Bluegill Fishing Tips - Tips on How to Catch Big Bluegills

Welcome to our bluegill fishing tips section, where you’ll be able to learn everything you need to know about bluegill and bluegill fishing. By the time you finish reading this web page you’ll be an expert bluegill fisherman. It doesn’t really matter how experienced you are at fishing, everyone can benefit from the tips provided below. We’re going to start by teaching you the basics of bluegills. After learning the basics you’ll then be able to learn the tricks anglers use to land monster bluegills, followed up by the all-time world records for bluegills. At the end you’ll be able to find additional resources to further your knowledge on bluegill fishing.

Basic Information and Facts about Bluegills

Bluegills (Lepomis Marcochirus) are the most recognizable pan fish to anglers. Depending on the region bluegills can also be referred to as bream, brim or copper nose. One of the most interesting traits of the bluegill is how bold they can be. Many bluegills have no fear of the angler trying to catch them. In fact, at Lake Scugog in Canada there are bluegills that will allow humans to actually stroke them. Many anglers catch bluegills to in turn use them as bait for larger species of fish, such as largemouth bass and catfish. Bluegills are a great fish for new anglers or young children to go after since they can easily be caught thus encouraging interest in fishing for children at a young age.

Bluegills are commonly found in shallow water or in slow moving sections of a stream or river. They are easily identifiable by their deep blue color, purple face and gill flap, along with their dark olive colored bands on their sides and the beautiful orange to yellow belly. They can grow to be over 12 inches long and over 4 pounds. Bluegills are schooling fish and you’ll usually find them in groups of 10 or more and that can include other types of pan fish. Depending on the size of the bluegill they eat aquatic insect larva, crayfish, leeches, rotifers, small fish, snails, water fleas and if there is a lack of food they will consume aquatic vegetation. They are most active when spawning which starts in May and can extend all the way out to August.

Bluegill Fishing Tips, Tricks and Tactics

Below you’re going to see some of the best bluegill fishing tips. If you happen to have a tip that you don’t see listed below and would like to see it added then please use our submit a fishing tip form. We research and test all submitted fishing tips for accuracy and dependability, maybe yours can find a spot below!

• Best Artificial Lures – You are going to have a lot of success with small-scale artificial lures. Specifically, the Micro Power Minnow is ideal for bluegills and other type of panfish. And if you like soft plastics, then be sure to try out this cricket bait– some anglers swear by it.
• Best Live Bait – Let’s face it, is there really anything a bluegill won’t eat? While they will strike on anything there are specific types of bait that work better than others. Crickets (while not a traditional bait store bait) are a great weapon when hunting for monster bluegill. If you can’t get your hands on any crickets then wax worms and beetles are also very effective.
• Use the Right Equipment – The right rod and fishing line is crucial when fishing for bluegills. You’ll want to use equipment that is small and lightweight. In most situations an ultra-light spinning fishing rod and reel is the best choice. Unless you have issues with snagging, you’ll want to use a monofilament fishing line that is 3-4 lbs.
• Catch Bluegills, Don’t Feed Them – Every experienced angler knows that bluegills are bait thieves, especially when they’re not what you’re fishing for. If you’re fishing for bluegills and you’re using worms then you will need to present the bait right on the hook to prevent theft. You don’t want to just thread the worm onto the hook, this will prevent the worm’s ability to move about and attract bluegills. Instead place the worm on the hook in a pleated manner, this will allow the worm to attract bluegills and provide easy access to the hook.
• Don’t be in a Rush – When using lures to catch bluegills it’s important to retrieve slowly. This is due to the fact that bluegills mostly eat things that are slow moving. Bluegills, like many other pan fish aren’t used to chasing down food. Remember, just keep it slow and steady when using lures for bluegills and you’ll start hitting them in no time.
• Size Does Matter – No matter what they say, size does matter when it comes to fishing for bluegills. You’ll want to use jigs that are no bigger than 1/32 ounce. When fishing with live bait you’ll want to use either #8 sized hooks or #12 hooks.

Bluegill Fishing All-Time Records

Below are the current top 5 record caught bluegill according to Land Big Fish. The records below are based on catches only in the United States and there may have been record caught bluegills that were never reported or improperly reported. You can view more bluegill records by visiting the Land Big Fish website.

#1 – T.S. Hudson in the USA on 4-9-1950 caught a 4.12 lbs. bluegill in Lake Ketona

#2 – Chris R. Mapes in the USA on 5-2-2004 caught a 3.15 lbs. bluegill in Goldwater Lake

#3 – Michael Holoubek in the USA on 6-22-2008 caught a 3.14 lbs. bluegill in an unknown lake.

#4 – Albert Sharp in the USA on 8-7-1998 caught a 3.4 lbs. bluegill in Rancho Murieta Reservoir

#5 – Nicholas Toczek in the USA in 1998 caught a 2.4 lbs. bluegill in Hollenbeck Reservoir

You never know, you might be the next big bluegill record holder by using one or more of the bluegill fishing tips on the Fish Tips Depot website. Heck, we may have to list your name in the above list in the very near future. If you do happen to catch the next monster bluegill then don’t forget to tell everyone where you got the tricks and techniques to do it!

Bluegill Fishing Resources

Below you’ll find some additional resources to help you catch bigger, better bluegills. We hope the information provided on this page will help improve you bluegill fishing success and your success as an angler overall. Feel free to share this website with your fellow anglers to show your support for our website. I know, who wants to share the fishing secrets but the best way to thank us is to promote our website.

• Big Bluegill Discussion Forum – This is a great place to chat with other anglers who love to fish for bluegills.