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 Bluegill
This one is
probably a surprise to most people landing on this page.
Bluegill
are known among most people as perch or bream. Talk to people about
bluegill, and the first thing that comes to mind are the small, bait
stealing nuisances that inhabit the areas under boat docks and around
the banks of virtually all lakes. But when I talk about
bluegill as
second of my favorite fish, I'm talking about the kind on
steroids.....like the one below. This
kind of
adult bluegill in lakes that are managed for them, provide light tackle
action that is second to none. All it takes is
a hook,
sinker, bobber and cricket and you're fishing for big bull bluegills
that will keep your rod bent for hours during the spring and early
summer each year. Bluegill and fishing from
small boats go
hand in hand because when bluegill are biting fast, they are in
relatively shallow water, so coves and protected banks are ideal
hunting spots. When bluegills begin to
move to shallow
water to spawn in spring, they bunch up in small areas called "beds"
that can contain hundreds of fish. It's not unusual to pull up on a big
bluegill bed and catch over 50 fish that will fill your basket or
stringer.
 God made bluegill just
so people could
take their kids fishing without getting bored. This
classic
picture below was staged by Ralph Pyles (small fish holder) with his
son Dillon. Those two fish really were caught at the same time. We had
a lot of fun with this picture.....and I guess I still am.
All of
the pictures below were from trips fishing from my small boat.
 Taking kids fishing for
bluegill is a
tailor made way to hook them on the sport. Lots of action to keep them
from getting restless. But when you take a kid fishing, don't be a big
grouch. Make the trip for them. Take plenty of
snacks and
if they get
hot let em jump in the water. They won't melt and it'll go a long way
towards an enjoyable experience for them. My daughter likes to cool off
a little on a hot fishing day.
 On light tackle,
bluegill can fight with
the best of them. If they got as big as largemouth bass, you'd have to
have deep sea tackle to get them in the boat.
And finally, when the
day is done, the
reward is some of the sweetest meat that swims in fresh water.
These fish are abundant, will bite like they are starving and can be found in shallow areas by the hundreds in the spring and early summer. They require only light, simple tackle to catch, and their taste is unequaled by any freshwater fish. They multiply quickly and limits are liberal. They are perfect for getting kids hooked on the sport of fishing. So why are they not number one? Because for all the positives about them, in most reservoirs the times to catch them in abundance in shallow water is relatively short during the spring spawning season. After that, they can become difficult to locate and hard to catch in good numbers. But they stay around long enough and provide enough entertainment to make number two on my Fishing From Small Boats list of my favorite fish. Below is a parting
shot that illustrates
why I have a love affair with bluegill.
 Here's to your good fishing ~ Mark Rogers Valuable Businesses
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Copyright 2009 - All
rights reserved - Mark Rogers
-Fishing From Small Boats
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