Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Okay, my girlfriend ordered me some 1/32 oz jigs with a size 4 hook, personally i think thats a bit large for gills?? What do yall think? Will they work or should i use em for crappie heads??

Views: 2729

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Size 8 hook I would think for Gills.32nd head  and lighter .And yes #4 for bigger 10" & over Crappie should work  great .

Hook size will boil down to what you're confident about in your water Jordan.....I often use a # 4 long shank live bait hook for gills or a # 6 Circle Hook......I like at least a 1/32 ounce jig once Spring arrives and sometimes a 1/16 ounce throughout the Summer......If you're contacting pound class gills in heavy cover like I do, I just don't feel good unless I have the larger terminal tackle........I eat a lot of gills but I also release many of the largest gills and I have found the smaller hooks gut hook the larger fish more often especially if taken deeper......The evolution of circle hooks has helped to avoid gut hooking as well......Use what gives you the most confidence is my recommendation!

Hey Jeffrey,  Where do you find size six circle hooks?   Most of my saltwater flies are tied on circle hooks but haven't found any circles mall enough for freshwater flies.  I would really like to find circle hooks down to size ten or twelve for panfish flies.

Steve

My local Dick's Sporting Goods has Gamakatsu Octopus Circles in size 4, 6, and 8.

Jann's Netcraft sells circle hooks (not sure on the brand) down to a size 12.

Here are some bead head bugs I tied up this morning, 4.5mm brass beads, size 4 Dai Riki #930 hooks and a variety of dressings.  Intended for crappie but the bass are starting to bed here.

[IMG]http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u157/stevefishes/IMG_3474_zpsfe0...[/IMG]

 I found some 6's and 8's at a local tackle shop. Check out e-bay too. 

A smaller hook size will result in more fish.  If you fish waters like Jeffrey's where there are lots of fish 10" and better, size 4 is not too big; but for average waters with average-size bluegill, you're going to miss a lot of fish with that hook size.  

I use 1/32 with #6 hooks, 1/64 with #8 hooks and 1/80 with #10 hooks for gills - if crappie is the target, I use 1/8 with #4 and the 1/32 and 1/64 mentioned for gills

You can take a pair of roll nose pliers and turn it down a bit, if you like. This will make it a smaller mouthful.

On the other hand, a larger hook preselects for larger fish. The trick (as always) is to place the bait where more of that sort of fish are found....

We fish jigs from 1/24th to 1/100th with the majority right around 1/32nd and 1/48th. The hooks used are Matzuo sickles #6 & #8 (down to #12) & VMC/Mustad round bend #6 & #8 (down to #12). I like the black chrome finish for personal use.

The jigs you got, Jordan, would probably used for Crappie out here.

Id agree with LH, here. That is what we think of as crappie sized, too.

Larger brim will hit it, though, so it tends to keep the smaller ones out of the boat. I usually use one that size when the water is deeper. 

1/80 jig on size 10 works well for gills.  I also use #8 or #10 Aberdeen hook. I like the long shank since they tend not to gut hook.

RSS

Latest Activity

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…"
8 hours ago
John Sheehan posted photos
16 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
16 hours ago
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…"
16 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

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

Also caught two nice white perch shallow also…
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
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…
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
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…"
yesterday
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…"
yesterday
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
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Saturday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

491348751_10238683890455984_2672104245638727985_n

"Yes and very aggressive that Day!"
Saturday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Saturday
John Sheehan replied to Bruce Tomaselli's discussion Unable to Log in
"No idea ,Bruce . It doesn't happen from my end! Hope it gets straightened out for you ."
Saturday

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service