Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Friend of mine gave me a tip on where to catch some tilapia with floats/worms.I made the trip and wasnt disapointed.Caught 30+ tilapia,1 greenie and 1 cat.Awesome day and now i can scratch tilapia off my bucket list.:)

Rating:
  • Currently 0/5 stars.

Views: 377

Comment

You need to be a member of Bluegill - Big Bluegill to add comments!

Join Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on September 16, 2013 at 12:02pm

Id sure like to catch some. Id have to put them in a tank and raise them, though. Gets too cold here for them, to survive in the wild.

Comment by Leo Nguyen on September 16, 2013 at 10:38am

Mike has the pleasure in taking on a very fun species. Quite a few fisher folks here use straight lines without any leader. However, dealing with this species, like cats and gar, the teeth on the tilapia species is not to chuckle about. I use a 4lbs test braid, but combined with a minimum of 6lbs test leader (about 2ft long), just do deal with the rocky bottoms, and the toothy robbers. For some reason, they like to bite the line just above the hook eyes before they start to nibble/bite fully onto the full hook. When I use dual hooks on the leader during hot bite days, I have to use 10lbs test leader to sustain the leader from from breaking within the 2 hours. They are smart and vicious. Don't allow them any room to steal your bait. The worm segment shouldn't even be more than 1in long. Only protrude about 1/8in of the worm segment past the bend of the shank.

The fun is the hookset period, as the hook is debarbed. When they're startled, they will give you a fight that will make you smile, and anticipating whether or not they will escape through brutal and ingenious escape methods.

Comment by mike martinez on September 16, 2013 at 9:57am

Hey Leo and Patricia,i would have to agree with you Leo they are definetly smart at taking your bait.I was using #6 cricket hooks under a float and as they started to play with the bait,i would just start reeling em in and i would hook them.I caught alot of them where the current ended and spread out among some rocks Patrcia.Awesome fish to catch......

Comment by Leo Nguyen on September 16, 2013 at 8:05am

Tilapia are aggressive fighter and biters, and very, and I do mean very, smart when it comes to bait robbing. My years of chasing the, the most effective way is to play with them, using either an octopus, circle, and become one of my favorite now is the sickle hook. Of course, debarbed. This offer the fish the chase to escape if it's a worth and intelligent opponent before landing. At times, you have to hookset even with circle hooks because they will not take the full bait on the hook. Smart little devils.

Comment by Patricia Ramirez on September 15, 2013 at 7:40pm
I do scratch tilapia from my list recently, but I have One question, did you hook it in the current?
Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on September 15, 2013 at 6:31pm

Really nice. Ive heard the same about them being hook and bait shy. Is the water there clean enough to consider eating them?

Comment by mike martinez on September 15, 2013 at 5:40pm

Thanks everyone,these blue tilapia are an absolute joy to catch.I had such a good time a return trip is in order.Was using 6 pound line and the action was awesome,some were a pound and a 1/2 to 2 pounds..........:)

Comment by Leo Nguyen on September 15, 2013 at 9:06am
Excellent haul! They can put up a fight, and break ultra light rods. Mine was a victim to them.
Comment by dick tabbert on September 15, 2013 at 5:56am

Way da go

Comment by Jeff Soto on September 14, 2013 at 11:17pm

Mike, aren't they fun to catch!  They are really strong, especially on light rods. Nice fish dude!

Latest Activity

Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
17 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"There’s multiple variations in the Spotted Sunfish….in Louisiana the Red Spotted…"
17 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Growing up in Louisiana into a fishing family I got many introductions to the Sportsman’s…"
18 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"I have personally caught 11 of the 12 panfish featured in this discussion. I have never lived in…"
18 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a discussion
18 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Yup blue and white is an essential with my oldest son......."
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"My glass boat is going to the shop tomorrow, need an ignition system tune up, figured I would give it up during this extended heat wave.."
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

July Bully jig/crawler piece

"Fun….my biggest fish yesterday was a three pound bullhead…..couldn’t believe he…"
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Glad you’ve had success with it………I always use pink to locate…"
Sunday
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Thanks for the  comment jeffrey, it has worked in the past but seems to work berret this year…"
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Great Habitat on the Albemarle Estuary…….7/20/2025

Always search for clues to why you’re catching fish in the area you’re in when so many areas look…
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Beautiful 9” Class Warmouth……7/19/2025

Growing up in southeastern Louisiana the two most abundant species of sunfish in the bayous and…
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Bleeding pink Silent Stinger and all pink jigs work on multi species in brackish water…..I…"
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Nice Round Specimen…..7/19/2025

Bleeding 🩸 tail working in the cypress roots……all of the coastal counties in the northeastern part…
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Saturday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Some Bleeding 🩸 Coppernose Behind Last Week’s Buck Moon…7/19/2025

"The busted fins are also a dead giveaway to colonizing gills….."
Saturday

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service