I started fishing for bluegills a few weeks ago. Did a lot as a kid growing up. I'm trying to learn about their spawning habits. Read several articles that claim they spawn several times a year. Do those tasty fish move to the shallows and spawn around every full moon? I have read that 5 days before to 5 days after a full moon is the best time to catch them shallow. Any truth to this? I fish Kentucky lake and lake Barkley around Dover TN. Thanks for what you know.
Mike
No help from here but i am watching this thread with interest myself. Never have chased them but sounds fun.
For some reason I thought the Gill spawn was around the new moon.
An excerpt from Game and Fish.
Scientific studies of sunfish spawning haven’t singled out the moon phase as a primary factor of when the fish choose to spawn. Instead, the focus has been on temperature and other basic requirements. Still, as any experienced angler can attest, anecdotal evidence suggests that the moon is very important. Generally speaking, four days before and a few days after the full moon, bream are at the peak of spawning activity.
When bream are on the beds, they throw all caution to the wind and defend their territory against all comers. The complete focus on completing the task at hand, and the rambunctious approach to it, is what makes bedding bream so much fun.
Read more: http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishin...#ixzz5I306zkgk
I've heard they might spawn 2-3 times per yr, but I doubt if it's every 30 days.
Also, crickets are the ticket!
I try to hit 'em pretty much every full moon from May until the Fall. Also somewhat on the New moon, too. It seems to me the quality and quantity can diminish with each passing month. At least on the shallow beds. But they are the ones that get hammered. Try finding and fishing some of the deeper beds, too. SI or sv makes it much easier to find them. As for baits, I use the same jigs I tie for specks. 1/32 or 1/16 No.4 sickle hook. My jigs are usually about 2-2 1/2" total. Grey Ghost has been working really well lately. But as noted, when they are on the bed jig color is not what's foremost on their mind.
Those jig sizes fall fairly slow. When fishing deep do you add any weight to the setup such as a split shot or small bullet weight just above the jig?Originally Posted by TeeDee
Not unless wind, etc, dictates that I do. Normally the deepest beds I hit are around 12' or less so I try not to add weight. 1/16 oz is the more likely jig on the deeper bed areas, and I usually go to 2 lb hi vis. That speeds up the sink some. If someone has never seen the bed spots in deeper water, they can cover a good sized area. I cast and let it fall most often, but will also vertical jig. Some go to small jigs with a weight -and that woks fine, but these bream will choke what I am offering.
One last question, I think. Do you put a fluro or mono leader onto your high viz line? I ask as I'm reading articles that says these fish have great eye sight.
Good info! I havnt ever figured out the pattern of a bluegill. I love taking my daughter to catch a mess of them though! Excellent eating!
No leader, just tie straight to jig. I don't think they are as line shy as we may believe at times. IDK maybe I would catch more if I changed a few things, but since I don't I guess I will never know. I throw the same things at them as the specks, same jigs, colors, etc. Bream have no problem taking a larger jig than I used to think possible.
You can find there beds on side scan and usually see if there's fish in them. Small pea gravel bottom or sandy is a good place to start anywhere from 1' to 6'. The best I found this year is 3.5' I use a #4 mustad hook about 18 " above a 3/8 oz Dempsey swivel and drag bottom with red worm or pinch of night crawler.
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