don't know what to use for perch or bluegill. Any suggestions?

worms, worms and more worms.

 

In all seriousness though, bluegill will hit anything. I've caught them on stinkbaits, raisins, bare hooks etc.

Perch however, are much more finicky, and in terms of live bait, the only things I've had them hit are nightcrawlers and small shiners.

^ exactly. 

Perch love leeches in my experience, which is unfortunate when you're walleye fishing and keep catching small perch. 

I've had a great deal of success using standard 2" soft plastic crappie baits on 1/16 oz. ball head jigs. I prefer the Bobby Garland's Baby Shads for straight tails and Charlie Brewer's Slider Grubs for paddle tails. Perch will usually stay close to the bottom, so a long cast, let your bait hit bottom, then a slow retrieve, will usually get bit. Bluegills can be everywhere and will hit anything. You do not have to use live bait. The plastics cited will catch them just as well.

Crickets almost 100% of the time for bluegill!

Jeff

Worms, nightcrawler to be exact.  Bluegill all day long or as long as my kids will fish with those.  

Live bait is best. Worms are easy.

As far as artificial lures go, Berkley gulp plastics work well. I keep a jar of the worms and minnows with me in case the bass aren't biting. The fish don't hold on to them as long as live bait most of the time, so you have to be quick on the hookset. It also means you will gut hook less fish.

 

2 inch white Mister Twisters catch more perch for me than anything.

In these parts, in order - grass shrimp, wiggles, crickets.

Wax worms

I have caught big bluegills on bread.

1/16 ounce white Rooster Tail when I want make casts.  Live worms when I don't.

You know those Bagworms you see infested on evergreen trees and shrubs .If can you find some of those and cut them out with manicuring scissors you will have one of the best live baits there is . Bluegill , catfish , carp ...

 

18 minutes ago, scaleface said:

You know those Bagworms you see infested on evergreen trees and shrubs .If can you find some of those and cut them out with manicuring scissors you will have one of the best live baits there is . Bluegill , catfish , carp ...

 

Never thought of doing that. Those things are everywhere right now. A lot less work than catching grasshoppers or crawlers. 

38 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Never thought of doing that. Those things are everywhere right now. A lot less work than catching grasshoppers or crawlers. 

I put them  in a  container and  cut them out when needed .  They may be empty or in the pupa stage right now . Pupa stage is good too .

bluegills love trout magnets...

Bluegills eat anything.. I've caught them on crawlers , bread, waxworms, live minnows , a jelly bean, bare hook (although I wouldn't suggest that) , they are not picky and IMO fairly stupid. 

I picked up a jar of powerbait crappie magnets , never caught a crappie on one. But the bluegill love em. I like the chartreuse. But the gills don't care. I honestly don't think there is an easier fish to catch than a bluegill. 

7 hours ago, scaleface said:

You know those Bagworms you see infested on evergreen trees and shrubs .If can you find some of those and cut them out with manicuring scissors you will have one of the best live baits there is . Bluegill , catfish , carp ...

 

Do Crappie and Perch Hit 'em?

I used to catch bluegill as a kid with homemade doughballs - flour and water on a tiny hook.  You could see the balls of dough disappear into the fish's mouths.

Waxies, or real wax worms on a slip bobber for gills,,,, or crappies,,,, wigglers work good also,,,, 

This time of year the perch are going on minnows up north.  Crappie minnows or small fatheads.  Get your bait inches off the bottom to target larger jumbos rather than just small ones pecking all the time (if you're planning on keeping some).

10 hours ago, scaleface said:

You know those Bagworms you see infested on evergreen trees and shrubs .If can you find some of those and cut them out with manicuring scissors you will have one of the best live baits there is . Bluegill , catfish , carp ...

 

I cringe to look at that pic.Every year I do battle with baggies to save my trees. Hold a lighter to the end of the bag===they come out.Hard to beat a piece of nite crawler for panfish.Bloodworms catch just about everything too[very messy]

20 hours ago, Penguino said:

Do Crappie and Perch Hit 'em?

I've never caught crappie with them but I'm sure they would work on a jig head . I have never caught a perch , so dont know unless your referring to sunfish and sunfish will eat it like candy .

Perch have been banging on a small 3" jerkbait and a Bayou Boogie I've been using lately.