Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

New member checking in here. I’m with a senior fishing club in Colorado that takes a lot of kids fishing in groups. Because of the numbers and experience levels, we’ve kind of fallen into a routine of rigging up spincast gear with 8-pound mono, with small hooks, a bobber and pieces of night crawler. The results are predictable as they’d be with most inexperienced anglers:  usually good results with small bluegill, but with way too many caught only after the fish has swallowed the hook. We crimp the barbs, but what I want to push for is flies and jigs only, maybe scented.

 I’ve read available literature on reducing mortality and such. Does anyone else have experience with managing large numbers of kids and catch and release? We also run a fishing derby for residents of assisted living centers, with similar issues:  too many fish caught only after they’ve had the chance to swallow the bait.  Appreciate any suggestions. I’m under the belief that at minimum using small jigs will be better than bare hooks rigged up with split shot and such, and we can occasionally slip the bait past the immature Bluegill’s and attract a few bigger ones.

Views: 215

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Welcome aboard Bill!

What a great gesture getting kids and fishing together!

I take my G’Kids and Earl’s boy fishing a lot and I have been using a very simple solution to exactly that same problem. i rig the kids rods with circle hooks with nearly 100% success rate on live catch and release. When I personally fish multiple slip float rigs out there at one time to increase my catch ratio the extra rods incorporate the circle hook. I love them!

One of the toughest things to teach a kid when fishing is setting the hook… with the circle hook all you have to do is reel in and the hook automatically sets … awesome.

It is also a safer hook to fish with kids when relating to a self inflicting hook set.

When it comes to safety I also have the kids wear sunglasses at all times… good luck!

HEY BILL !!  WELCOME TO BBG SITE !!   CHECK OUT;; JEFFERY ABNEY;S BLOG ;;   JIG FISHING WITH FLOATS !!  JEFFERY IS  A KING;; WHEN IT COMES TO FISHING WITH JIGS !

Just the kind of advice I was hoping for fellows. I’ll give this a lot more thought. Bill;

i generally use Eagle Claw #8-#12

Image result for eagle claw circle hooks

RSS

Latest Activity

John Sheehan added a discussion to the group Lure History
Thumbnail

Discontinued Lures

Some of my favorites I can't find anymore: Acme Fash King Flutter Spoon, Eppinger Flutter Chuck,…See More
17 hours ago
John Sheehan posted photos
19 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

25"+Spoon Pick

"25+inch Pickerel was best of the 13 Fish caught today a day after the Worm Moon. Two Bass and the…"
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"1/16th oz., good!"
yesterday
dick tabbert commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"These are my last build. I added more colors."
yesterday
dick tabbert commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"No Jon I went with the 1/16 oz jig heads so I could have a larger hook for crappies. It's a #4…"
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"Colors are great !"
Monday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"Thats a good Crappie size! Are they 32nd Oz Jigs?"
Monday
dick tabbert commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"They are right at 2" long."
Monday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"I Can see Crappie and Bass chomping on them, Dick!"
Sunday
dick tabbert commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"I made these up for crappie in mind. They might be a little big for gills unless it a bigger gill."
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on dick tabbert's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_0186

"What Species you got in mind for these great Minnow ties , Dick?"
Sunday
dick tabbert posted photos
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on Sam k.'s group Trout Bums
""Trout Season opens April 6th 2024 in New Jersey. Waters are runnin' high for…"
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's status
"An Instrumental Guitar recording of mine to commemorate. …"
Sunday
John Sheehan posted a status
"Trout Season opens April 6th in New Jersey. Waters are runnin' high for stocking."
Sunday
John Sheehan replied to John Sheehan's discussion Plastic Worm varieties in the group Lure History
"My favorites through the Years: Manns Jelly Worm, Manns Auger tail, Charlie Brewers 4" on a…"
Sunday
John Sheehan replied to John Sheehan's discussion Plastic Worm varieties in the group Lure History
Sunday
John Sheehan replied to John Sheehan's discussion Plastic Worm varieties in the group Lure History
Sunday
Troy Dorman commented on Troy Dorman's photo
Thumbnail

1000003444

"Thank you, Jeffrey!"
Sunday

© 2024   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service