Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

I would like to know from those of you lucky enough to have seen nesting bluegills - how deep are the nests? 

Views: 222

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Sharon, from everything I've read, it seems like spawning BGs prefer 2-6 feet of water. But I know why you're asking. Some of the bed pictures that some members have posted here certainly look to be shallower than 2 feet. That is probably a combination of natural variance and simply a pond's water level dropping.
I've seen them in 1 to 3 feet of water. I've caught some in 6 ft that I think were bedding but I couldn't see that deep. Some I've seen were so shallow the dorsal fins were sticking out of the water. Sometimes I can see the beds but they look vacant. When I put a cricket in there I saw I didn't see so good. One time I fished some and caught nothing in the beds in crystal clear 2 ft water. Between the beds and shore in 6 inches of water was a small scrawny single stem nearly leaveless bush sticking up out of the water. As long as I put my cricket within 6 inches of that stickup, I caught a nice gill. I could see everything clearly and never once saw a fish till I had him on the line. The beds were nearby, but the gills were hiding right out there in the open in 6 inches of water where I couldn't see them.

I've seen beds from a boat near the shore but couldn't see the same beds from the shore. Light and water can fool the eyes, or at least mine.

They'll usually bed in the same area from moon to moon and year to year. Shellcracker and Bluegills will sometimes use the same beds at different times with shellcrackers bedding earlier than gills and less than gills as the summer goes on.

Like Hansel and Gretel, I tried leaving bread crums as a trail so I could find 'em next time but I guess the birds ate 'em. I tried pebbles too but they sank into the silt I guess. Some say they can smell 'em but I always smell a rat when they start that kind of talk. I saw a picture on here of someone's GPS in his truck way out on the ice fishing. I took mine out in the boat 'cause we ain't got no ice down here. I had to turn it off before I could mark any beds because it kept tellin' me to get back on the pavement. One thing I can't stand when I'm fishin' is a nag!

Get out on a boat in the second half of March and go slow around the edges, especially in coves and grassy areas if you have any. The water should be clearer in the early spring and you should be able to find SOME beds. Good Luck!
When we get a backhoe, I'm going to dig a few nurseries and put some of the best BG in there. Who knows, maybe I'm develop a beautiful colored new kind
Yea i've seen them in very shallow water. As shallow a 1ft very fun to catch and doesn't hurt fish.
Shallow. Most I see in the lakes and ponds of eastern Iowa are 2-4 feet deep. They look like elephant tracks in the mud. Burn a Yo-Zuri snap bean across the area and hold on tight.
In an attempt to keep Blue herons from eating the nesting bluegills, I have been trying to find out how long of a leg they have. So far, I have only been able to find out the total bird is about 4 ft. Does that mean the legs are probably 3 ft? So, if I make the nests 4 ft. they probably can't wade there? Anyone ever seen one up close and can give me a rough estimate of leg length?
The Shellcrackers in "Arizona/California Border Bluegills" were bedding in about 1ft of water.
But if I cut an area with only 1 ft water, all the predators will eat them all, right?

RSS

Latest Activity

Bruce Tomaselli commented on John Sheehan's photo
14 hours ago
John Sheehan posted photos
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

STCrappie

"You bet Bruce! Fishing for an hour to an hour and a half each day I 've been getting three or…"
yesterday
Bruce Tomaselli commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

STCrappie

"About a dozen of those would be great! Nice crappies."
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

466097223_10236349245411317_8266863466993619288_n

"Top: Shimano Sensilite 5'6"Rod /Daiwa Spinmatic Reel. Trilene clear xl 2# test…"
Saturday
John Sheehan posted photos
Friday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Joe’s Personal Best Yellow Perch….11/3/2024

"Thanks Tracy……I was very glad that my son-in-law got this bite….he has been…"
Thursday
tracy willis commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thursday
John Sheehan posted photos
Nov 5
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

A Flock of Ibis Roost on a Duck Blind Near Back Bay, North Carolina….11/5/2024

These birds pass through and feed in the shallow marshes….cold weather will push them south…but we…
Nov 5
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Joe’s Personal Best Yellow Perch….11/3/2024

"Thanks Bruce ….Joe was very excited to get his hands on this perch……I started…"
Nov 5
Bruce Tomaselli commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Nov 5
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Joe’s Personal Best Yellow Perch….11/3/2024

"Thanks Dick….fish like this give you motivation to make a few more casts even on a very…"
Nov 4
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Few More Gills From Today…..11/3/2024

"Thanks Dick…..it’s slowing like you would expect in the Fall….but with…"
Nov 4
dick tabbert commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Joe’s Personal Best Yellow Perch….11/3/2024

"Wow, I'd take them all day long."
Nov 4
dick tabbert commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Few More Gills From Today…..11/3/2024

"Looks like your still into some great fish Jeffrey."
Nov 4
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Nov 3
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Nov 3
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Joe’s Personal Best Yellow Perch….11/3/2024

"Thanks John….Joe was very excited to see this fish…..I had just said we should see a…"
Nov 3
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

IMPKLICKER p

"oh Brown Bullheads too"
Nov 3

© 2024   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service