Bream/bluegill/sunfish Bait

[bkohlman]

What is your lure/bait of choice when targeting these bass enemies?

[00 mod]

I don't think of them as enemies, but as food! My bait of choice is a cricket and my lure of choice is a roadrunner.

Jeff

[bkohlman]

What hooks do you use? Do you use float? Ever used fake crickets?

[00 mod]

Size 6 or 8 long shank hooks. I use a float if the bottom is not clean. If it is I use a split shot rig. Never used fake crickets.

Jeff

[NEjitterbugger]

Regular old worms get the job done.... Catch them all day doing that with a float or not, just for the heck of it my dad and I did this and we caught maybe 30 panfish including my first crappie in 45min... If your in a "fishing drought" this will boost morale a bit, I suprisingly founf it somewhat entertaining...

~Definatley not as entertaining as da' bass...

[00 mod]

Ounce for ounce they fight just as hard. UL setup with 4 lb test and have fun.

Jeff

[NEjitterbugger]

Ounce for ounce they fight just as hard. UL setup with 4 lb test and have fun.

Jeff

Great Point, If your using the right setup any fish can put up a fight that is appreciated... Whether it be an ultra light for panfish... Or deap sea gear for tuna....

[bkohlman]

I havent kept/ate bluegill yet.....how is the taste?

[SirSnookalot]

I don't target bluegill but catch them on inline spinners while fishing mayans, so often when I have mayan on my first thought..........is it a peacock, they are a real terror for a small fish.

[tholmes]

I havent kept/ate bluegill yet.....how is the taste?

In a word - Superb! IMHO, they rank right up there with walleye on the taste-o-meter.

Tom

[slonezp]

I havent kept/ate bluegill yet.....how is the taste?

They are very good from cold water in my area. Once the water temps get above 70, the meat gets a little muddy taste.

[bkohlman]

I will need to go out and harvest a few and fry them up!

[slonezp]

If you fillet them, which I prefer, don't keep any smaller than 8 or 9 inches. Too hard to clean. I normally hit them pre spawn and fill up the freezer for the res of the year. Can't beat deep fried. I'll make sandwiches too. Toast, mayo, and a couple fried filets.

[MCS]

What hooks do you use? Do you use float? Ever used fake crickets?

I have used the big bite bait plastic crickets. They tend to rip the legs off and peck more than inhaling the whole thing.

Best bait I use is Berkeley crappie nibbles. I like these because they keep and are less mess than worms. (nice for the kids, they bait their own hook) But pea sized piece of worms and bread are fine too. A small bait hook and a float are the way I fish the nibbles. When I lived in VA I would use a split shot and a larger piece of worm and catch some very nice sized sunfish especially in the winter.

I just bought the kids some rooster tails, 1/24 oz. we are gonna try them out this weekend. Should be fun!

[RyneB]

get yourself a 3WT fly rod, some foam spiders and cast it around the bank or vegetation. It gets bit on almost every cast and its a blast. I was doing this one afternoona nd a 4lb largemouth decided it wanted to eat my spider. That was one of my most memorable bass.

[Bankbeater]

I usually use a 1/16 ounce white rooster tail. The panfish tear it up around here.

[Bluebasser86]

They're a blast on a light fly rod. I catch most of mine on a 1/32oz jighead with a 2" grub. If they're being finicky I'll tear the tail off the grub and fish it on a 1/64oz jig. I use a 6' Avid with a 750 Sedona and 3.5lb DAM Techtan line and they're a blast to fight on that little combo.

[ww2farmer]

For open water I found it hard to beat a small 1" berkley gulp minnow on a drop shot. I use the #8 VMC spinshot hook, and what ever size sinker to get it down to, and keep it on the bottom. Usually 1/4 oz in 10' or less, and 1/2 oz any deeper. I don't have any special tackle for them, I use my ML power bass drop shot rod. I have had days where you can catch them one this set up on every drop, all day long. And as a bonus, at least in my home lake, if your around the bluegills, the bass/pike/walleye are not far away. Keep a bass sized drop shot rod handy and ready, cause when the gills stop biting, it's often because something with a big mouth or teeth has come over to see what all the excitment is about.