FS Digest

About three weeks ago, I was fishing in a local lake when my son caught a fairly small bluegill. Before tossing it back, my wife suggested I use it as bait. Since I fish for bass, I thought it might be worth a shot. I quickly Googled this to see if (a) I was the first person to think of this (I wasn't), and (b) if it was legal in my state to use bluegill as bait (it is). I hooked it through the lips like I would pretty much any live bait, attached a bobber, and threw it in. I've repeated the process many times, as I am trying to completely replace the need for buying bait fish such as worms or shiners/shad.

To this day I've caught four bass on bluegill as bait. Not crazy numbers, but enough to consider that bluegill might be just as effective as shad (which is the choice of freshwater fishermen in my state).

I prefer using a bobber, about a foot and a half above the hook to give me a clear indicator of predator fish. At times, the bobber dips when the bluegill attempts to dive, but after a while it resigns to its fate. I tried freelining but both times the bluegill managed to wrap himself around an object and I was out the bait and the hook.

Advice Needed

Google does not provide a lot of information regarding using bluegill as bait fish. What few sources I find are usually forum posts dating back five to ten years. Obviously fish haven't adapted or evolved too much in that amount of time, but the fact that there isn't anything recent might be telling.

There are a handful of interesting YouTube videos wherein a fisherman attempts the feat, often catching fairly large bass. But the lack of prolific videos regarding this subject could suggest that it is harder to fish using bluegill than, say, shad or worms.

Does it work for you? Did you try it and it was no good? Have you never even considered it?

Looking for any and all advice on this topic. TIA!

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by gracegunn

FS Digest

I’ve used them a few times at a farm pond i fished. Always caught monster bass. I would usually use a carolina rig but with a larger weight to keep them down and cast to the deepest part of the pond. Worked great on those hot summer days when the bass had moved deep

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by Sgrayo01

FS Digest

Thanks! I'll try that.

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by gracegunn

FS Digest

I’ve actually caught a few catfish using bluegill, it actually worked better than I thought it would. But I would still recommend using nightcrawlers or shad.

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by thefitz_

FS Digest

Why? You really think fish have a preference? An injured bait fish is a free meal no predatory fish will ignore.

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by Moose_Oscar

FS Digest

No, all I’m saying is I’ve had better luck using other bait besides bluegill.

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by thefitz_

FS Digest

Bluegill under a cork is deadly for big bass, flathead too as they prefer live bait.

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by jasper181

FS Digest

Do you mean a cork bobber?

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by gracegunn

FS Digest

Blue gill are great bait for bass, pike, muskie, catfish and bowfin. I have caught all on small, stunned blue gill. There are many blue gill lures.

I wouldn't say it is any harder or easier, it is a different style of fishing all together. I have always hooked the gills through the back a couple of feet under a bobber. Your not going to finesse fish with the blue gill...

- You didn't indicate where you live/fish. If I were you, I would make sure it is legal.

- Why lower the blue gill population (a desired sport pan fish that is good eating), when you can use shad and be just as effective? Again, I do not know where you are fishing, all depends on the body of water. Small inland lake, I would not waste the blue gill in that manner.

Just my thoughts. Good luck!

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by Moose_Oscar

FS Digest

Dude bluegill breed like cockroaches, there's no way in hell anyone is damaging their population by using them for bait. It takes a massive effort to remove them from a water source and just a couple dozen of them will spawn literally thousands more within a year.

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by Artifoo

FS Digest

I've used balloons and corks, just depends on the size of the bait you are using so it can keep the bait suspended.

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by jasper181

Dharvey3 Loc: Northern Illinois

I have used Gill's several times. The main problem is they tend to swallow the bait pretty fast. Please be prepared for this, or wanting to process what you catch. Daniel

WhiskerKnight

In a few lakes in my area, the Blue Gill have taken over

kpt Loc: texas

You basically just repeated the same thing my son and I did about two weeks ago at our local lake. We had been throwing everything at them, plastics,topwater,jigs,crankbaits I mean everything. My son finally said I'm gonna fish for some perch. He did and started catching small bluegill perch. He said hey I wonder if these small ones could be used for bait ? I hooked one up and caught a 4 lbs bass. We repeated this process 6 times and caught 6 bass the largest one being 5 1/2 lbs ! I told my son well I know where we are gonna get out bait from now on ! It is legal in most states to use blugill or redear perch for bait.

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

You can hook a live bait fish just below the dorsal for the utmost action out of bait under bobber.
As for bluegill vs "minnows" from the bait shop.... you could easily be infesting a waterbody with unnatural species that become a problem down the road. Those minnows you BOUGHT may not even be from your state ! Please use native-to-the-waterbody bait fish !!! There are no minnow tanks at bait and tackle shops in Oregon, as this has long been defined as lousy fish management. As far as "wasting a good bluegill",.... dude, bunnies don't even come close to their aqueous friends.... there'll be plenty of babies to be sure.