Hey All!

Looking to go out and catch more gills and crappie for a nice fish dinner some night. But I have a question..

I always seem to catch bluegills, but sometimes they dont have blue gills. I know there are other type of fish that are shaped like gills, and are part of the bluegill family, but are those good to eat too? Is there a certain fish shapped like a bluegill to watch out for or not to eat? Also what are good baits/lures to catch gills on this time of year. I am on the Missouri/Illinois boarder to give you an idea where I am. Please help! Thanks everyone..

James

Welcome to the board, first off ;D...

The others are sunfish, basically group them all as bream , which there none that are inedible as far as I know..

As of late, in my neck of the woods, I've been having good bit of luck with 1/64 shad dart heads, and using a berkley powerbait nymph on it under, with a slip bobber.. What I do is use a length of flourocarbon as a leader, and use an extra weight above that(usually 1/32nd) to get down a little quicker... Seems to be paying off for me these past 3 weekends I've been out trying it...

Also try beetle spins and roostertails...

Hope I was some help to you, and best of luck to you..

Tux

For "bream" I like to use a small fly called a "bream killer".  I forget who makes it but I got it at walmart one time.  It is black, with a tuft on brown on the back, and half inch white rubber legs.  I use 4 lbs. mono on a ultralight spinning setup.  Don't cast it, just pitch it under trees and next to logs.  When it sinks down you will see the white legs disappear,that means set the hook!

Fish topwater, right before the sun goes down

my favorite, is called the bumble bug i think.....its a topwater bumble bee

Beetlespins and I have some small thin ~3" red worm size I bought off ebay that I rig weightless - they kill this.

All fresh water fish are edible. The most common: 1.)Bluegill - distinguished by the blue gill and lower jaw. 2.)Pumpkinseed - distinguished by the bright orange spot at the tip of the ear flap. 3.)Black Crappie - distinguished by the black / black-green mottlings scattered scattered over its body and fins, also, the depressed forehead resulting in a turned up snout. 4.)Spotted Sunfish - distinguished by its over all green color and redish-yellow belly and black spots below the lateral line.

I usually catch bluegills and crappies (the better tasting ones) with a small spoon, long shanked hook, and a dillie. If you use a crawler they will most likely just nibble away at it avoiding the hook.

try using a small blue fox spinner bait on an ultra light pole with 6 lb test this seams ro work for me when it comes to bream