Anyone On The Bluegill?

[troutgnat]

I am curious to know if anyone is after those bluegill beds? What has been your experience and technique on the gills in this high water? Next to walleye and crappie they are 3rd on list for tablefare. I need a good couple of batches to stock up for a fish fry. I already ate all my crappie, oops!

[Jeremy Rasnick]

I am curious to know if anyone is after those bluegill beds? What has been your experience and technique on the gills in this high water? Next to walleye and crappie they are 3rd on list for tablefare. I need a good couple of batches to stock up for a fish fry. I already ate all my crappie, oops!

I have tried all of my old haunts that I usually catch them and haven't even had a nibble. Last year it seemed like they were stacked in gravel pockets in the 15-20' range. I have tried them the last couple of weeks with crickets and yet to catch one in these areas. I have a feeling they will be bedding up in the junk this year. It is still a little bit earlier than I was catching them last year. Keep us posted if you get into any. Its pretty sad when you can catch more keeper smallies than bluegill

[Ham]

It's early yet, but boat docks ALWAYS have a population of panfish on them.

I'm still working on the concept of filling a freezer with bluegill though.

[Crappie Fisherman]

I am curious to know if anyone is after those bluegill beds? What has been your experience and technique on the gills in this high water? Next to walleye and crappie they are 3rd on list for tablefare. I need a good couple of batches to stock up for a fish fry. I already ate all my crappie, oops!

They will still spawn in the 15-20 foot range, at least they did in 2008. I did hear of some reports of big ones coming out of the bushes in '08, but the majority were on the gravel flats. Still early yet, the water temp needs to get in the 70's 15-20 feet deep before the spawn is on good.

[CaptainJoe]

My experience has been a little different this time of year; however, I have not tried it this year. I found them on bluffs. Put on a cricket and drop it down about 5 feet from the bluff wall. They were in the 15-20' range.

Good luck!

[troutgnat]

Well here's my report. I took my cousin and we scratched out about 20 keeper gills. We tried about 7 differant places and only caught them at two spots. I have always been a fan of boat docks next to pea gravel pockets. I fished my "money" spots where I've always caught them well before and only one had gills on it. I tried the 15ft range with a cricket on the bottom with minimal luck on several docks. We found one dock where we located a school on the backside inbetween dock and bank. They were in 7-9 ft of water and we had crickets under floats about 6-7ft deep. Another dock yielded about 6 nice gills under the walk-way in about 7 ft of water again.

PS: If anyone would like to teach me how to catch em' 15-20ft on those main lake gravel flats I'm willing to learn. I'm listening!

[Jason Essary]

Havent run into 'gills lately, but know the pea gravel points around indian point are full of goggle eyes in the 12 to 17 foot line. pesky things keep eating my shakey head worms. Earlyer this week, keep catching them and had dont know how many bites that we didnt hook.

Would think they would be easy pickings for crickets just off the bottom.

[Crappie Fisherman]

Well here's my report. I took my cousin and we scratched out about 20 keeper gills. We tried about 7 differant places and only caught them at two spots. I have always been a fan of boat docks next to pea gravel pockets. I fished my "money" spots where I've always caught them well before and only one had gills on it. I tried the 15ft range with a cricket on the bottom with minimal luck on several docks. We found one dock where we located a school on the backside inbetween dock and bank. They were in 7-9 ft of water and we had crickets under floats about 6-7ft deep. Another dock yielded about 6 nice gills under the walk-way in about 7 ft of water again.

PS: If anyone would like to teach me how to catch em' 15-20ft on those main lake gravel flats I'm willing to learn. I'm listening!

Wait about 2 more weeks and just start trolling along the flats with your trolling motor on low. Split shot rig with a cricket on the bottom. Watch your depthfinder because where there's one there's usually more. Any structure in the right depth range on the gravel will school them up. If you find structure with gills, throw out a marker buoy and cast the cricket at them.