How deep do you fish for bluegill?

Look for bluegill in water 12 to 20 feet deep. They school near underwater structures, usually near the bottom. Bluegill do not feed as actively in winter, so be sure to use small baits and slow presentation.

What's the best way to fish for bluegill?

The most popular choice is live bait. Good options include worms, crickets, and grasshoppers. Just remember to use a small hook due to the species' mouth size. Bluegill are curious, however, so you may decide to opt for artificial lures instead.

What's the best time of day to catch bluegill?

What is the best time of day to catch bluegills? The best time to catch bluegills is the 2.5-hour window from 4:30 to 7:00 pm usually slowing down an hour prior to sunset. There are some caveats to this rule but it is a great guideline to follow to maximize your time on the water.

How do you fish for bluegill in deep water?

Use a dropshot rig.

It's the absolute best way to catch deep water bluegills. This is because almost always bluegill will be schooling about 1 to 2 feet off the bottom of the lake when schooling in deep water. They are down at the bottom near a feature they feel safe against.

What do bluegill like the most?

The most common baits are worms and night crawlers because they are readily available and bluegill love them. The key is to use only a piece of a worm—just enough to cover the hook. Other productive baits include crickets, grasshoppers, red wrigglers and meal worms. Artificial lures also work well for bluegill.

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What is the best size hook for bluegill?

The best size hook for bluegill is hook size 8. Many professional anglers catch bluegills using size 8 hooks. In addition to size 8 hooks, size 6 and size 12 hooks are also great for catching bluegill.

How do you find a bluegill in a lake?

During the spawn, look for bluegill in 2 to 6 feet of water, often near woody cover or vegetation. Later in the summer when fish move away from spawning areas you'll find them in deeper, cooler water. But they tend to travel in bunches, strike with vengeance and fight with fury.

What color lures do bluegill like?

Top colors for bluegill spinnerbaits include yellow, white, black, chartreuse, purple and brown. Tie the lure directly to the line but change the line often to reduce effects of line twist.

How old is an 8 inch bluegill?

At 1 year of age: Bluegill will likely fall between 4.5 and 6 inches. At 2 years of age: Bluegill will likely fall between 6.5 and 8 inches. At 3 years of age: Bluegill will likely fall between 8 and 8.9 inches. At 4 years of age: Bluegill will likely fall between 8.7 and 9.4 inches.

Where is the best place to catch bluegills?

Because bluegill prefer to remain close to shore, it's easy to fish for them from banks or bridges. But lakes, reservoirs, slow-moving streams and ponds are all possible habitats as well. A desirable bluegill neighborhood includes fallen timber or pilings and weed beds that provide cover.

How deep are bluegill in the winter?

Bluegill can often be found in water 20 feet or deeper as winter approaches.

What is the best artificial bait for bluegill?

Do bluegill bite after it rains?

Yes, in many cases, you will get more bites after it rains. As the barometric pressure stabilizes after rain, fish will return to normal feeding patterns.

What is a good size bluegill?

Given all that information, the best advice is to keep fish greater than 6 or so inches but less than 8. Or in more general terms, keep the mid to large size bluegill but throw back the largest ones you catch. This is best for several reasons.

Is corn a good bait for bluegill?

Canned sweet corn, bread, old hot dog buns, hot dogs, and even Slim Jims can work to catch Bluegill. Place individual pieces of corn on your hook, or ball up bread using peanut butter as glue. A great way to fish these baits is by using a bobber.

What are bluegills favorite food?

Bluegills mostly feed on insects both aquatic and terrestrial. They also eat snails, small crayfish, zooplankton (microscopic animals),other fish and fish eggs.

Can you catch bluegill at night?

Bluegills and crappies will happily chow down in the dark, especially near a light source. Light attracts small baitfish and bugs, providing a late-night feast for panfish. Fixed dock lights are magnets, but if you can't find one, pick up a portable floating light designed specifically for nighttime crappie fishing.

How do you stop bluegills from swallowing hooks?

To prevent bluegills and other panfish from swallowing the hook be sure you are using the correct type and size of hook. Try a #6 circle hook, or a small 1/32 oz jighead. Be sure to pay close attention to your line, and set the hook immediately after the bait is taken.

How far should a bobber be from the hook?

For the bobber, a smaller one is more sensitive and offers less resistance to the fish so it can eat your bait easily. Finally, a short distance between the bobber and the hook (1 to 2 feet, normally) gets your worm in front of many fish yet keeps your hook from snagging the bottom.