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Hey everyone, what rigs do you use for catching bluegill? Other than the usual bobber setup, which is the only one I'm really familiar with. I recently found out that BIG bluegill stay in deeper waters, but I am a bank fisherman so I'm not sure how I can reach them. Please share your rigs with me! :D
Use a sliding bobber setup and a long rod. It will allow you to cast out farther and fish deeper from shore. Try sliding your stop knot up your line until your bobber doesn't stand up. Reel in and slide your knot down toward your bait about a foot and cast again. Keep doing this until you find out how deep the water is and then fish about a foot or less off the bottom. Doesn't take long to do this. Make sure you have enough weight on your line to hold the bobber low in the water. Makes it easier for the fish to pull it under. Just one of many ways you'll find that works from shore.
A weighted float (when using a float) might add enough weight to get a cast further out when fishing live bait (freelining without a float I use split-shot or small egg weight) but I add a small egg weight above a lure (like a beetle spin) for farther casts and to get the lure down.
I use weighted floats, but they are not the slip sinker type so I can't get the bait down to the bottom. When freelining do you just put the bait on the hook and add a split shot and just cast the bait out? Do bluegill feed off the bottom? And when adding an egg weight to a lure such as the beetle spin do you have a snap swivel stopping the eggweight from hitting the lure? thanks
1st question: Yes. Split-shot or small egg weight about an inch or two above the hook but sometimes higher if I want the bait to move around a lot.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnimeFANatic
2nd question: Yes, but they will bite at any level of the water column.
3rd question: No swivels or snaps. I thread the egg weight on the line and again thread the end of the line back through the same entry hole so I can slip the weight up or down on the line (sort of a slip loop) but I usually just butt the egg weight down directly in front of the lure. It will not slide down over the armature/spinner of a beetle spin but it might on other lures and that's why I use a slip type loop on the egg weight so I can adjust the weight.
I like to swim sweet corn in on a snelled hook either with or without a "thill" type bobber. Without the hookup tends to be with larger 'gills. The biggest thing is to use fresh canned corn or frozen b/c it stays on the hook better and increases hookups. With day old corn it tends to fall off when splashing down or gets nibbled off by the smaller gills. I also like to add my weight before the snell so it gets the bait farther out and allows it to float off the bottom as I reel it back. remember this isn't crankin so take your time reeling back.
I assumed that when the egg weight is directly in front of the lure it would effect the action of the lure. Also another question about freelining, isn't it better to have the bait suspended or do they feed off the bottom just as well?Quote:
Originally Posted by dixieangler
No. A beetle spin or other spinner or lure performs normally for me when I rig the small egg weight with the slip type loop I mentioned just in front of the lure.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnimeFANatic
Either way but it would largely depend on which way they are biting. They may want the bait suspended just above the bottom or directly on the bottom. I would start off directly on the bottom and if they don't want it that way, switch to suspending it above the weight.
What kind of rig would you use for this? A surf leader? Drop shot? 3 way swivel? And would you use a circle hook to prevent gut hooking since you're not using a float as an indicator? Sorry for all the questions :)Quote:
Originally Posted by dixieangler
Aka suspended after adjusting:DQuote:
1st question: Yes. Split-shot or small egg weight about an inch or two above the hook but sometimes higher if I want the bait to move around a lot.
Suspended after adjusting? Sorry I'm having a hard time imaging what you're trying to say. From what I understand the bait will still be lying on the bottom.
If I adjust the small egg weight up the line, when I cast the rig, the weight goes to the bottom but the bait is free moving or suspending above the bottom like a Carolina Rig with a plastic worm.Quote:
But a split shot/egg sinker wouldn't suspend the bait right?
Ah I see what you're saying, but wouldn't the bait sink also after time? Or do you keep the weight moving as if you're fishing for bass?Quote:
Originally Posted by dixieangler
Depends if there is some sort of current or not. No, I don't usually move it as it should have enough action without moving it but if no current, it may need to be moved occasionally.
Would using a surf leader setup work for targeting deep bluegill? That way it's barely suspended off the bottom, I'd like to try this rig using #8 circle hooks also.
I like to use light weight hi-res braid off of a spinning reel. I tie on a light mono leader without any swivels. About three feet down on the leader I tie on a 6 inch leader with a the smallest short shanked circle hooks I can find, i.e 4 or 6. About a foot below where I tied on the first hook and leader I tie on a small bass weight. About a foot bellow that, at the bottom of the leader, I will tie on a 2nd hook.
In very shallow, calm water I will shorten the leaders and use less weight. I prefer this to bobber if they are active. In deeper water I will use heavier weights. If I am fishing from a boat or pier straight down the 2nd hook will go above the weight. If the fish are stealing bait, I have found it works best to use a smaller 10 aberdeen hook. I bend the point inwards to point straight towards the eye of the hook. I use the bass weight instead of splitshot when I remember because bluegill will peck the splitshot right off the line. I keep this rig moving as slow as possible and wait for the greediest bluegill to hit it.
crawler harness (bright colored) with a good old canadian crawler with a split shot or two, cast it out and reel it in. try it a few times, guaranteed fish, or use one of those perch rigs cuz theyll catch most panfish including bluegill
I tried the surf leader using two size 8 circle hooks and a 1/4oz bass casting weight at Clear Lake this weekend using Berkley Honey Worms. This worked great, think bluegill fight hard? Try fighting 2 at the same time!
There arew several ways you can keep a bait suspended off the bottom, my favorite are the small stryo-foam floats used for some walleye rigs, and a 1/8 on.worm weight.You will need a small snap swivel also.Slip on the worm weight, tie on the swivel, and next take a piece of mono about 3 ft long, make a loop knot, then slip the small float onto the line, there are two ways to adjust the depth, but the easiest way is to peg thr float with a tooth pick, making sure it will slide up or down, then tie on your hook, and add your favorite bait, I like meal worms or red worms. Castout and let it hit bottom, then move it a few ft, till you find fish, bites will pull the line throught the worm weight, and your line will become taut, use a lighter dropper line than your main line, and you can vary the weights and snell lenghts to your personal needs.The small floats come in various color combos, my favorites are yellow and green or yellow and red, but that is up to you.You can find these floats at bass pro or cabelas, and some good tackle shops carry them.
I have had a lot of luck with a mini carolina rig..using a 1/16 oz bullet weight. leave a foot or so of line between bait and sliding sinker. Meal worm or tipped jig (wax worm or maggot) are what I use as bait.
It gets you under the lilly pads..A lot of hang ups, but worth it.. billsjigs
I use live mosquitoes. I have never seen them go crazy over anything else like they will over the live bloodsuckers.
Try a bobber rig with a 3 way swivel put 2 small jigs on 8-10 " leaders attached to the 3 way put split shots above the 3 way swivil