Need help on Crappie/Gills/Sunfish/Ect.

[[[J4cks0n.Shr3dd3r]]]

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

[tuxdaddy]

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

[mdgreco191]

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!

[Del from philly]

Fish topwater, right before the sun goes down

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

[ejtaylor822]

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

[ewokmonsta720]

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.

[BassHunter69]

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