Documenting BG Spawning dates around the country -

[Farm Hunter]

Hi All -

I've been looking forward to BG Spawning coming up, and I got to wondering where they were already spawning. Realizing its already probably to late in some areas - I thought it would be neat if other posters could chime in with dates they first notice Active Breeding of Bluegill and the general location in the country.

Still probably 3-4 weeks away for me - Who has active, spawing BG right now?

FH

[Bruce Condello]

Nothing yet here in Eastern Nebraska. Water temps are broadly in the mid 50's. I'm thinking we'll see serious bedding activity in about 2-4 weeks. The water will soon be warming quickly. Good idea for a thread, F-H!

[Bill "Musky" Modica]

Due to a late spring, and the current surface temps (58) I would have to say that the first week of June will be the peak in Northern Illinois.

[PaPa Cheese-O]

where in northern Illinois do you fish? I fish the chain o lakes. The lakes are high but 2-3 weeks ago the channels were full of gills. kept 97 and 67 on 2 consecutive weeks. I agree the month of June is bedding time. Good Luck

[George Hogoboom]

Jackson County Michigan-A few small Gills around shore line.Will be about 2 to 4 weeks yet for bedding to start.Picked up a few keepers(7 to 8 inch) on flyrod yesterday.

George H.

[John Sheehan]

In New Jersey I have just started seeing a few,very few gills on nests...We had a few days of high 80's ...dont know if these will drop eggs as it cooled off again ...

[Jim Gronaw]

Central Maryland...observed bedding gills on 4-25, earliest ever, after 4 consecutive 90 F days. Seasonal and below seasonal temps have water dropping from 72 to 60-62 F this past week with cold rain to boot...gills in ponds that were spawning have drifted back, likely to resume when water approaches 70 F. Gills in 300 acre Piney Run have made pre-spawn movements but have not bedded. June 1 to June 15 usually sees peak spawning activity for gills in Central MD and Mason-Dixon region.

[John Sheehan]

Thanks for this info Jim!
I went from shore today at the small lake (Cupsaw )in a NW cove(the same nw cove I've mentioned to you before) for about 45 minutes... threw a 5" Kalin Grub(8 lb test) and got nips so I suspected gills or perch.I proceeded with 4 lb test and night crawlers got a few Gills ...knew some were aggressive at this point but bite wasnt great...switched to mealworms put on a bobber 2' above and watched as they would tend to hit three times before bobber went down or away...then put on a plain feather jig got hits but no takes...continued with a lighter float 2' above with the same Jig tipped with a mealworm ..this seemed to turn them on in a bigger way ..and caught 6 or7 R,ears and B,Gills the Blue gills were bigger than the redears by a 1/2 inch average.
Reds were tween 6& 7& 1/4 or thereabouts.

[Tony Livingston]

They're firing up here in south-central Indiana. I caught a mess yesterday, with just a few redears on the nest, then tonight I went over and checked... wow, what a difference a day makes! There were big Gills' and redears all over the place. The water is muddy where they're working, so it has just started. They're still skittish enough to head out to deeper water when you walk up, so they haven't fully commited yet. Give em' about three days.

[Farm Hunter]

So does 60 degree daytime water sound about right then? Its interesting to see what everyone says. I'm assuming in the South that its done & over....... does that sound right for Georgia or Texas?

FH

[John Sheehan]

Between today and yesterday I'd say the Mid May BG/RE bite is on big time in my small Cupsaw lake in Ringwood NJ. A Northeastern border town to NY state.

[Jim Barndt]

Here in N.E. Pa. the water temp. is still in the low 50's. I fished yesterday and all the Gill's I cought were in no less than 8' of water, but most were in the 18 to 20' range. I've seen nothing in the shallow water but a few small pumpkinseed's. My best guess for up here would be atleast 3 to 4 week's.

[Jim Gronaw]

Went yesterday 5-13 and had gills spawning at the local pond...this is still an early date, yet had them on bed on 4-25. Got 15 grippers to 9 1/2 in. Gills are still prespawn at Piney Run Lake which is just 20 miles to the south. Saw a colony of beds that had a lot of algae settling into them with no fish around. We are catching post spawn largemouths just outside of the bedding sites. Probly hit another pond soon to see what's up.