Bluegill, a favorite fish for several reasons

Bluegill are probably one of my favorite kinds of fish. They are relatively easy to catch, super fighters and downright good table fare. My Grandma used to want the bluegill, if we were lucky enough to catch a mess. She wanted hers scaled with all the bones in them.

My first bluegill that I can remember were caught on a fly rod. Dad had a split bamboo fly rod and one of those automatic reels. The flies were bought at Coast to Coast in Ogallala, Nebraska. Dad helped me set up the fly rod, gave me some elementary lessons and then left me to it. I caught some bluegill behind me when I was trying to cast and didn't quite make it. Some I caught in front like I was supposed to. Dad ended up getting me a simple fly-tying kit so I ended up making a bunch of woolly worms and poppers. They worked.

In the spring the bluegill will make beds in shallow water that can be a foot or so deep. Water temperature will be right at 70 degrees, so you can track this with a thermometer. This will be in the ends of shallow bays or little inlets. If you are careful you can see these small round circles where they have cleaned off a bed for the eggs. You can cast a small float with a hook suspended about a foot or so down. Bait the hook with a grub worm, a cricket or a small red wiggler. I'd probably weight the hook with a split shot or two.

Another way is to cast a fly up into the shallow water. Use something like a woolly worm or small popper or a May-fly imitation. I would use a size 8- or 10- or even 12-size hook. When I tie the May-fly imitation, I like to put several wraps of lead wire around the hook to cause it to sink. I'd use a 3- or 4-pound tippet. You can use almost any size fly rod from 3 on up to 6 or 7 weight. I'd use a floating weight forward or bass bug taper fly line.

As the summer warms up, bluegill will go into deeper water. Bluegill like cover like sunken trees or stumps or brush piles or even rocks. All of these will hold bluegill. To catch the bluegill, you will need to fish almost right on or in this cover. Some like to tie a size 8 or 10 hook on the end of the fishing line.

Then go up a foot or so and add a couple split shot. Cast this as close to the sunken cover as you can. I like to tie a bullet sinker on the end of my fishing string. I then go up about 12 to 14 inches and tie about a one-inch loop using a figure 8 knot. I tie on a size-8 snelled hook. Bait the hooks with a wax worm, cricket or red wiggler.

Because you are fishing right next to or in the cover, you will loose a lot of hooks and weights. Come prepared. There are times when I've lost a dozen hooks and a bunch of weights. Bring too many and you will go home satisfied.

Almost any place you can get to the water will work. Cast your rigging out and let it settle down to the bottom. Give it 10 or 20 minutes. If no bites, then reel it in and cast it to a new location. Keep looking till you find some bluegills. Many times the Missouri Department of Conservation sinks cover around the floating docks. These are excellent places to fish from shore. Wear rubber boots and go searching for fishing spots. Lake Girardeau is one of my favorite lakes for bluegill.

Fish that you may catch at Lake Girardeau are redear sunfish. They look just like a bluegill, only are usually bigger. Many of these will be the size of your hand. When you catch one of these redears, they will have a bright red circle by their fins just in back of their heads on both sides. They are super fighters and great table fare.

Virtually any rod and reel combination will work. Line weight from four pounds on up to 14-pound weight line will work. My favorite reel is a Zebco 33, and my favorite rod is an Ugly Stick.

Until next time.