Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

i'm wondering if my favorite way to catch panfish in still water is used by any of you guys. its a fairly simple rig, a normal cigar float with a metal collar on each end. the collar keeps the line from cutting into the cork on hooksets and lets the line slide free. under the cork i use a small egg sinker, above a small splitshot crimped about 6" to a foot above a #5 aberdeen. i usually use this rig with red worms threaded on the hook with a good bit of worm hanging off. this allows me to fish on the bottom without having to tightline(no cork). it allows for some slack in the line without taking the ability to detect strikes. ive found that offen times those bigger fish feel a little resistance and let go before a hookset is possible. it takes a little practice to learn hookset timing, but after hours of experience and several full coolers i swear i can tell the difference in a bluegill and a shellcracker by how they bite. ill try to post a pic of this rig soon. if anyone else has ever used this rig id love to hear about it!

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Sounds good. Possibly a 2mm diameter to fit most lines out there, with plenty of room to spare. Maybe a 3mm to really ramp up the free space for the line to slide through without snagging.

You have got it down, Leo. Brilliance abounds on this website.

I think I had better buy more wine........

What Im getting here is the float acts as a bite indicator. It isn't really a float at all, at least not in the traditional sense. As I said up thread, its really a classic bottom fish-finder/slip-sinker rig.... with the float in-line to act as a dabbler.

Something very similar is done in trout fishing. Neat idea, especially for shellcracker and when bright, hot sunlight drives the fish deeper.

you got it bud. not a float but a strike indicator. more offen than not, if im fishing live bait in still water, this is my route. we have a tournament here on my home river every year and this rig wins the money at least 80% of the time. its tried and true in this neck of the woods. give it a try and let me know how it goes.

 

here's a pic to show the difference in the hole diameter in the komel corks and the betts. this is why i like the komel better.

Wow. Thanks for the photos. Dang! That's 2.5 to 3mm. Dang. You can shove a 100lbs line through that hole. Yours, you can shove a shark line through that LOL

lol. yep, its big. it makes all the difference in the world too. they're fairly inexpensive, i order them by the hundred from a friend that owns a tackle shop in town. he lets me have them at his cost if i catch him placing an order for himself.

Tomas -

I have to get down to catch fish near you . If I used this rig up by me I would catch nothing. I like that you shared  your rig.

come on down here johnny, we got plenty for everyone to catch! lol.

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