Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

i have been using a small mitchell reel and a ultra light berkley tactix rod.. like many of you i have many poles but i allways pick this one for some reason.. i have alot more expensive setups but they are collecting dust. ( st croix-allstar)

Views: 3513

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Well Cal, my rods and reels are not expensive, but they do the job of catching large, strong fighting fish well. Part of the work is through using good reels that have smooth drags and can handle very light lines. Reels that have a drag that grabs and not move smoothly are of no use to me. A 1 pound Redear will run like crazy and if you are using 2 pound test line and your drag binds a little...SNAP!...There goes a good fish with your lure in it's mouth..
Here are my current favorites for Bluegill, Redear and crappie fishing:

1. Rod- Daiwa "Spinmatic" #602  6 ft long 1 piece, 1-4 lb test line
Reel- Daiwa "Crossfire" 1000 ultralight spinning reel

2. Rod- Quantum "Micro" MS-54UL 4' 6" super ultralight Rated for 1-2 lb test line
Reel- Daiwa "Spinmatic-X 500T This is my favorite set up for Bluegills because it is so tiny, even small fish are fun to catch. I've landed a 4 lb bass with it and several 3 lb class Channel Catfish.

With each one of these rods I use 2 lb test line, either Trilene XL , Maxima, or Yo-Zuri Hybrid brands. The rods are older models, but I keep them clean and take care of them. Remember too that with a longer rod, you can cast tiny spoons and jigs farther, but I fish a lot from a float tube where I don't need to make very long casts.

 Jeff I think the key point you made was Fishing from a float tube. I do not know what the fish think you are,big duck or goose??  But for sure you are not a threat. I have had them swim between my feet and all around my tube. Boat and motor make noise,water transmits noise

that alters fish to possible danger. If using a boat cosider using a push pole.  My rig of choice for fishing water up to 20 ft is a fly rod. I like my Scott G 9ft 4wt with a cortland

lime 444 5wt dt and also a cortland 5wt intermediate in blue. I also use a cortland intermediate camo. Any light single action fly reel will work. example Pfluger 1494,

Hardy LHR, Benson made a simple reel that was sold by Sears and True Temper.

I have went back to Mono for my leader because it floats.  Next year I will be chuckin'

spoons. I got a set-up that Musky Mod talks about in his blog. I am going to try a twist

on the spoon rigging. I will tye flies on Temco 101 size 8 hooks. They will be simple

one in black with marrabou tail, an orange one colored with brown highlights and some sort of dragon fly nymph. I am going to use the book  What Fish See by Colin J Kageyama, OD  for insight into what color of spoon and fly to use. His research is simuliar to work done in the 90's by Mepps. I want to explor  beyohd what I can fish with a Fly Rod. Fishin' Jimmy AKA Jim Ducy

I can't find 1# test line ,I want to try it Jeff! Those first  two rods I mentioned below are rated 1-4 #test.I also use 500T reels (have two) but currently prefer the UL PFlueger President and Pflueger Supreme reels.

St. Croix Rod and Shimano Sensilite get the nod paired with Pflueger reels with 2 or 4#test .I want to utilize the 8'Crappie rod more but have to change the lousy tiptop.For wading and long casts to a dropoff it's the rod of choice.

 

 

Its like that Cal, we each have lots of favorites. I've had closets full of clothes, for example, but I can live in the same 5 articles of clothing!

For fishing rods, I'm good with most anything modern. I like a light to medium action rod, and the make isn't important. But I do want adequate quality. Note the word 'adequate' - I seek value and it might not be the top dollar item. I find the line guides set the tone, here - as long as they are all ceramic/silicate, the rod will generally do for me.

When it comes to reels, I follow Jeff's thinking. Smooth drags are the main thing I look for. Being more of a pan fisherman than any other sort, it's no surprise that I favor two kinds of reels: spinning reels and the spincasters.

When it comes to reel construction, I look for spinning reels with metal gear boxes/bodies. That seems to identify the best value in the knuckle buster reels. My current favorite is a Shakespeare UL I got off ebay. I was buying the rod, actually, and it came outfitted with this beauty of a reel. It was a lucky deal, that one.

As mentioned, my other favorite reel is the spincast. I have made it no secret that I prefer none so much as the older Johnson models.  For all intents, I don't even look at new ones any more. Like everyone, I have a few Zebco's that I've picked up here and there. But currently my everyday pan fishing rigs are older Johnson star drag, "big mouth" spincast reels. These are on Shakespeare rods of no particular note.

We should also make mention here of my other outfits, those I love above all others. Of course, I'm speaking of "cane poles" - and here I lump the newer telescoping type in with the traditional bamboo versions. There is nothing quite as sublime as fishing with these seemingly out-dated rigs. This is intimate fishing, where you are usually no more than the poles own length from the fish. It is thoughtful, primal fishing, with none of the hi-tech, long distance appeal that goes with the "bass rigs."

I do not embark on a fishing excursion without at least one of the poles at hand. And where it is warranted, I will happily leave all other fishing gear at home. Here in the South, they are considered both classic and effective.

Duane Allman is shown fishing a Southern water with an old spincast reel on one of his albums.My deceased dad is honored every ice fishing season with a green Johnson 230 Crappie Pro put into use .I think back in the late 50's early 60's he actually used a Green Johnson Century reel when he first took me fishing.

The Johnson 'Crappie Pro' is the near ideal spincast reel, in my humble opinion. The Century 100 series (100A/100B) are also very nice and built in the old school way. I still don't know why Johnson reels seemed to take a back seat to Zebco.

Maybe marketing to  kids parents  is why.Is there a big price difference?

 

John- I've been getting a few things including that I lb. test Vicious Panfish Ice line through Jann's Netcraft. They have some cool stuff, especially for tying jigs and flies. The only problem is that shipping costs are pretty high. www.jannsnetcraft.com  I want to try their 1/50 oz. Sunfish jig that I'll tye with gray maribou and paint as a baby Threadfin Shad to try on the Lake Perris Bluegill.

Great thanks.I have the Janns Catalog.I have to order some spinner kits and other stuff too .

 

I like the Shaimono 1000 series reels and a 6 ft medium rod of at least 6 mil graphite ..this will do for me....

spinning, abu garcia cardinal 101c reel, shakespear micro graphite 5'6" rod

spincast, zebco omega pro z02 reel, shakespear 5' 1 peice ugly stick

fly, old american made martin automatic reel and 8' pro star rod

baitcast, quantum tour pt 150 and 7' st. croix mojo bass rod

RSS

Latest Activity

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

1000003891

"Pretty Northern strain bluegill Troy!"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Troy Dorman's photo
Thumbnail

1000003887

"Great fish….this is the right kind!"
yesterday
Troy Dorman posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Picked up Several Nice Yellow Perch Shallow…..4/29/2025

"Thanks John….never get tired of quality perch bites…"
Wednesday
John Sheehan posted photos
Wednesday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Wednesday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

493726391_10238746707466370_4942384414329687790_n

"Good job ,Jeff! The ones I caught were probably in 5-6 ' but long cast from shore. These…"
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Picked up Several Nice Yellow Perch Shallow…..4/29/2025

Also caught two nice white perch shallow also…
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Dock Crappie…..4/29/2025

We had blue skies with 81 degrees…strong southwest wind but our water was still blown out from the…
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"It was still windy but a friend and I splashed this afternoon, nice mixed bag ….low water at 70 degree surface temperatures…good times…"
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

493726391_10238746707466370_4942384414329687790_n

"Nice John….I caught several white perch this afternoon very shallow…"
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Troy Dorman's photo
Thumbnail

1000003851

"Pretty specimen Troy!"
Monday
John Sheehan commented on Troy Dorman's photo
Thumbnail

1000003857

"Posting some nice Fish, Troy!"
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

492222666_10238698533862060_5336729201480880262_n

"Fish are flopping around like its July up here and we haven't seen May yet! Very weird year!"
Sunday
Bruce Tomaselli commented on Troy Dorman's photo
Thumbnail

1000003857

"I can just taste the fillets!"
Sunday
Troy Dorman posted photos
Apr 26
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Apr 26

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service