Spider Rigging For Bluegill

Has anyone applied spider rigging or trolling techniques for locating and catching "offshore" bluegill/bream?

I've always loved panfishing but haven't had the best luck locating them aside from obvious shoreline structure and vegetation.

Now, I do have side scan on my boat now, so it shouldn't be so tough to find them bedding this spring but I've picked off a few here and there out in the middle of the lake and I know they're probably not alone, and it made me consider adding a smaller jig or something in hopes of finding some good ones.

Am I crazy?

Yep, longlining with a tiny foam/rubber spider fly with just a small pinch of shot about 3' above or about any variety of small jighead/curly tail and pullin about .3-.5mph will get it done. Occasionally pick some up pullin for specks, but most often they just bite the tail on the 2" grubs and pull em down the hook or bite off the tail.

Has anyone applied spider rigging or trolling techniques for locating and catching "offshore" bluegill/bream?

Hey Nick, caught these Gill's and Specks Spider Rigging last year, same spot. :ThumbsUp

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Sweet, marv!

Did you go down to smaller jigs/hooks and use a different bait or just small flies or insect looking jigs?

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Originally Posted by sunshine

Sweet, marv!

Did you go down to smaller jigs/hooks and use a different bait or just small flies or insect looking jigs?

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To be honest, these gills were mixed right in with the Crappies, if I remember correctly I was using Shinee Hinee jigs tipped with crappie nibbles.

I rigged up for bream one time and ended up catching specks.... Couldn't believe that itty bitty jig held up.

I mix 1/64th oz jigs with 1/16th, if I want to catch Bream and crappie. Works great, don't forget the nibbles.

1/32 and 1/64 Itty Bitty slayers, or a 1/64 or 100th jig with a little red or orange in it. Trolling a little slower than normal, near the beds.
Works for me!
:fish

No you're not crazy!...I was out fishing a small lake and a guy came by pushing crickets with 12' rods. He had around 6 of them and was picking up gills as he went by so I pulled up the anchor and did the same thing and it worked! The setup is a number 4 hook with a heavy split shot about 8-10" away from the hook. Lite action rods work best cause they hit hard and fast. Of course you'll have to find the fish on open water. I used this technique in another location where they were in open water and I worked there too. Odd for blue gill fishing but effective. I have since switched to a number 6 hook. I have not tried this in the fall or winter months.