Bluegill Tips

The perfect time to fish for bluegills is during the spring spawn. One of the best baits for this time of
year is the cricket. A good artificial substitution for the cricket, is the sponge spider. These will out
fish redworms and beemoths ten to one at this point of the season.

The bigger bluegills will tend to nest in deeper water. Sometimes in water so deep you can not see
the beds. Trial and error method can work, but a good fish finder is a must in these situations.

In summer, the bluegills can be as deep as 50 feet. We have run across some huge bluegills in Lake
Maxinkuckee while trolling for walleye. When these are located, throw out a buoy and work the area
thoroughly until the fish move on.

Lily pads, bulrushes, and any other kind of riprap that will hide the bluegills will hold fish. They also
look for things that will provide a current break.

If ice fishing in Willow Slough for bluegills, tip a purple with white dot ice fishing jig with a beemoth.
Purple and white always seem to produce there.

In summer, try in the bay just off of Cranberry Point. There is a sharp breakline there that gradually
shallows up to the bay. Bluegill like to hold in this area in the summer time.

A telescopic canepole is well worth the investment if you are going to be fishing in the pads. You
can reach more of the pockets and you can pull the fish straight up out of the pads when you hook
one.