Because bluegill prefer to remain close to shore, it’s easy to fish for them from banks or bridges But lakes, reservoirs, slow-moving streams and ponds are all possible habitats as well. A desirable bluegill neighborhood includes fallen timber or pilings and weed beds that provide cover.
What month is best for
bluegill fishing
?
Depending on your location, you can likely fish bluegill year-round. But no matter where you are, the
best bluegill fishing time
is during the spring and summer spawn. At that time, the species will be in about two to six feet of water, usually under cover.
Where can I find large bluegill?
- Think Deep. Big bluegills are curious and will race over to check out your offering—if you’re in the right spot
- Go Off the Beaten Path
- Watch Your Weight
- Keep it Fresh
- Make Noise
- Overlooked Public Arenas
- Float It by Them
- Crank ‘Em Up.
How many bluegill can you keep in Washington?
Washington seasons, limits and license A 2020
freshwater fishing license
costs $29.50 for residents 16 and older. Kids under 15
years fish
for free and a combination salt and freshwater license for anglers 15 years of age is $8.05. For most lakes in Washington, there is no daily limit or size restriction on bluegill.
What’s the best time of day to catch bluegill?
What is the best time of day to catch bluegills? The best time to catch bluegills is the 2.5-hour window from 4:30 to 7:00 pm usually slowing down an hour prior to sunset. There are some caveats to this rule but it is a great guideline to follow to maximize your time on the water.
Is corn a
good bait
for bluegill?
Canned sweet corn, bread, old hot dog buns, hot dogs, and even Slim Jims can work to catch Bluegill Place individual pieces of corn on your hook, or ball up bread using peanut butter as glue. A great way to fish these baits is by using a bobber.
What color lures do bluegill like?
Silver, gold, green, and black are the best colors. For fish holding in deep areas in winter or summer, slab-type jigging spoons are especially effective. Position yourself above your quarry or likely structure. Lower the spoon to the appropriate level, and then jig it slowly and rhythmically up and down.
What is a good size bluegill to keep?
Given all that information, the best advice is to keep fish greater than 6 or so inches but less than 8 Or in more general terms, keep the mid to large size bluegill but throw back the largest ones you catch. This is best for several reasons.
How old is an 8 inch bluegill?
At 1 year of age: Bluegill will likely fall between 4.5 and 6 inches. At 2 years of age : Bluegill will likely fall between 6.5 and 8 inches. At 3 years of age: Bluegill will likely fall between 8 and 8.9 inches. At 4 years of age: Bluegill will likely fall between 8.7 and 9.4 inches.
What is the biggest bluegill ever caught?
The Biggest Bluegill in the World The world record bluegill recorded by IGFA or the International Gamefish Association was caught in 1950 at Ketona Lake, Alabama. What is this? This bluegill weighed in at a whopping 4 pounds 12 ounces and came in at 15 inches long with an astounding girth of 18-¼ inches.
Are bluegill good eating?
Does Bluegill Taste Good? Although they are small (usually 10 inches or less), Bluegill is considered a top choice among the sunfish family for cooking and taste quality The meat is mild, firm, and an excellent choice both as a formal dinner or camp meal. It does not have a fishy taste.
Can you use bluegill for bait in Washington state?
The following species are legal to use as dead bait only : Bluegills and sunfish, common carp, river carpsucker, smallmouth buffalo, bullfrogs, or bullfrog tadpoles.
Is it safe to eat fish from Lake Washington?
“We do not want people to stop eating fish from Lake Washington,” said Dave McBride, a state Health Department toxicologist. ” If they follow the recommendations, it’s perfectly safe” The highest levels of polychlorinated biphenyls were found in larger fish, which tend to concentrate more of the suspected carcinogen.
Can you fish at night in Washington?
Yes it is legal to fish at night.
What lake has the biggest bluegills?
Ketona Lake , Alabama Hudson’s 4lb. 12oz. bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) holds the AL State Record and the IGFA World Record.
How do you find a bluegill in a lake?
During the spawn, look for bluegill in 2 to 6 feet of water, often near woody cover or vegetation Later in the summer when fish move away from spawning areas you’ll find them in deeper, cooler water. But they tend to travel in bunches, strike with vengeance and fight with fury.
How do I find bluegill from the bank?
To catch bluegill from the bank, you should cast small live bait or lures alongside prominent cover like docks, logs, and lily pads using very light fishing line Approach the bank carefully so you don’t alert fish near the bank of your presence.
How do you attract bluegill?
The most common baits are worms and night crawlers because they are readily available and bluegill love them. The key is to use only a piece of a worm—just enough to cover the hook. Other productive baits include crickets, grasshoppers, red wrigglers and meal worms. Artificial lures also work well for bluegill.
What is the best size hook for bluegill?
The best size hook for bluegill is hook size 8 Many professional anglers catch bluegills using size 8 hooks. In addition to size 8 hooks, size 6 and size 12 hooks are also great for catching bluegill.
Is a bluegill a crappie?
There are some differences in basic shape and size. To begin with, Crappie have much larger mouths than Bluegill Bluegill also have a more rounded shape, partly due to their small mouths and heads. Beyond all that, Crappie grow to be a lot larger and heavier than Bluegill.
Do you need a fishing license for catch and release in Washington?
Residents and non-residents alike must have a license to fish or shellfish in Washington waters Everyone age 15 and older needs a fishing license. You do not need a license if you are fishing for common carp, crawfish, bullfrogs, or collecting relic shells.
Are there crappie in Washington state?
Physical description. Black crappie are one of several “panfish” species in Washington and are very popular with anglers, because they are relatively easy to catch and are considered excellent eating.
Are bluegill native to Washington state?
Bluegill can be found statewide , however, quality bluegill lakes are often tough to find and size distributions within lakes can vary quite significantly over the span of a few years. Historically, the lakes, ponds and reservoirs of the Columbia Basin Project have produced excellent bluegill fishing.
How deep should you fish for bluegill?
Most nests can be found 1 to 4 feet deep, except in clear water where spawning beds might be as deep as 10 to 15 feet On larger reservoirs, spawning bluegill can be found 2 to 7 feet deep in the backs of pockets along flatter banks.
What are bluegills favorite food?
Bluegills mostly feed on insects both aquatic and terrestrial. They also eat snails, small crayfish, zooplankton (microscopic animals),other fish and fish eggs.
Can you catch bluegill at night?
Bluegills and crappies will happily chow down in the dark, especially near a light source Light attracts small baitfish and bugs, providing a late-night feast for panfish. Fixed dock lights are magnets, but if you can’t find one, pick up a portable floating light designed specifically for nighttime crappie fishing.
Do bluegills like wax worms?
While live bait is the preferred means for catching a lot of bluegills, you can also catch them using artificial baits. The key is to fish small lures. Small spoons especially dressed with a small piece of live bait like a wax worm can work very well.
Will bluegill bite artificial bait?
Many anglers use live bait such as worms and crickets to catch bluegill and panfish. However, artificial lures can be used successfully as well This is particularly true for the bluegill. They have a fairly large mouth given their size.
How big is a trophy bluegill?
In this area, bluegills are generally considered trophies if they are at least 10 inches long Actually, bluegills that hit eight inches are big bruisers, and finding impoundments with sunfish this size makes it worthwhile to break out the ultralight gear.
Is a 9 bluegill big?
They found that fish size increased on average a half-inch on maximum size and 8 inch on mean size. That may not sound like much, but consider that a typical bluegill is six or seven inches , and a really large one is ten inches.
How many bluegill should I harvest from my pond?
In a balanced pond, 40-60% of the bass should be 12 inches or longer, while 20-40% of the bluegill should be 6 inches or longer. A good rule of thumb for maintaining balanced bass/bluegill populations is to remove at least 4 to 5 pounds of bluegill for each pound of bass removed Keep all bluegill caught.
Can you have too many bluegill in a pond?
Folks often ask, “Can you have too many bluegill?” If your goal is growing big bass, then the indisputable answer is– no A GA client’s fast-paced travel, long hours in conference rooms, and family obligations limited time in the outdoors.
References
https://www.outdoorlife.com/tips-for-catching-giant-bluegills-this-summer/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2018/05/25/bluegill-fishing-how-and-where-catch-popular-fish-species/631101002/