Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Any fellow Californians getting any early season Bluegills or Redears yet?  Won't be long now for the pre-spawn bite!

Views: 1034

Attachments:

Replies to This Discussion

Thanks for the info!

If you live in the OC areas, you might want to consider in hitting Lake Skinner to save a bit of gas. Good grief man, that's a heck of a drive just to hunt for gills. Skinner don't allow floats, but you can still hammer them from shore, or on the rental boat. Lake Irvine is also known for the awesome crappie action during spring and summer time. If you're up in the mountain for a weekends get away, Big Bear Lake and Silverwood are known for the hidden monsters. You just have to battle with boaters and wind.

I don't mind driving.  I've been to Skinner twice but didn't get any gills since I was targeting stripers.  Maybe I'll hit Skinner this summer as well. 

Nice! When we lived in San Jose, we used to get to fish Bethany when we could, and sometimes shore-fished Italian Slough at Clifton Court, but never caught anything big.  15-20 feet, I guess you're using a boat?

Used to like to go to the Bass Pro Shops in Manteca, too. Now, my nearest BPS is 105 miles away, in Rancho Cucamonga.

Just short of 11 inches caught on a cricket. From puddingstone lake.
Attachments:

Great catch. Looks like the Pudd is firing up for the summer. Perris has been going wild as the water level drops.

Hi guys, been awhile since I've been on the BBG. I'm coming down to San Diego April 22 for the week. Thinking of trying my hand at some gill fishing while down there.Kinda curios where the fish would be at in their yearly patterns.Up here in Wi they'd be shallow not even ready to spawn yet. However I would think they'd well be done with spawning in Cali.Just looking for some general info on how I should approach fishing them at this time of year.Not looking to keep anything just would love a chance at some of those trophy sized panfish.Would be willing to rent a boat or shore fish whichever would get me a better chance at catching some.Thinking of possibly I trying at MirMar or something in that vicinity thanks for any help with any direction towards the pursuit of some hefty panniers.

Ahhh yes..California's craziness. Early heat brings out the best of everything. If you can manage to find a nice fresh water body that has not been affected by the drought.

Colors:

yellow (main) - black (secondary as stripes)

yellow(main) - red (secondary)

dark green (main) - black (secondary)

dark green (main) - dark yellow (secondary)

dark red, close to vermillion (main) - black with sparkly silver (secondary)

Patterns: 

Wooly (slow sinker)

Bees (surface dry, subsurface slow sink, maintain less than 3ft below surface), or 7ft off the bottom of deep areas)

Beatles (black, surface dry, as as bees)

Best rigs:

Drop-shot, 2ft from bottom with live worms/crickets for gills/coppernose/bass, near shallow.

Texas, chasing after bottom monsters.

Spoons and rooster tails (yellow-black, yellow-red, chartreuse-black) are deadly subsurface.

Thanks Leo truly appreciated so it looks like yellow jigs.Dont how long it will be after their spawn but I will be excited to try fish or no fish.Any possibility of finding lake topo maps.Guess I'll try to google it and see what I come up with.

Clearlake crappie were on fire a couple weeks ago and haven't been back since. Baitfish immi's were doing the trick just fine.

       ....lee s.

RSS

Latest Activity

Bruce Tomaselli commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Always Calm Behind Heavy Thunderstorms…..6/17/2025

"We've had nothing but rain here in south-central, PA. The farmers can't plant and…"
5 hours ago
Bruce Tomaselli commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Colorado Spinner gets 3 species

"Nice, John. Is that a generic name or the name of the spinner?"
5 hours ago
John Sheehan posted a photo

Colorado Spinner gets 3 species

So far this year, this little cost-effective Colorado spinner has gotten many a Bluegill as well as…
17 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
23 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Got a window this morning after all the storms the last four days…water falling on the coastal marsh was a beneficial thing with the crappie"
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Wanaque river Trout

"Thanks Guys,a leaper from the fast water always excites!"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Good Shoulders. On this One….6/12/2025

"Thanks wag….I imagine the summer heat has set in down in Louisiana!"
yesterday
wag commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Tagging Black Crappie on Shallow Wood…..6/12/2025

"Thanks Dick…..got a few areas that remain productive for shallow crappie… never…"
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Ducks in the shade Wanaque river

"Always enjoy nature when I get out…."
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Wanaque river Trout

"Good job with the Colorado spinner….."
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Wanaque river Crappie

"Nice crappie….I like seeing the old school baits…."
Monday
dick tabbert commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Tagging Black Crappie on Shallow Wood…..6/12/2025

"Looks like the crappie bite is on."
Sunday
dick tabbert commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Sunday
dick tabbert commented on John Sheehan's photo
Sunday
dick tabbert commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Wanaque river Crappie

"John, nice looking crappie."
Sunday
John Sheehan posted photos
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Good Shoulders. On this One….6/12/2025

This was a fun day…..80 black crappie dominated this party…
Thursday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Thursday

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service