Lake depth

[Dan Miller]

The lake I fish in is only 30 - 40 feet deep in the middle maybe 60 acres. The shoreline has some nice drop offs with weeds and lily pads. You think the big gills are in the deeper middle of the lake or still around the drop offs? I'm new to blue gills this year. Once I started cathing them on purpose I've been having a blast!!

[Josh Milczski (Omaha)]

I would think they'd be near the drop offs and not those enormous depths. That's just too deep for them I'd imagine, but I'm going to follow the responses here for some more experienced comments. :)

[Bill "Musky" Modica]

Gills have no problem occupying depths of up to 40 ft.....especially when basin
depths exceed 100 ft. Late summer gills suspend in most of the lake I fish in Northeast IL and Southeast WI, todays fish came in 18-30 FOW on 1/8 oz rattlin' flash spoons tipped with waxies.....believe your sonar and fish deep.

[Jerry Graham]

I am certainly no expert however i am fishing a small lake very similar to what you describe here in Kentucky. I fish the drop offs and structure with good success for gills and shellcrackers in the 6-9 inch range. This is a creek fed lake and recently i have had great success trolling the deeper channel with a 'bitsy minnow' and catching big ones there. I am using a ultra lite with 2# test and like you having a blast. I am fishing the banks and drop off using #8 hook baited with a piece of nightcrawler under a light bobber. I hope this helps you...good luck

[John Cachel]

If the water is clear and big bluegills might be off from shore and as deep as 20 feet or maybe more! They can swim at between 10 to 20 feet down at around 40 feet or deeper. If you find a nice hump in deep water and it would be good spot to try and big bluegills like humps off from shore. Drifting with large leaf worm , leeches or small nightcrawlers is good!
If the water is dark and fish at edge of weeds, lily pads or fish about 10 to 40 feet off from lily pads. Slip bobber with leech or big leaf worm is good. Keep going until you find good spot! 60 acres that's you can cover the whole lake in one day!

[Dan Miller]

Thanks for the tip. I haven't had any luck with leeches this year (they were pretty big leeches) but I will try what you suggested. The red wigglers have been working great!

[Cary]

IM in central wis. and my lake is 73 acre and 33 ft deep this week they were out side the weed bed in 12ft