Do you love big bluegill?

I could sure use some Bluegill advise..

I have been fishing an abandoned company pond since last year, primarily I have been catching Bass, but I caught several monster Bluegill last year, one tipping the scale at just over 2 pounds..I caught those few on a Rapala minnow..I would love to get advise on a more reliable lure/bait. I'm fishing an 8 acre pond, with a center depth of about 45 feet. The water is fairly clear to very lightly stained, if that matters..Any help would be appreciated.

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Comment by Allen Morgan on March 28, 2014 at 11:22am: I can tell you this much:

If, and that's a big "IF", we get a lot of rain this Spring, check out the little city lake in Bristow. LOTS of 'gills, and Shellcrackers to 1 1/2 lbs.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on March 28, 2014 at 11:18am: If you can get some smaller worms, go with those. Try a wiggler or pink worm, or at least break off the night crawler into fingernail size pieces.

And, now you know at least one area NOT to fish for bluegill!

I still gotta stick by what I said earlier, though - at the end of the day, the bass have taken over that pond. Im thinking you have the best bass pond around. A 7 pounder?!

Man, you got a good thing.

But I understand the desire to catch the "other " fish. I have it, too. I'd go out on a limb and say the bluegill are as Tony suggests, stacked up in the deeper water just off the shallows. If you can reach there, try a suspending float to drop your SMALL bait straight down near the bottom. Send down no bait larger than a penny.

Comment by John "Formerly Pig Man" Waldrop on March 28, 2014 at 10:38am: Nothing that cant be replaced I guess..Its still fishable for now, just no longer has the light action..

Comment by DAVID L EITUTIS on March 28, 2014 at 10:26am: SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE ROD, ya gotta remember that stuff happens when ya find big uns like 7 pounders buddy !!!!

Comment by John "Formerly Pig Man" Waldrop on March 28, 2014 at 10:16am: I've have never used flies..But on a side note..I just tried out some night crawlers, the Bass snatch them faster than they can hit bottom..I just landed my first 7 pounder as a result and broke the tip of my rod..

Comment by DAVID L EITUTIS on March 28, 2014 at 10:11am: HEY JOHN , I"m sure it's all a bit confusing to you , but hang in there buddy and think shallow in the spring..... Also are you a bug or fly tier? If so there are lots of patterns on here from A LOT OF DIFFERENT bug makers that make great bugs. Your friendly welcoming host DICK TABBERT is among them, great tier and innovator to be sure...

Comment by Tony Livingston on March 28, 2014 at 9:20am: I would try shallower coves, or banks that receive the most sunlight. Oftentimes that will be those which face south, or southeasterly .If it's a warm day, those areas should warm first, and fish that are winter lean and hungry will migrate towards these places looking for a meal.

If the day isn't quite so warm, they may stack up in deeper water just off from these types of areas. Look for standing weeds also.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on March 28, 2014 at 9:00am: So were back to Allen's essential question...

"Where are they?"

Until we know that answer, all the baits under the sun won't matter.

Comment by Tony Livingston on March 28, 2014 at 7:50am: Bluegills, like many other species, are opportunists. Certainly they will feed on minnows and yoy fish, especially the larger bluegills, and I've caught some bigguns' on live minnows, but it's still only a part of their diet.

In a clear water, live bait environment, I would be inclined to pay closer attention to presentation rather than menu choices, if the goal was tempting the big boys. Stained water? Not as much finesse needed.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on March 28, 2014 at 7:42am: Your are spot on about hammering the 2 inch Bluegill, I bought a Storm Wildeye live bluegill lure and I the Bass are hammering that thing to death

What do you think the bluegill are eating, in that case? I ask, because, if all the bass are nailing bluegill imitations, it suggests there may not be much ELSE for them to eat.

If there is a lack of non-bluegill forage, aka, minnows - or the bass gobble them up right away - well, the bluegill themselves may not be inclined to consistently go for such lures.

Again, Im thinking consistency here. It may be that a micro crankbait is the perfect bait for bluegill, all the time and everywhere. But there is enough evidence here at BBG to suggest you have a plan "B."