The bluegills are starting to go full spawn mode in my neck of the woods and im sure in many of yours. Im still pretty new to catching greenbacks and am curious yalls favorite ways to catch them around bluegill beds! Its seems like they would be a hotspot for big bass going after fish on beds on the outskirts of colonies. I'm thinking wake baits, weightless worms, flukes, poppers, and chatterbaits. Any recommendations or tricks youre willing to share?

Savage Gear makes a small bluegill swimbait, it weighs not much. I can cast it on a Medium Black Max rod, its a bluegill shaped swimbait with a boot tail. Does amazing on bluegill beds.

 

If legal in your state a live bluegill will also catch some big bass, just make sure you take the proper precautions to avoid gut hooking the bass.

 

If the bass fishing doesnt pay off that day, catch some big bluegills and put them in the frying pan.

Chatterbait. In the dark.

In years past I had access to a small lake with an awesome blue gill population.  We used a little white spider made of foam with rubber band legs.  My friend with a fly rod and myself with an ultralight spinning outfit and a casting bubble. Start close and in each cast go just a little further out. A slight twitch on the spider would cause the water to explode as the big bull gills attacked the spiders.  Many 10" gills were put in my freezer over the years I had the privilege of fishing that lake !!

When I’m focusing on bluegill beds I like a top water prop bait like a Devils Horse or a Black Label Balsa Tease bait in bluegill color. Also a Smithwick Rogue or Cordell Redfin in gold with an orange belly works too. 

Around here the bluegill beds are usually between the bank and the vegetation growing out from the bank.  I like fishing a swim jig through the vegetation..

Done really well with shaky heads/swimbaits/buzzbaits/finesse jigs and frogs around the bream beds this year.

The bigger female LMB that spawned earlier are recovering post spawn and the males may still be guarding the fry.

It comes down to timing if LMB want to chase down faster moving lures.

I would start out with Senko 5” weightless wacky rigged along deeper weed edges about 8’ deep, easy meal.

Tom

1 hour ago, Bankbeater said:

Around here the bluegill beds are usually between the bank and the vegetation growing out from the bank.  I like fishing a swim jig through the vegetation..

I see that all the time too. 

Was fishing this last week.  0.8 gram jig, size 10 hook with 1 1/2” Charlie Brewer Grub, just wanted panfish and was catching lots of bass.  First bass was probably the biggest one I I’ll hook all year but 4 pound line and no landing net did not end well.  Second trip out I was ready, but bass still wanted nothing but the real small lures.  Bluegill on the beds here in Michigan.

Wacky rigged Senko for me. Next would be a lizard or a goby bait. Topwater poppers in the morning and shallow cranks in the afternoon also work well. 

Awesome I'll be set heading out next! Thanks you guys. Have a feeling I'll have some good luck heading out around the full moon

I like throwing bluegill Swimbaits around the the outer edges of the bluegill bedding areas.