If I wanted to fish with a live bluegill...

[ironbjorn]

Another thread got me thinking about live bluegill fishing. I've been a strictly artificial lure user and I exclusively fish for bass. I taught myself to fish a long time ago, and this style of fishing is all I wanted to do. I never had moments as a kid sitting on the banks with a worm or minnow and a bobber, and I've never been part of the bucket brigade as an adult. So I have no idea about live bait fishing for the most part.

 

If I wanted to catch a bluegill and use it for bass fishing, where should I hook the bluegill? Also, should I let it swim freely with no bobbers or anything?

[TriStateBassin106]

Near the tail or hook them through the mouth, I never fished with bluegill before but growing up that's how I rigged shiners, sure it would be the same and octopus hooks work the best. 

[Alex from GA]

I used to catch bluegill with my flyrod and use them for stripers.  Hooked through the nose was the way I hooked them.  

[Cbump]

It’s weird, I’ve fished with live blue hill a hundred times for catfish. And I always catch catfish. 
Never caught a bass on one. 
 

I guess It would be easy though, pitching into bass type cover. 

[GRiver]

I talked to an older man, 102 years old. He told me they took long handled rakes. They opened up a place in the pads and weeds, come back in a few days. 
They used real long cane poles, hooked live bait between the tail the top of the back. Lower them down on a bobber in the cleared out places.

He said “ that’s how we caught them back in the day” 

 

 

[Captain Phil]

When I was a kid, we often used live blue gills for bait.  We caught our own bait with tiny hair hooks and white bread balls.   Shiners were what we were after, but sometimes we had to settle for blue gills.  Bass love them as long as you don't use them too large.   What you want is a blue gill no longer than 4".   We hooked them in the back and fished them under a bobber.  I used a large blue gill once and caught a gigantic cat fish.

[LrgmouthShad]

TRY IT

 

Use a large circle hook just behind the dorsal fin. There’s a specific spot to punch the hook through there that still allows the bluegill to swim freely

 

Ive tried with only a slip bobber (the ones Ive used were actually pretty small and only served to cause the bluegill to struggle a little more) and on a rig called the Santee Cooper rig. It is commonly used for catfish. 
 

Snell your circle hook, set drag a little tighter, and just post your rod up with some slack and wait for the bass to engulf it. Once you see the bass has it in her mouth, feed line to her and let her get the bluegill swallowed better. Make sure the bass has the bluegill fully inhaled before you start pulling. Do not wait too long though or you risk her swallowing the hook. A hookset is not necessary 

[FrnkNsteen]

Not trying to be a downer, but you better check your local regulations!! I know a lot of states have regulations against using gamefish for bait.

 

Hate to see you get yourself in trouble!

[MN Fisher]

27 minutes ago, FrnkNsteen said:

Not trying to be a downer, but you better check your local regulations!! I know a lot of states have regulations against using gamefish for bait.

 

Hate to see you get yourself in trouble!

Indiana's fairly relaxed

 

"Any legally-caught fish may be used as bait. However, it is illegal to use live carp or gizzard shad for bait."

https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/fishing/fishing-faqs/

[gim]

I bet its super boring, like other styles of live bait fishing...and waiting.  You wait, kick your feet up, drink some beer, and then wait some more. 

[Captain Phil]

25 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I bet its super boring, like other styles of live bait fishing...and waiting.  You wait, kick your feet up, drink some beer, and then wait some more. 

 

Over the years, I have done my share of live bait fishing.  I don't care to use live bait for bass as it tends to kill fish and I can catch more bass with artificials.  In salt water fishing, it's the difference between nothing and loading the boat.  For example, you can troll dead bait and lures offshore on a busy weekend forever without a bite.  Fish with a frisky live bait and you'll catch fish.  In billfish tournament season, bait boats get $100 a dozen for live bait. There is a reason for that, it works.  When bass fishing, there is nothing boring about fishing a 10" live shiner. That is unless you think catching 8 pound and up bass is boring.  I would rather people wouldn't do this, but if they do I hope they release their catch.

[gim]

24 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

 

Over the years, I have done my share of live bait fishing.  I don't care to use live bait for bass as it tends to kill fish and I can catch more bass with artificials.  In salt water fishing, it's the difference between nothing and loading the boat.  For example, you can troll dead bait and lures offshore on a busy weekend forever without a bite.  Fish with a frisky live bait and you'll catch fish.  In billfish tournament season, bait boats get $100 a dozen for live bait. There is a reason for that, it works.  When bass fishing, there is nothing boring about fishing a 10" live shiner. That is unless you think catching 8 pound and up bass is boring.  I would rather people wouldn't do this, but if they do I hope they release their catch.

I agree with everything you said @Captain Phil.  Countless scientific studies have proven that the use of live bait, across all types of fishing, results in a higher mortality, especially in the warmer summer months.

 

If the intent is to release the fish fully alive, live bait is going to reduce those chances.  Why not do everything in your control to achieve the desired result?  That's just my thought on it.

[the reel ess]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I bet its super boring, like other styles of live bait fishing...and waiting.  You wait, kick your feet up, drink some beer, and then wait some more. 

It gives you free hands and time for a beer. Not bad for dock fishing. That's an area where, if the fish aren't there, an artificial won't get bitten. But a live bait might draw one in.

 

When you fish the creeks around here you get a lot of creek chubs. I've often thought about keeping some for use in my local reservoir. It's creek fed so they probably would not be invasive to the lake.

[gim]

2 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

It gives you free hands and time for a beer.

Lol oh I'm fully aware of this.  When I did a lot of walleye fishing years ago, my brother and I would almost exclusively use slip bobbers and live bait.  It was a very relaxing way to fish.  We'd toss the rods in the rod holders, turn on the radio, and drink beer.  Caught a lot of walleyes doing it.  But we were also fishing with the intent of keeping some too.

 

My Grandfather was a die hard walleye angler and he hated fishing for them with a slip bobber.  He always referred to it as "drinking beer."  He was right.

[the reel ess]

7 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Lol oh I'm fully aware of this.  When I did a lot of walleye fishing years ago, my brother and I would almost exclusively use slip bobbers and live bait.  It was a very relaxing way to fish.  We'd toss the rods in the rod holders, turn on the radio, and drink beer.  Caught a lot of walleyes doing it.  But we were also fishing with the intent of keeping some too.

 

My Grandfather was a die hard walleye angler and he hated fishing for them with a slip bobber.  He always referred to it as "drinking beer."  He was right.

My dad was a crappie fisherman when I was small. In the days before people and the DNR put out fish attractors, there were only stumps in the lake to concentrate crappie. Many of the best ones had a stake driven into them to tie up to. This was cane pole and minnow territory with a lot of down time. Later, I turned it into a chunk and wind pursuit using my trusty Zebco and curly tail grubs. I made him a believer in artificial baits.

[Mbirdsley]

Using a circle hook will help reduce the chance of gut hooking a fishing.  I’ve never had an issue with hook up ratio on circle hooks.  Some of the biggest bass I’ve ever caught have been from hooking gills, perch, or shiners right behind their top fin. 
 

on a lake I’d use a big bobber maybe suspended in 3-4 feet or relative to how deep it is. On a river system I would use a large egg sinker and fish on the bottom.

 

I know in Michigan the gill, perch, minnow or what ever has to be from the same water shed.  Can’t be transporting your caught bait from lake to lake unless it’s connected via a river. 

[FrnkNsteen]

9 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Indiana's fairly relaxed

 

"Any legally-caught fish may be used as bait. However, it is illegal to use live carp or gizzard shad for bait."

https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/fishing/fishing-faqs/

Is that where the OP is from? I didn't take time to look. That's where I'm at to, but I'm originally fr9m up in MN. If I remember correctly, it isn't allowed up there.

[ironbjorn]

1 minute ago, FrnkNsteen said:

Is that where the OP is from? I didn't take time to look. That's where I'm at to, but I'm originally fr9m up in MN. If I remember correctly, it isn't allowed up there.

Yes, I'm in Indiana and we can use bluegills although I never have (but I'm gonna try it out). Pretty free out here.

[FrnkNsteen]

5 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Yes, I'm in Indiana and we can use bluegills although I never have (but I'm gonna try it out). Pretty free out here.

What part of Indiana? I'm just west of Bloomington in Spencer

[MN Fisher]

16 minutes ago, FrnkNsteen said:

Is that where the OP is from? I didn't take time to look. That's where I'm at to, but I'm originally fr9m up in MN. If I remember correctly, it isn't allowed up there.

Yep - you remember correctly...there's not much we can use for live or even cut bait here.

 

Even live/dead salamanders are prohibited.

[ironbjorn]

9 minutes ago, FrnkNsteen said:

What part of Indiana? I'm just west of Bloomington in Spencer

Mooresville, fairly close to you 

[FrnkNsteen]

Just now, ironbjorn said:

Mooresville 

Oh, wow! We're up there all the time. Especially the cruise-in on Friday nights by Steak & Shake!

 

Small world!!

[TnRiver46]

Depends on the hook. Light wire I stick it in one nostril and out the other. Thicker hooks I use the method @LrgmouthShad described 

 

if you’re fishing ponds, live bluegill will work magic 

[WRB]

Not legal to use Bluegill in California except Colorado River.

Bluegill are not the preferred baitfish do to the spines.

Live crawdads nose hooked and big night crawlers (Canadian) fly lined are far better fished slowly like a soft plastic.

Fished live bait during the 60’s and takes skill if done right.

Today suggest Owner #5185 circle Mosquito hook, light weight and strong.

Tom

[LrgmouthShad]

I checked Texas state regulations on bluegill and looks like I can do it, provided that they are used as bait in the same water body from which they are caught. 

 

I will probably fish with live bluegill this summer as well, @ironbjorn