Danged Dogged Gone Full Moon!!!

[Jeremy R. Mayo]

So the full moon is supposed to be what drives bluegill fishermen to the point of insanity knowing that spawning is about to begin and limits are about to be easily met within only a couple of hours out in the boat... but hey thats in the spring..... What about in the dead heat of August. Its over 100degrees and water temps are reaching 91 degrees. Chances of finding a fish on a bed this time of year is like winning the lottery. Its time to fish patterns and that means lots of practice when your fishing in creeks and rivers like we do around here. Ive patterend several groups of fish and found how they move what turns them on, depths they move to and structure they preffer but theres one thing I cant figure out. WHY DONT THEY BITE ON A FULL MOON! Talk about stressfull. My dad has seen these amazing catches that ive been making and decided to drive 4 hours and have a fishing trip with me remembering times when he fished the same creeks and rivers years ago and his hauls were half of mine on his best days. Of course its a full moon on this weekend that he came and our catch was still good to him but made me feel ignorant to the fact that this is the only times I cant catch the fish that I want. Anybody got any advice on full moon fishing when bedding season is over with?

[Bruce Condello]

What time of day were you fishing, Jeremy? And you're fishing in a gentle current such as backwaters of creeks, is that correct? What's the water clarity like? Are you fishing live bait, or do you prefer artificials?

[Jeremy R. Mayo]

Well I had the boat in the water at 5:30am and watched 2 tounanment groups blast off while I watched with glazed eyes from under the gazibo at the end of the dock trying to stay out of the rain. Pops showed up round 6:15am and we were in the fisrt honey hole at lets say 6:35am. Of course the first thing he says is Im not swingin one of those sticks and picks up the ole baitcaster with a buzz bait. Its been rainin all night and now the water matches the sky. CLOUDY! Well I agreed to waitn on the sticks cause hes got a bitsy minow crankbait tied on his ultra light and I picked it up. Showed him wich stumps to throw at and explained how the banks were flat and where the drop offs were. I caught 3 bluegill on a bitsy minow crank bait as we drifted though the small canal headed to the back as the current pulled us in at an equal speed to the low power pull on my trollin motor. At the back of this canal the current was dead and just slowly filling the dead end with water. After an hour we moved to a larger more open creek fishing stumps and large fallen tree structure. Water was a lil mo clear, clouds were still out, Wind was prolly 7 to 8 mph blowing out of the nw. Nothing happend there so to an even bigger body of water we went fishing good steep banks and heafty drift wood structure. Water was begining to clear and the sun was in and out. I used crickets and redworms most of the day, pops well he bass fished off the back of the boat. THANKS FOR THE HELP OLE MAN! lol. I landed somewheres around 30 and bagged13 over 8 in. Im sure it would have been a bigger bag if there were more crickets in the water but at the same time. I was fishing 4 poles myself. Just not as productive as what im used to. I guess you cant catchem all everytime you head out.

[Bruce Condello]

Thanks for the help, ole man! LOVE it! :)

How are you presenting the crickets? Is there too much current to just try throwing them without any other terminal tackle? For example, sometimes I'll use some Trilene 4 lb. XL and a short-shanked #8 hook with the barb pinched down and I'll throw a cricket, or a half-crawler, with NO WEIGHT and NO BOBBER and let it drift near the structure. I've also used straight yellow grasshoppers and killed 'em like this. It seems like if the big bluegill are picky, that this super stealthy presentation will grab you a few extra fish.

[Jeremy R. Mayo]

I was using a # 8 shortshank with 4lb red cajun line. Super tiny splitshots and pencil floats and let them drift under the over hangs. I also have a B&M 9ft pole set up with the same hook and no weight or bobber that i kinda flip like a fly rod and let drift under the overhangs for water less than 4 ft. I tried the bottom with setting my splitshots 12 to 14 inches above the bait in some 6ft to 8ft water with my 12ft B&M. I also jigged black grubs through the sunkn tops while I patiently waited on those bobbers to go down. Everybody i talked to reported scarce to 0 catches so I guess I didnt do as bad as I thought. I like a good challange and take everything as a learning op. I adapt well but I want to turn those full moon days into just like any other day. Going back to the landing with a limit on the days that folks have 0 bags shows the difference between a when i get the time to fisherman and those old men that always getem. Im only 28 but i want those livewells full like the rare few old men that want give nothing more than a smile as a clue as to how good of a day they had. HAHA

[Bruce Condello]

I like the way you're approaching this. It sounds to me like you are a knowledgable and determined bluegill fisherman. In my opinion, the number one reason that bluegill become hard to catch is that they are already full. When a bluegill has unlimited resources, they can become much more selective when they are eating. A hungry big bluegill may attack your offering, however a full bluegill may have time to examine, and ultimately reject your offering. Since we know that many invertebrates (mayflies, damselflies, midges, etc.) time their hatches with lunar cycles, I would suggest that your bluegills might be gorging themselves overnight, and simply lose some of their ambition during the times you are fishing.

How's that for logic? :-)

[Jeremy R. Mayo]

Knowledgable, ummmmmm I guess you could say. Ive gorged myself in the internet a min of 3 hours a day for the past 3 months. But ive got book sence over commen sense right now as they say.(as far as FISHIN GOES... My spellin... I write it like i hear it! If i spelt it right you wouldnt understand how Ima sayin it. ) I adapt very well to my surroundins and accept the challange of the day as it goes on. I read the article that your talking about but as far as logic...... The seasons are different in the south. Mayflies come in round june. and are already gone. OHH at how my mouth waters of the white film on the water around the willow trees. SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE THE TREE! and remember bluegill spawn around the moon. and in theroy they bed best around those bugs. Bedding ends in june down here. we catch a last spell in oct. and they bed close to these bugs your talkin about. So consider NO BUGS! FULL MOON! FAST MOVIN TIDES! AND YOUR POPS THAT YOU HAVNT FISHED 14 YEARS WITH! Thats some ruff conditions LOL. I think it may have been a lack of sleep and more just stress than anything.

[shooter]

here is a link to some great info in bedding gills and chinks,i hope it works.http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishing/crappies-panfish-fishing/RA_0...

[shooter]

you are right mike,there are times when the only flies gill will take for me have a red but tag.