Got Bluegill

[Sam]

Does anyone have any advice they could give on good places to go to catch some bluegills?

We were finding spawning bluegills in little cuts in steep banks, places where a small creek or spring has washed some gravel in, and we were finding them in about 8' of water. We found others on flats near deep water, back in coves, at the same depth.

I think I'd rig a 5 year old with a long cane pole with line tied to the end almost as long as the pole. Tie a minnow hook on the end, and bait it with a piece of nightcrawler. Then even if you don't find bluegill beds, it's easy to go along chunk-rock banks for perch and let the boy swing the bait out and watch the line sink. When that line twitches and starts to take off, he can set the hook and raise the rod to bring the fish in.

With 3 kids and 6 grandkids, I've found that a reel just complicates things for a 5 year old. Start them off with a cane pole, the way I started, and a kid will be happy and get hooked on fishing by catching 3" perch off the chunk rocks - and you can always do that. Doing that this time of year, he's liable to get ahold of a good catfish too and that would really be a thrill for him. Hope you have a great trip.

[Hooksetter]

We were finding spawning bluegills in little cuts in steep banks, places where a small creek or spring has washed some gravel in, and we were finding them in about 8' of water. We found others on flats near deep water, back in coves, at the same depth.

I think I'd rig a 5 year old with a long cane pole with line tied to the end almost as long as the pole. Tie a minnow hook on the end, and bait it with a piece of nightcrawler. Then even if you don't find bluegill beds, it's easy to go along chunk-rock banks for perch and let the boy swing the bait out and watch the line sink. When that line twitches and starts to take off, he can set the hook and raise the rod to bring the fish in.

With 3 kids and 6 grandkids, I've found that a reel just complicates things for a 5 year old. Start them off with a cane pole, the way I started, and a kid will be happy and get hooked on fishing by catching 3" perch off the chunk rocks - and you can always do that. Doing that this time of year, he's liable to get ahold of a good catfish too and that would really be a thrill for him. Hope you have a great trip.

Due to the weather we had to go today. All I can say is, "It was a great day!"