Bedding Bluegills

[hardysf]

Im normally a pike and bass fisherman, but the last couple times i have been out ive seen real big bluegills bedding down. I threw some small jigs at them with an occasional fish here and there, but I have heard about people slaying these fish while they are on their beds.  Can anybody offer any advice on how to catch these bedding bulls?

[Pasquatch]

I throw some small flyrod poppers, but if you have spinning gear, try worms under floats. The biggest key for me is to keep the bait on the bed for a long time.

[turkeyhunter10ga]

What else will work is basically what Pasquatch said , but using a spinning outfit , use a small fly or popper  with a bobber ( as a casting weight ) a couple of feet ahead of the lure for distance casts.

[Deposit]

Bedding bluegills are one of my favorite times to fish. I often use a small floating rapala and small jerkbait even, Worms however usually work the best

[crappie66]

I usually tie on a small size 14 black knat fly, tip it with a spike and cast that over the beds.   This setup has always killed the males.  If the males are just now showing up, I would cast out a little further deeper and you should get the big females as well.

From my experience no splitshot and no bobber works best, make sure you are using a light enough line to be able to cast out such a light fly and spike.  This may not work that great if you are casting far,  I would usually stand 10 feet away from the gills fishing this way.   If the water is gin clear and the fish are easily spooked by getting to close you may want to use a bubble float and cast past the beds and slowly retrieve until your fly/spike is over the gills or dragging on bottom across their beds.

[beerman]

I used to drag just plain jigs right through the bed they will hit it everytime.

[eyedoktr]

I find this post quite interesting. There are alot of very good replies. What's interesting is that if the post asked how to catch bass on their beds, I'm sure there would have been an uproar and many negative posts. I want to know why it's o.k. to fish for 'gills on beds but not bass.

[USMC130FE]

Come on Pete......You know those Green Carp( Oooops ) Bass are the Holy Grail of the fishing world  .   But I understand your question on this subject. 

Tight Lines all!!
Steve

[hardysf]

One big difference is the amount of Bluegills compared to Bass. Basically which is the reason Bass have a season and bluegills are open year round and why you are able to catch 50 bluegill but only 5 bass per day.

Also bluegill spawn 2 to 3 times a year where i am from, and sometimes more in southern states. They also grow rapidly, and if not controlled can ruin a lake.

[gillmaniac]

I like to use little tube jigs and let it sit on their bed. If they dont hit it the first time try it again then keep doing it.

gill

[MikeThePike]

I also like using a small tube on a jighead. That or a small Mr Twister grub on a small jig. Just make sure you get it right in font of them without spooking them and more often than not if they won't hit it right away, they will after you drag it by them a few times.

[crappie66]

I find this post quite interesting. There are alot of very good replies. What's interesting is that if the post asked how to catch bass on their beds, I'm sure there would have been an uproar and many negative posts. I want to know why it's o.k. to fish for 'gills on beds but not bass.

I actually encourage everybody to fish for and harvest all bass seen on beds.  I am tired of catching those green carp when I am fishing for bluegills or crappie, they are nothing but a nuisance.  I truely think if more fisherman kept some of those green carp our fisheries would be better off.  The catch and release trend is overpopulating our lakes with several 10 to 14 inch green carp.  Everytime I go fishing and catch a limit or close to a limit of bass on accident while fishing for something else I wonder why so many people worship the bass, since they are truely one of the easiest fish to catch, anybody can catch a limit of bass on any given day on just about any lure in their box.

[devil-man]

I actually encourage everybody to fish for and harvest all bass seen on beds.  I am tired of catching those green carp when I am fishing for bluegills or crappie, they are nothing but a nuisance.

I don't understand people who b!tch about catching fish.
Yeah- 'gills taste better, but bass are more fun.
That's why they're the #1 sportfish in the nation.

Bedding sunfish are extremely aggressive and fun to catch.
They will hit almost anything.
They are finished spawning here in WNY.
We caught a few nice stringers yesterday.

[fishbreath]

To each there own!  but did you ever catch a big gill on micro-lite rod and reel and 1 lb. test? And when they make their 45* angle run, plus one fish after another, not 1 bass every hour or 2. just my 2 cents on 1 lb. test.
 And I also believe selective harvest should be practice and the creel limit should be 10 per day.

[PERCH INC.]

I wasn't going to post a reply but--- Here goes "YOU" shouldn't be take any bedding big blue gills!!!  They are the reason that the lake you are fishing in has "BIG" bullgills !!!  It just as easy to catch them when that come off there beds!!  Big Bull Bluegills are a great fight and are great to eat but they need to spawn so let them be when they are on the nest!!!  Think about it would you like some one taking "YOU" out of your bed when you are nesting !!      LOL