IceShanty.com Archives

Tip Area Has Moved! click here.

<----BACK HOME

Bluegills

Author Subject: Bluegills

MJ5 Posted At 15:04:37 12/11/2001
You can go anywhere and catch bluegills, but you don't always see those "bull" bluegills that you see in magazines and fishing shows. What are they doing different? Not much, but one factor remains relavent--LOCATION. Bull bluegills don't like to associate with the smaller scrappy bluegills. They don't like to compete with all those little guys ambushing their food. Bigger bluegills relate to more prominent structure located adjacent to those scrappy little devils. 1)Look for areas where grass or weeds are present. Larger gills tend to locate near vegetation. 2)Look for deeper transition areas in depths from 8 to 15 feet. Larger gills like to relate to deeper water and float through the water snatching up plankton. 3)Look for pockets or bends in the bottom contour. "Bull" gills locate near changing structure for security and content. Now that you have a base of where to find these monsters, you now have to catch em. Don't always use the obvious. Just because you were catching smaller gills on one lure doesn't mean the bigger ones will like that as well. Larger gills are more noise conscious so be QUIET. Drill your holes in advance and come back later. Use slow motion jigging approaches with seemingly longer pauses. During pauses don't let the bait sit still though, keep small twitches going to keep the fish from getting a good look. If bright colors such as orange, chartuese, or pink don't work, use natural colors like brown, black, white or purple. Tip jigs with two euro larvae. I like two because it gives the lure the antenea affect. Be patient. And punch some holes. You will find those "bull" trophies.

vince Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 16:32:32 12/24/2001
this is also a good tip,where r u located?

wick Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 22:59:14 12/25/2001
thanks for the tips

Tosten Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 19:25:35 12/30/2001
I am 11 years and I went ice fishing today and we caught a "bull" trophy mixed in with some scrappy blues and we caught about 4 of the "bull" blues. I will try your tech. tommorrow and see if it works thanx,
Tosten

Ralph and Mary Alison ( father / daughter ) Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 10:35:43 01/08/2002
Dear MJ...we are in NJ...and have one day of ice fishing under our belt...that was for stocked trout...
But your tip here for the Sunfish makes me realize we can visit some of our "nice weather" spots and expand on
the variety of fish under the ice...thank you for the eye opener...Tips up to you!..signed..." 2new2ice ".

MJ5 Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 22:22:11 01/13/2002
vince, I am located in the twin cities area in minnesota.

Vinimack Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 15:05:20 01/18/2002
I find blue gills act different in almost everywhere you go. I live in Ohio and bass and gills are plentifull in many lakes. The best time to get those "bull" gills is during spring spawning. You cant just try one technique everywhere just cause it worked for you in one place. I find most of the time during spawning season these bull gills are very aggresive like a bass. the best technique i use is with a ultra lite rod and use a pin min tiped with a maggost or wax worm. during spawning these fish are in shallow water so get a lite stick bobber and put it about 6 inches above the pin min with no weight. cast it out and jig it softly when they hit that stick bobber will stand up and you set the hook. this keeps you from losing hook sets and makes hooking a fish alot easier.

Ralph and Mary Alison Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 14:45:14 01/31/2002
Vinimack...from our earlier post under this topic, you can see that we enjoy warm weather fishing quite a bit, and are new to the ice.
Therefore, your comment on "spring spawning" caught my attention, as it sounds like a 'technique' that we employ that time of the year...
However, my question is...what is a "pin min" ?
Thanks much. Best Wishes for Fishes...2new2ice.

Missy Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 18:03:44 03/14/2002
um,..........i think this is cool i luv fishing!

Author	Subject: Bluegills
MJ5	Posted At 15:04:37 12/11/2001 You can go anywhere and catch bluegills, but you don't always see those "bull" bluegills that you see in magazines and fishing shows. What are they doing different? Not much, but one factor remains relavent--LOCATION. Bull bluegills don't like to associate with the smaller scrappy bluegills. They don't like to compete with all those little guys ambushing their food. Bigger bluegills relate to more prominent structure located adjacent to those scrappy little devils. 1)Look for areas where grass or weeds are present. Larger gills tend to locate near vegetation. 2)Look for deeper transition areas in depths from 8 to 15 feet. Larger gills like to relate to deeper water and float through the water snatching up plankton. 3)Look for pockets or bends in the bottom contour. "Bull" gills locate near changing structure for security and content. Now that you have a base of where to find these monsters, you now have to catch em. Don't always use the obvious. Just because you were catching smaller gills on one lure doesn't mean the bigger ones will like that as well. Larger gills are more noise conscious so be QUIET. Drill your holes in advance and come back later. Use slow motion jigging approaches with seemingly longer pauses. During pauses don't let the bait sit still though, keep small twitches going to keep the fish from getting a good look. If bright colors such as orange, chartuese, or pink don't work, use natural colors like brown, black, white or purple. Tip jigs with two euro larvae. I like two because it gives the lure the antenea affect. Be patient. And punch some holes. You will find those "bull" trophies.
vince	Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 16:32:32 12/24/2001 this is also a good tip,where r u located?
wick	Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 22:59:14 12/25/2001 thanks for the tips
Tosten	Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 19:25:35 12/30/2001 I am 11 years and I went ice fishing today and we caught a "bull" trophy mixed in with some scrappy blues and we caught about 4 of the "bull" blues. I will try your tech. tommorrow and see if it works thanx, Tosten
Ralph and Mary Alison ( father / daughter )	Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 10:35:43 01/08/2002 Dear MJ...we are in NJ...and have one day of ice fishing under our belt...that was for stocked trout... But your tip here for the Sunfish makes me realize we can visit some of our "nice weather" spots and expand on the variety of fish under the ice...thank you for the eye opener...Tips up to you!..signed..." 2new2ice ".
MJ5	Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 22:22:11 01/13/2002 vince, I am located in the twin cities area in minnesota.
Vinimack	Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 15:05:20 01/18/2002 I find blue gills act different in almost everywhere you go. I live in Ohio and bass and gills are plentifull in many lakes. The best time to get those "bull" gills is during spring spawning. You cant just try one technique everywhere just cause it worked for you in one place. I find most of the time during spawning season these bull gills are very aggresive like a bass. the best technique i use is with a ultra lite rod and use a pin min tiped with a maggost or wax worm. during spawning these fish are in shallow water so get a lite stick bobber and put it about 6 inches above the pin min with no weight. cast it out and jig it softly when they hit that stick bobber will stand up and you set the hook. this keeps you from losing hook sets and makes hooking a fish alot easier.
Ralph and Mary Alison	Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 14:45:14 01/31/2002 Vinimack...from our earlier post under this topic, you can see that we enjoy warm weather fishing quite a bit, and are new to the ice. Therefore, your comment on "spring spawning" caught my attention, as it sounds like a 'technique' that we employ that time of the year... However, my question is...what is a "pin min" ? Thanks much. Best Wishes for Fishes...2new2ice.
Missy	Re: Bluegills (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 18:03:44 03/14/2002 um,..........i think this is cool i luv fishing!