Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

I'd like to provide some detail on a method of fishing I used quite a bit this summer period.  I didn't invent it or make this method up.  I just feel nowadays it's largely ignored and may need some RE introduction into a fisherman's quiver of methods as it did mine.

 

Growing up on a lake in the seventies during the summer periods I fished a lot of long natural shorelines thinking that it provides a productivity edge with the bluegill.  Sure the lily pads weed lines fallen timber and bull rushes all seemed at the time to attract more fish then the developed shorelines.  Fish love cover.  Undeveloped natural shorelines provide a lot of surface area for a food chain to develop no argument here.  But when a fish is given no other choice docks, posts, boats and swim platforms provide an alternative cover.

 

 Statistically I believe the more natural least fish pressured lakes do have better quality of size and population of blue gill then the heavily pressured lakes. This summer found me fishing the heavily populated and developed lakes. I concentrated efforts on heavily fished pressured lakes surrounded by cottages year round homes and docks.  One lake in particular...  100% of the perimeter was fully developed.

 

When natural shorelines, lily pads, fallen timber, cattails etc are not available I concentrated my efforts along dock edges under swim platforms and along parked boats.  Not every between the docks strategy works well along any shoreline.  Some shorelines are significantly superior in productivity than others.  This is where I used the greatly detailed lake maps I created on my elite 7 HDI for planning my strategies.

 

What I look for on contour mapping GPS charts are larger flat areas with wide contours associated with secondary deeper weed edges and water.  The deeper steep drops off shorelines shown by tighter concentrated contour lines were largely ignored.  In my opinion Lepomis are not attracted to drop-offs as much as they are to weedy flats.  Lepomis productivity on inside turns and bays were better than outside points and bars.

 

My plan of attack for using this method "in between the docks" was mainly from a jon-boat utilizing a transom mount trolling motor or anchor to maintain position while casting.  You could easily fish this method from a dock or wading also.

 

I used ultra light spinning rods and reels with thin super lines casting tiny baits such as the Lil minnow and gulp pink waxies mounted on 1/80th ounce or 1/64th oz plain unpainted jig heads.

Views: 246

Replies to This Discussion

…updated 20180224

RSS

Latest Activity

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

Nesting Pair of Ospreys......

"Yeah most nests are not this close to the water and this river is remote with alligators and large…"
11 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Nesting Pair of Ospreys......

"Guess the Osprey knew it was a great spot too. The Cormorants up here are murder on the stocked…"
13 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Nesting Pair of Ospreys......

"This was a great fishing spot for me until the osprey nested……I’ve seen chicks…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

So many spots to place your bait...

"These cypress trees are now in the water….still producing great fishing…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

The big Cypress downed by a Hurricane.....

"This is a good example John…..I posted this picture in 2012 and a couple weeks ago I caught…"
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

"Thanks John…..being in the south we’re always drawn to cypress trees and the…"
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

"Nice info, Jeffrey! Up here my main Crappie habits have been wood cover near deep water and willow…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

My Dad Doesn't know Where to Cast Next.......

"This is my dad who loved fishing…..this cove is similar to the one with all cattails but in…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

"I think all fresh water fish like to relate to cattails…..the most cattails I’ve ever…"
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

"Up here the Pickerel can be found by Cattails and other tall reed areas. The first spawning…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

This is always a great spot with cypress, cattails and now a blooming hibiscus..next time I’m there…
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Fish Attractant in the Coastal N.C. Marsh…..7/4/2025

"Thanks John…anytime you get close to them there’s hundreds of different insects…"
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Joe Struck Copper on a Sand Bar….7/5/2025

The wind was building on the main river so we splashed back to the ramp after 42 gills, 1 bullhead…
Saturday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Fish Attractant in the Coastal N.C. Marsh…..7/4/2025

"Good work on finding fish habitat!"
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Pretty Masked Copper Shallow ……7/5/2025

Preparing for next week’s buck moon on 7/10……
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Up early this morning, heard we were going to have a tropical storm in the Carolina’s…so Joe and I went and burned some crickets…"
Saturday

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service