Thread: Question about Gills

Save the Crickets and Redworms for Summer. In cold water I like using small round or tear drop ice jigs tipped with wax worm or Berkley maggot.

Even in summer when the bite gets alittle slow I will tie on an ice jig with a wax worm. I've found that using wax worms I catch larger gills, and more of them.

When I go fishing with my wife and son. I will take redworms for the simple fact that my wife doesn't like touching the waxies. She does get alittle upset when I'm outfishing her, and she seems to catch the smaller ones on redworm. I feel that the bigger gills will chase the smaller gills off and grab the wax worm.

Butterworms are also nice if you can find them. They are larger in size and more colorfull, running from white, yelllow, then orange to red. The big Pumpinseeds on Cayuga Lake love Butterworms.

I have had good luck with Rebel Crickhopper and small crank baits in the warm summer months. Just give them a squirt of crappie / panfish attractant.

Most folks around here are either into Bass or Trout. They find it odd that I chase Big Bluegill and Crappie. But when they see the pictures of the fish I have landed the storie changes, and I end up taking a new friend out in the kayaks to show them how it's done.

I hope this helps and I wish you good luck. Any questions fell free to ask, we are all here to help each other.

Good info hellbender, maybe some of the guys from down south will chime in. For me it seems the big ones disappear in winter...just a lack of know how on my part. hope ya get a boat load fishing1

I agree with hellbender. I fish exclusively with ice jigs and waxes and love 8"-9" gills for flathead bait. I have used nothing else and have 3 small plano boxes filled with ice jigs just another obsession to occupy ones time!

How you guys rigging and fishing the ice jigs in the summer? I got some left from my ice fishing days up north
maybe I could use them down here.

Originally Posted by Yodibuzz

How you guys rigging and fishing the ice jigs in the summer? I got some left from my ice fishing days up north
maybe I could use them down here.

It's really simple, just fish it like you would a regular jig or minnow under a slip cork. I use weighted cigar shaped foam floats to get a better cast. (Also a 6 to 7 foot rod will help get your rig out further.) A small split shot 4-5 inches above the jig, just to help detect soft bites. Set the float to the depth fish are in and cast out. You can use a very slow retrieve or use the weight on the end of the float to give it a twitch. Don't forget to tip your ice jig with a wax worm or butter worm. I have even used Berkley crappie nibbles and caught some very nice crappie this way.



I use to use this set up when the bite got tough, but I have found I catch more and larger gills when the bite is on. It's nothing fancy but it's alot of fun.

One very cold February day several years ago, a friend and I were fishing a river channel just below where it entered into a large lowland lake. We were using minnows and actually were Crappie fishing. We would drop the bait to the river bottom and raise up about a foot. We got bites and when we retrieved our baits the eyes would be missing. I told my friend that I knew what was going on. We changed over to #6 bream hooks, putting two on about 10 inches apart with the weight on the bottom of the line. We did what my Dad and I had done on a few occasions, cut some minnows into three parts, baited up and started catching some of the biggest bluegills you could ask for. We went home that day with two full limits, 50 for each of us. What stands out about that day is when we got back to the boat launch and I stood up I started shaking from the cold and didn't think I would ever stop and we were dressed in layers with insulated coveralls on. Supposed to be 13 tomorrow night guess that made me think of that fishing trip.

Originally Posted by Yodibuzz

How you guys rigging and fishing the ice jigs in the summer? I got some left from my ice fishing days up north
maybe I could use them down here.

Those ice jigs will work in hard and also soft water. This is my basic rig setup for water up tp 15 feet. I just use a slip float rig.

Thanks guys , I ll try both set ups.