I could sure use some Bluegill advise..

[John "Formerly Pig Man" Waldrop]

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.

[carl hendrix]

WELL JOHN;; NOW YOU CAN SEE HOW EASY IT IS TO GET ALL KINDS  OF HELP AND INFORMATION HERE!!

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Okay, thanks for the info on the bass. I was under the impression that bass in the mid size range were desirable.

[John "Formerly Pig Man" Waldrop]

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.

[Tony Livingston]

I'm with Walt....leave the bass. Remember that a largemouth can effectively utilize bluegills as forage that are 1/3 of its own body length. Having bass of different size classes in place should allow predation on all smaller bluegills. Those 6-8" bass are hammering the 1-2" bluegills....just what the doctor ordered if growing large gills is the goal.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Walt, I meant bass up to about 6-8"
They can be a nuisance as much as anything.

[Allen Morgan]

An abandoned 8-acre pond?  Wow!  Can you get a small kayak or canoe on it?  That's a great way to do some scouting.  Those Bitsy Minnows are a great lure.  I lost all of mine last week, going to have to replace them soon. 

If you can find them, Rebel used to make a minnow lure that was only about 1 1/4" long.  I used to get them at Wally World, but lately, they don't have them.  Also, a size 4 Rapala X-Rap works good, especially at the current water temps.  Only place I knew that had those was Dick's, and they've been clearanced out.

One lure that I love using is a Mepps size 0 Aglia spinner.  You can get those at Academy.  The water temps might be a little to cool for spinners right now, though.

Now might be a good time to take a cue from Jeff Abney, and fish some jigs under a float.  Wave action will cause the jigs to move up-and-down, and wind action will push the rig across the water.  Tipping with crickets will probably be a good idea as well.

IF you can get a small boat on this pond, especially equipped with a sonar, I would look for fish hanging near bottom.  Then, drop a small jig that looks like a nymph of so kind down on top of them, and bounce that thing on bottom a bit to stir up the silt, then lift it up and sideways to bring the "bug" out of the cloud.

Also, go to a bigger Wally World, and in the magazine section, get yourself a copy of In-Fisherman "Panfish" issue that just hit the stands.  The suggestion above came from that magazine.

[Walt Foreman]

DON'T cull the smaller bass from the pond.  Those small bass are why there's a two-pound bluegill in there.  

As far as methods, right now, worms on the bottom should be a good technique; when it gets warmer, try fishing worms under a sensitive float such as the Gapen panfish float, four to six feet deep, with no weight so they sink slowly.  In both cases, hook the worm only once through the nose, and fish on line no heavier than six-pound-test, with a #6 or #8 hook.  A drop-shot rig is good for fishing on the bottom, and will also help curtail deep hookings.  

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

If its an option, try culling the smaller bass from the pond. Sounds like they have taken over.
Keith has a good suggestion with the Bitsy Minnow - a proven lure. The crank baits aren't likely to be consistent producers, though, until the water warms and sufficient small baitfish become normal. However, you may find the bass go for them, too.
Large bluegill do eat minnows, but they are just one item on their menu. My thought is they are not a main feature in their diet. They are caught on minnow lures, yes. But I suspect it is possible to do better, especially with a few too many bass lurking around.
Your challenge is to find something the rapacious bass may overlook.
This is why I suggest the natural baits on, or suspended just off the bottom, small wet flies and subsurface brim bugs. If your not a fly angler, the latter require a bit of cleverness to use, but they just might ensure more consistency in catching bluegills.
PS get ahold of Greg McWilliams or Allen Morgan here on BBG. They are both fellow Sooners and accomplished OK bluegill anglers. They may have some specific tips for you

[John "Formerly Pig Man" Waldrop]

I will give the worms a shot tomorrow, and hope the warmer weather kicks in by later April or May..there are always Bass, but that's getting a bit boring in an overstocked pond.

[Keith Ritter]

I would maybe think of using worms fished on the bottom till the water warms.