I want to catch bluegills consistently with only artificial lures (no live bait/no scents) of any kind. No tipping hooks with grubs, etc. No crappie nibbles.

 

Any and all tips would be appreciated!

 

How do I find them? How do I catch them?

 

Thanks!

I'm no expert on brim, so I'd like to learn some tricks too.

 

It's been my experience that they are pretty much on any shoreline that is shallow and looks good. I've had success catching them on small curly tail grubs, beetle spins, roostertails, and small crankbaits. I haven't had a huge amount of success with the roostertails and crankbaits, as I'm targeting bass. But if I get into a spot where gills are messing with my plastic worms, I may downsize to a grub and catch a few.

 

Bluegills have small mouths, but if you're open to other brim, such as greensunfish and warmouth, which have larger mouths, they are more easily caught.

Find: mid depth areas (8'-12') near weedlines. They'll be near the edges or just inside...trying to hide from the bass/pike/etc

 

Techniques:

 1: Light jigs (1/16-1/32oz) under a bobber at a depth about midway to the bottom to near the bottom. Tip the hook with a number of plastics. 2"-2.5" minnows (Berkley Gulp, Big Bites Crappie Minnow, Bobby Garland Baby Shad), Creature baits (1.25" Berkley Gulp Stonefly, 2.25" Bobby Garland Mayfly), or the old reliable Mr Twister 2" Teenie Tail.

 

You can also use those same plastics on a Drop-Shot. #4 hook, 1/8oz weight about 2'-4' down from the hook...just jiggle it out there and SLOW drag.

5 wt. fly rod, foam spiders.  Fish around docks and shoreline cover/structure.  Tons of fun.

The gulp series of soft plastics has worked ok for me when targeting panfish in the spring time.

 

Sorry I'm not help this time of year though.

I like trout magic jigs for bigger gills. For smaller ones I take the smallest hook I can find, attach a tiny split shot to it, and attach a piece of soft plastic cut from another larger bait. 

Right on this site go to Rage Tail. Click on products. Click on Specialty Products. Click on Mr. Crappie. All you need for soft plastics and jig heads. Many retailers offer Panfish Kits at low prices. Hard Plastics: Rebel Teeny Wee Craw and the Crick Hopper both 2 - 3 ft. running depth and for top water. Both Float. And of course, the Beetle and Cajun Spins in 1/16oz to 1/8oz.  

Good Fishing

My brother started a non-profit to help get kids fishing. He takes groups of 3-4 kids out on his boat (parents or guardians must also attend). 

 

He used to troll bottom bouncers with spinners and worms...would catch the crap out of bluegills suspended 8-10 feet down. Lots of work and the rigs would get twisted and tangled a lot. 

 

He has since simplified his rigs...a simple 3/4 to 1 oz. egg sinker, then a swivel and 2-3 foot leader. Ties on the smallest of squarebills....not sure of the size, maybe 3/4 of an inch long. 

 

They slay the gills!

 

I can tell you my absolute favorite way to catch nice bluegills.

 

Strike King Bitsy Minnow on UL spinning.

 

Catches big bluegills and bass love them as well.

 

I rarely just cast and reel, it's more of a cast and twitch back.

 

Not kidding, it's one of my favorite ways to fish.

 

 

 

Caught stacks of bluegill on these, #6 1/20thoz jighead

worked super slow

3wt fly rod and slow sinking spiders or small poppers.sliders or gurglers.  They are a ton of fun to catch and easy to find.  If there is vegetation you can usually hear them popping the surface feeding too.

I caught these from the bank, i can see the weedline and i cast out well beyond it and with a bobber using a small 1/16 or 1/32 jig,  I was using cooked shrimp, I then twitch the jig a bit, wait for a strike, if not then i twitch and reel in a bit untill i hit the weed line, i get the blue gill, pumpkinseed from way off the weed line up to the main noticeable weed line.

I was using cooked shrimp, got tired of rebaiting so i went to casting ang jigging back a small white curly tailed grub and a silver sparkly grub and all i started catching was small crappie cast after cast, was able to catch 6 keepable crappie and threw the rest back in.

I then got tired of casting so i put bobber back on and with same jig i put on a 2" gulp minnow and cast out and twitch it and then i was catching crappie, bluegills and pumpkin seed.