[lunkerman]

What is the best way you have found to use bluegill and what kind of set up?
What is the bigest fish you have ever caught on a bluegill?

 

[cat4life]

I would use the hole thing for flatheads, Hook it right below the dorsil fin so it can still swim and attract fish. That method also works for large channels, but not as well for me.

Cut bait for channels, I use the mid section or the head, but not the tail. Most people perfer the gut section. I havent had much luck on ethier the head or the mid section.

A few months ago I caught a 31Lb. 4oz. flathead on a whole bluegill. It was on a limb line though.

Hint if using a limb line hang the fish about 2 inches below the surface of the water, in about 3-6 ft. When the bluegill trys to swim away it spashes the water and attracts more fish. At least thats the way that has worked the best for me.

 

[antfish]

most people told me that you should hook it through the eyes and that way the bait can't tear off the hook when your casting or when a fish comes up to grab the bait it can't steal the bait very easy. I've never caught a flathead but it would be fun I think.

 

[trad_archer]

All i use is bream and the bigger the better. I use whole live bream hooked through the center of the tail. The small bream usually catch channels and smaller blues and the huge bream catch huge blues....usually in the neighborhood of 30 lb. with a 50 or 60lb. ever now and then. If you fish where big cats are known to be, i would always have at least one rod out with a big bait. Hope this helps.

 

[wolfman]

My biggest flat come on a live bluegill 2 years ago, try trimming off the spines on the dorsal fin and scale the gill on one side, I hook the gill half way between the dorsal and the tail, this will cause him to bleed more but might die quicker. If there is a flathead in the area, that gill wont have to worry about bleeding to death.

 

[lunkerman]

Thanks guys I appreciate the help.

 

[BIG GEORGE]

Like the above posts said ya gotta get em bleedin and puttin that scent in the water. Put one on the floor of the boat stomp on em and hook em behind the dorsal fin with a gamakatsu 8/0 octopus circle hook tied to a carolina rig and let the fun begin. LOL!

 

[typer181]

I have had bad luck hooking gills through the eyes, they die quick that way. It has to do with where their brains are located. Goldfish can be hooked through the eye and they'll live all night. I often cut half of the tail fin off to make em swim like their hurt. I like the idea about cutting off the top of the dorsal fin, thanks for the idea! I must be honest and tell you that the 52lb flathead on my profile was caught on a garlic salt cured chicken liver. I was using a three way rig, the other hook had a live blue gill! Go figure!

 

[Desperado]

I'm with wolfman on the bluegill and put the gill on a slip rig.

 

[Guest]

i agree with wolf man,and would like to add one more thing,try to net some
small shad,cut the small shad in small peices and keep them in a seperate
container,if your blue gill die cut them up and soak them in with the shad
peices,this will give you another very good bait.


WOLFMAN info received THANK YOU if i can help you with any thing let me know.

 

[BullDaddy]

The way I like to use the bigger Bluegills is to scale and cut off the head. I remove the guts to use for chum and put the heads on a hook. I then take the Gills and coat in cornmeal and fry till golden brown. Hope this helps.

 

[Mr Phatkat]

Here's what i do and why... if i am fishing rock,rip-rap, or otherwise snaggy bottom areas, I hook the bream somewhere in the back portion(i.e. behind the dorsal fin). and if I am fishing above a weedbed or with a float, or on a fair bottom, I hook the bream through the eyes. Reason being, bream, when hooked somewhere in the back portion, will swim upward from the bottom and consequently away from the snags somewhat. When a bream is hooked through the eyes or lips(warning...hooking a bream thru the lips is not advised), they swim with their head down, which is ideal for suspending over a weedbed with a bobber, and not so ideal for fishing in rocks or stix as he will likely run u under the rocks or into the stix. Just my penny and a half..

 

[Catfight]

I've started using a double hook rig with a 3 way swivel. I use a slip bobber with a 1/2 oz. weight (if I want to suspend my bait) or a 1 to 3 oz. egg sinker rigged Carolina style with a bead above the swivel (if I'm fishing on the bottom). I use 7/0 Gamakatsu octopus hooks and tie a 2" double leader on one side of the swivel and a 18" double leader on the other side. I hook a live gill on the 18" leader and on the 2" leader I scale a dead gill and cut him diagonally using the head and the gutsack. the cutbait puts plenty of blood and smell in the water which attracts them and they usually hit the live gill when they get there. Give this a try, it works great for me. I love a good Catfight.

 

[derbycitycatman]

One way I like to use bluegills is scale and fillet them. Drape em on and tip it off with a green worm, or whatever that worm is that stinks. Reg worms work too. Usually works best with finicky or smaller fish.

Bigger fish use bigger bait. On the river or lake I like live gill swimming in the open or chunked bluegill near cover, both work great. I like the midsection and guts, never caught anything on just heads.

 

[roofermike]

Do dead gills work as well for bait? Or cut gill?

 

[bull_head]

Roofer ...

I would believe that either would work .... I know cut bait works if you dont have live bait ... but a Catfish ... and thats any Catfish will eat just about
anything you throw at it if its hungry .... it dosent have to be "stinky" anymore ... just expirment to see what works best ... they can be finicky
sometimes

 

[roofermike]

Thanx brother, I was really asking because I am trying to put as many gill in the freezer now so that they can be used this fall when the bite is really on. I don't really have the time to build a live well/bait box.

 

[bull_head]

Thanx brother, I was really asking because I am trying to put as many gill in the freezer now so that they can be used this fall when the bite is really on. I don't really have the time to build a live well/bait box.

Save a few to eat roofer ...

theres nothing like a good batch of fresh Gills ....

we fillet ours out .... then use a flour and egg wash to coat the fillets ... and fry them on the stove .... or you can use your wash and place the fillets on a piece of AL foil and throw them on a grill .... wrap them up and keep turning till done ... if you wat to flavor them a little use a lemon pepper seasoning or a Vidalla Onion dressing to act as a marinade .... MMMMM MMMM good

 

[derbycitycatman]

Roofer,
A friend of mine does that. He usually only uses the guts and heart, but will occasionally use the whole gill and stomp on it after they thaw.

 

[master_cat]

i like to cut the tail off hook them threw the eyes let the guts hang out the bottem fish on a slip bobber works great for me