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I am new to the bluegill/crappie fishing game so excuse me if this is a stupid question. While fishing for either fish are you just as likely to catch both species or is fishing for bluegills completely different than fishing for crappie and vice versa?
You can usually use the same tackle and lures, but I usually don't catch both at the same time because of the different ways to target them. But if you were say casting jigs or roadrunners, sure you could catch both.
I see folks up north that ice fish catch both plus other species together often though.
Just my .02.
How should I go about targeting Bluegills? I live in arkansas and typically fish large clear lakes.
You are very likely to encounter other sunfish species, when Crappie fishing, and not just Bluegill ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by ballgamedrink
When fishing for Crappie, whether using minnows, other live critters, or artificial lures ... you're attempting to make the fish think it's something they want to eat, and it's an easy meal. That appeals to Bluegill (and other sunfish) as much as it does to Crappie. Crappie just have bigger mouths, and usually "inhale" their food .... whereas Bluegill and most other sunfish have smaller mouths, and "peck" their food (to injure or incapacitate it).
I don't often fish for Bluegills, or the "other" sunfish, so I can't say that Crappie will always go for the same baits used to catch them. But, I have caught Crappie on baits other than what is normally used for them, alive or artificial. And I've certainly caught plenty of Bluegill/sunfish when using minnows or tubejigs or Roadrunners, along with many other species of fish. So, yeah ... I'd say you were "just as likely" to catch both species, while specifically fishing for one or the other ;) And that's especially true if using a bait that imitates something either/both would normally eat.
... cp :cool:
When I fish for crappies, I frequently catch gills and vice versa. When I want to target gills, I fish live maggots under a float about 90% of the time. IMO, properly presented live bait is just unbeatable. When the fish are on the beds, you can catch them easily using almost anything, but I've found that float fished maggots work year round in all conditions. I rarely fish for bedding gills anymore because I know I can get plenty of fish at other times of the year and have no competion from other fishermen.Quote:
Originally Posted by ballgamedrink
Finesse will catch you a lot more gills. Light line, small hooks, and sensitive floats will help a bunch. I use 4# line on the reel and ALWAYS use a lighter leader, usually 6X or 7X fly tippet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ballgamedrink
Get a # 8 hook and put a wax worm on it. Fish this under a slip float. You will catch them by the hundreds or downsize to a 1/80th or 1/64th hair jig under a slip float also, and tip with maggots.
what ship said... for bluegills cant go wrong with wax worms.. ohh and also just try shorelines,coves and any laydowns or docks, you will find them more around shorline and shorline structure then in middle of lake, your probably more likely to catch bluegills crappie fishing then to catch crappies bluegill fishin but you can catch both usually
Sometimes where ever and when ever you catch all the Crappie in one spot you normally start catching Bluegills or vice versa.
here in central florida we use grass shrimp..you can also use crickets and red wiggler worms..you will catch specks, blue gill, bream, catfish and stripers on the same rig..if you are fishing where there is some shell bottom and you see the small shells popping up, that's blue gill feeding..when i see that i put on a bobber and fish just off the bottom.. good fishing!
the world record bluegill weighed 5 lb. 7 oz. and was caught in ketona Lake near Birmingham Alabama in 1950..
Quote:
Originally Posted by ballgamedrink
When targeting gills i pretty much stay around docks, i look for things like lights, minnow buckets, ropes hanging from the dock w/ cover tied to them, fish cleaning stations, and so on. i use a slip cork a couple of shots and a # 6 hook. I'll fish the leading outside edge and work my way around the dock fishing every nook and cranny i can get to, if you seem to be catching only lil 1's you are too shallow, adjust your cork to allow you to fish just off the bottom. the big fish will be lower than the lil 1's and you have to get down to them. i use a varity of differant baits cricketts maggots red worms and some times minnows ( but they have to be very small). gulp makes artificial maggots and worms and i swear that these artificials out fish live bait
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...dcalebfish.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...tedangills.jpg
Very good information from all the other posts. Here are some of the things I do when targeting southern sunfish. My larger bluegill have been caught throwing small rooster tails and roadrunners to the shoreline and retrieving back to the boat.
I've had success with large sunfish during the spring are Corp of Engineer spillways around rocks from shore, oxbows and canals.
I use a 10 ft noodle rod, 4lb Spider mono, adjustable non weighted 2 inch cigar cork, split shot, #10 long shank cricket hook, baited with two redworms, a wax worm or cricket.
I use the adjustable weighted 3 inch cigar cork and 1/64 char/pink jig
here's some good crappie fishing tips
Crappie Fishing resources - surefire techniques to catch a boat load of crappie
When you go crappie fishing it is not enough to be in the right place at the right time. You need to have your best crappie fishing tips at your disposal. Instead of coming home with a empty stringer , lets take a look at some crappie fishing tips that will fill your cooler on your next crappie fishing trip.
#1 Crappie Fishing information always catch your bait from the same water you are going to fish. Chances are crappie will spit out anything that is not natural to their habitat.
#2 Crappie Fishing information If you fish from a boat and have a fish finder you need to be able to identify large schools of crappie when they show up on your fish finder. When you spot what looks like a upside Christmas tree on the screen this a large school of crappie.
#3 Crappie Fishing resources When you locate a large school of crappie never fish in the middle of the school. Work the edges of the school so you don't spook the fish.
#4 Crappie Fishing information When you locate a school of fish, start by line to the bottom. Slowly crank in your reel counting every turn until you get a hit. Now mark your line with a permanent magic marker , preferably a bright color. The reason you mark your line is so you can go right back to the same depth the next time you drop your line. Repeat this step until the crappie school moves.
#5 Crappie fishing information Crappie rise to the bait their eyes are located on the top of their heads so the do not see anything below them. You must make sure your bait presentation is always above them.
#6 Crappie fishing information use an ultra-light rig that weighs only a few ounces. Crappie are not heavy hitters. Many time they just suck on the bait and if you don't have light tackle you will never feel the hit.
#7 Crappie fishing technique use 2-4 pound test line , always make sure your is located on a loop, not held tight on the hook ring. The hook needs to move freely to give the bait some play. Remember the more natural the bait looks the more fish you will catch.
Now you are ready for your next crappie fishing trip . If you use all or just a few of the crappie fishing tips above you will improve your crappie catch count. So good luck and good fishing! P.S if you want to catch some big slabs use these crappie fishing resources.
aJust when you think you have heard it all , along comes another idea. When times are hard and you cant find a bait house open, Wall-mart is closed ,BP has shut down for church hour. Go around your house, barn carport, capture a wasp nest and use the lava. they are great. Everything you have heard here today is the truth!
where in arkansas do you live i am north of fort smith in unointown
i have the gulp maggots and worms,but i have much better luck with live crickets
I've caught alot of bluegill when fishing rock ledges for crappie
There is a difference, Blue Gill tend to feed off of surfice. I never have caught surfice crappie. Maybe some one else out there has, I haven't. But I have caught bluegill while fishing for crappie.