Bluegill Fishing Tips: How to Catch More Bluegill

Bluegill (Lepomis Macrochirus), one of the most popular panfish, is also commonly referred to as copper nose, brim, or bream, depending on the area or region. An interesting trait of the bluegill is its boldness. Bluegill isn’t scared of anglers that are trying to land them. As a matter of fact, there are bluegill fish in Lake Scugog, Canada that let humans stroke them. They’re so friendly you may not need bluegill fishing tips after all, are we right?

Bluegill is excellent fish, especially for kids and new anglers. They’re very easy to catch, but there are still some tactics worth knowing to increase your catch rate. In this article, we’ll discuss bluegill fishing techniques so you become an expert on bluegill fishing techniques.

How to Catch Bluegill

Fishing for bluegills, even when it can be a real treat as it’s very easy, can still result in zero success if you don’t know what you’re doing.

So, it’s still necessary to take these bluegill fishing tips to heart:

Fish Early in the Morning

During the summer season, the best time of the day to catch good size bluegill that’s swimming about near the shore is early in the morning.

The reduced light coupled with a cooler water temperature, as well as the increased plankton activity, means you’ll land more bluegill.

Also, this is one of the bluegill fishing tips that can enhance your comfort while fishing. The activity of mosquitos and other insects during this time is pretty low.

Grasshoppers are also very active early in the morning so bluegill moves closer to the shore in order to feed on the grasshoppers that fell on the water.

Fish Later in the Afternoon

This is yet another good time to fish for bluegill. From late afternoon until it’s almost dusk, the fish will move back closer to the shore and near a structure to feed on minnows and insects.

What this means is they will be within an easy casting range from the bank. The fish will be in feeding mode, so it’s easier for you to trigger a bite from them.

You can often see them close to the surface, which means you can cast near-visible fish. Late afternoon is also when there’s reduced light time and an increase in insect activity. The water is also much cooler.

Fish at Shady Spots During Mid-Day

During mid-day, bluegill will associate tightly with a prominent cover. Mid-day is the hottest time of the day and oppressive sunshine makes bluegill uncomfortable.

It can even stress the fish out. In order to combat the higher temperature, bluegill will head to where the water is cooler which is anywhere with shade.

Look for logs, lily pads, weeds, docks, and under-anchored boats. When the sun’s beaming overhead, look for the shade spots as they will be where the bluegill takes cover.

Use Live Bait

For bluegill, there’s nothing better than live bait. Grasshoppers, worms, fathead minnows – they are the best options for bluegill. Stuff like cheese and corn will work, too, but if you have the option, go for live bait.

There are artificial baits sold online that perform really well for bigger bluegill. They are also worth giving a try.

A grasshopper will work best early in the morning when it’s summertime, while rubber worms and minnows work great all day long.

Downsize Everything

Bluegill has small mouths which means they’ll need small bait. A lot of anglers have screwed up by fishing using big hooks and bait.

You don’t need an entire nightcrawler. As a matter of fact, by using an entire nightcrawler, it will be less likely for you to catch bluegill as it’s just way too big for the mouths of bluegill.

You’ll also just be wasting nightcrawlers as bluegill will simply tear the worm in pieces from the hook without actually biting the hook. What you can do is tear off a nightcrawler and put a piece of it on a hook that’s a size 6.

Small bait and hooks often do well for bluegill. In addition, you should also downsize the fishing line and rod. Choose an ultralight rod as it will be a lot more sensitive to bluegill.

It’s also one that will let you cast a smaller bait further. A two-pound test fluorocarbon line will be very hard for bluegill to see so you can land more fish.

Get a Castable Fish Finder

Among the best investments bank that anglers can make is getting castable fish finders or flashers. They used to be a privilege enjoyed by rich boat anglers. But, you can now purchase excellent quality fish-finding electronics which you can cast from the shore.

A great thing about such devices is they’re now inexpensive. In comparison to a boat-mounted fish finder that can go up to $1,000, a portable fish finder is more affordable, costing a fraction of the cost of its boat-mounted counterparts.

Not only can they help you find fish, but they will also check the depth and temperature of the water, and find cover. They are also great for boat anglers with trolling motor batteries and hikers.

Use a Bobber

When fishing from a bank to find bluegill, we recommend using bobber strike indicators. Bobbers will tell you whenever you’re getting bit. They will also give an indication whenever bluegill is pecking at your bait.

A bobber can let you cast further from the shore. The little extra weight a bobber provides can increase an angler’s casting range.

The last reason why we would recommend you use a bobber for bluegill fishing or bank fishing is because it can suspend the bait from the bottom.

Without it, the bait will sink where the strike zone is. You won’t have to wait too long for the fish to locate your bait.

Conclusion

Which do you think from these bluegill fishing tips can help you increase your fishing success? Let us know, especially when they’ve worked for you!