears yet, but they ought to come in soon. I always look forward to when the redears are on their beds in the spring.