When summer starts rolling in, many anglers start thinking about catching panfish like bluegills and sunfish. After all, the warmer weather brings with it the opportunity to find plenty of bluegills because of the warmer temperatures and extended days. If you’ve ever fished for bluegill before, then you know they love to nibble at the bait, and also don’t like to give up quickly once you’ve hooked them. Bluegills will wind up, giving you plenty of great fishing battles.
So, what do you need to catch bluegill in hot weather? To catch bluegill in hot weather, you’ll need to know where to go to find the bluegill when the weather is warm, the type of equipment you’ll need to use to catch them, and techniques you’ll use to hook them.
Since there isn’t a lot of information available on the Internet today discussing how to catch bluegill in hot weather, we’ve created this article to help you out. Below we’ll cover where you can find bluegill during the summertime, the lures and other items you’ll need to use to catch your bluegill, and the fishing style you’ll want to use to capture your bluegill.
How to Catch Bluegill in Summer
While many anglers start to anticipate catching bluegill once the summer months start rolling in, the bluegill is not an easy fish to catch. It does take some planning, education, and anticipation to understand how to capture these fish. You’ll not only need to know where to go to find the bluegill over the summer, but also the types of lures you’ll want to use to attract them, and how you’ll need to fly fish to catch a bluegill.
A Little About Catching Bluegill
Although bluegills like to bite often, once they bite, they will fight. That means you’ll lose some of these battles, along with your bait, and you’ll also win some of these battles and catch a fish. Bluegills put up such a fierce fight when you hook them because they are fast, disc-shaped fish, and they know how to turn and use their body shapes to get away from you.
Small bluegills are fun to capture during the summer if you are the type of angler that likes quick action. If you are learning how to catch bluegill, you might even want to stick with the smaller ones at first until you get used to how these fish fight against you and use their bodies. That way, it’ll be easier for you to capture the fish and win the battle while you successfully build your confidence.
Catching larger bluegills is more complicated than catching smaller bluegills, too. That’s why you try to gear newbies toward focusing on smaller bluegills and learning the fundamentals of catching these fish initially. Larger bluegills require a lot more of a hunt to locate and tend to be not only tricky to find, but also to hook. So, we’ll begin by discussing where you will most likely find bluegill when fishing during the summer months.
Locating Bluegill Over the Summer
Larger bluegill tends to be more difficult to identify during the summer. You’ll most likely find some small bluegills around some banks or in the shallow weed bed areas during the summertime; the larger bluegills will swim deep to locate their food, unlike the smaller bluegills. So, if you want to know one place to go to catch larger bluegills over the summer, one answer would be looking deep in the body of water for them.
On occasion, though, larger bluegill can be located around weeds, if the body of water you are searching in has weeds. That’s because larger bluegills tend to have different feeding needs when compared to smaller bluegills. As bluegills grow in size, they tend to stop eating zooplankton and start eating aquatic insects, especially as the summer months progress. This feeding habit is typically the norm for bluegills that are above eight-inches in size.
So, anglers looking for larger bluegills typically know to look around weedy areas, since that’s where aquatic insects tend to live. However, some bodies of water can contain a lot of weeds in them, so you’ll need to know what types of weeds to look for as well as what kinds of baits you’ll want to use to attract the bluegill.
#1: Look for Healthy, Green Weeds
When trying to locate and catch larger bluegill over the summer, you’ll need to know where to look to find them. One way to find bluegills is to figure out where they’ll be feasting. Wherever the bluegill’s food tends to accumulate, you’ll probably find some larger bluegills hanging around the area. Since bluegills like to feed on aquatic insects and aquatic insects enjoy hanging out in weedy areas, we already mentioned that you’d need to look into the weeds. But what kind of weeds are you looking for?
You should start by searching for healthy, green weeds. As you scope out where in the body of water, the hardy, green weeds are, you should begin figuring out where the larger bluegill are hiding.
Two types of weeds that are the favorites of aquatic insects and hence also bluegills are:
- Coontail: which are submersed aquatic plants that feature a distinguishable “racoon tail” group of leaves that grow up off the end of the primary stalk. This type of plant features thin stems and leaves that feel like leather. Coontail is also known as honwort when it’s sold to be used for home aquariums.
- Milfoil: like coontail, this is also a submersed aquatic plant. Milfoil features elongated stems and whorled leaves. With this plant, the leaves that are out of the water will look and feel stiffer and appear tinier than the leaves that are underneath the water and belong to the same plant. Also, these plants can feature small flowers, sometimes lacking pedals.
Both these types of plants form canopies that cover the surface and corridors below it. Bluegills typically love this type of formation because they can hunt while still staying safe from fish that prey on them.
Tips for Fishing for Bluegill in the Weeds:
Here are some things you should keep in mind when fishing for bluegill in or near the healthy, green weeds.
- The edges of the weedy areas are another place you’ll want to focus on when searching for bluegill. Finding cups and points, which tend to attract bluegills, is another excellent way to search through weeds.
- Look for breaks in the water, pockets, and bald spots in the plants, and you’ll likely see bluegill or two. Bluegills enjoy variations around weed edges, so you are likely to find plenty of large bluegills using this technique.
- If you discover any weed beds that are floating in five to twelve feet of water, you can probe them with search baits like Beetlespins (click to see on Amazon). However, if you need to search through weeds that go any deeper than that, then you want to search using soft-plastics and ice-fishing spoons and add a piece of crawler on it.
- Using a bright color will also increase your chances of catching bluegills.
- After you’ve located the fish, you’ll need to change up your tactics. We recommend starting off with an easy slip-bobber rig and a small jig. Pick something that is brightly colored and a 1/32 to 1/8 ounce jighead that will go well with a crawler.
Now you are ready to fish!
#2 Fish in Smaller Lakes
Since bluegills are finicky fish to find, it will take some practice learning how to locate them in the healthy, green weeds. Some expert anglers utilize a little different time-saving method when searching around for bluegill, and that is to look for bluegill in smaller lakes that have healthy, green weeds. By “smaller” lake, we mean a lake that measures about thirty to one-hundred acres, to add some specifics of the measurement.
So, why is it important to look for these adjoining two features? There is an underwater point formed by those two items combining, and that creates a structure that happens to attract bluegill.
That’s because the point is usually found in deeper water, which also helps create healthy weed growth and an area that bluegill loves to occupy. So, the combination of the structure, shallow water next to deeper water, and plenty of healthy weeds mean these boundaries between zones are the perfect places to find bluegills.
As long as you are looking for bluegills in a small lake that also has deep water, you’ll be likely to find them. By deep water, we mean at least forty-feet deep. While you might discover bluegill swimming around depths of eight to ten feet early and late in the day when the sun is high, and the weather is scorching, they are more likely to be down around thirty feet. When fishing in these areas, we recommend using a 1/32 ounce jig (link to Amazon) combined with some wax worms. We also suggest using a slip bobber that has a 1/64-ounce jighead with a leech.
#3 Using Electronics and Setting Up a Drift
If you can find the fish in deeper water, then you’ll notice that the bluegill school and travel in large numbers. That means once you find them, you’ll have plenty of bluegills to catch. You can use electronics at times to help you find the bluegill, too. Gadgets that can tell you the depth of the water or fish finders bring fishing to a whole new level.
Another idea is to set up a drift. You can set up a drift by taking two rods and hanging them over your boat like rotten sticks. Then, put a hookless spoon above a Ratso jig. The spoon helps attract the fish while adding weight. Then, add a third rod with a slender spoon and start snap-jigging. When a fish hits the spoon, you’ll hear the two “rotten” sticks hit together. Then, you know you’ve found your bluegill.
How to Target Bluegills
Now that we’ve covered a few methods for locating bluegills during the summer months, we’ll cover how to target bluegills when you fish. So, below, we are going to cover what you should wear when fishing from the shore, and the types of tackle you’ll want to use to attract bluegill.
Remember, fishing from the shore means you’ll need to be a little coyer if you don’t want to get noticed by the fish.
- So, make sure you have dressed appropriately, and you’re keeping your profile low. You don’t want to cast shadows over the water that might scare off the fish.
- You also should avoid wearing any bright clothing. Instead, wear earth tones that blend in or get some camouflage clothing so that you don’t stand out in the environment around you.
Now on to how to the tackle that you’ll need to have a good chance at catching bluegill.
Bluegill Tackle
Some expert anglers will try to insist that tackle for bluegills on beds boils down to your personal preference. However, even while that can be the case sometimes, you’ll want to focus on the fight you’re likely to incur when trying to capture bluegill. Because bluegill put up such an intense battle when they are hooked, most anglers like to prepare for that, so they use fishing equipment that helps them win the fight.
With that in mind, the tackle combination we’ll usually see when people are searching for bluegills is an ultralight spinning rod and reel that uses a clear monofilament or fluorocarbon line between two to six pounds. This combination works great for bluegills that are line-shy, and it also works well when you are casting the same micro-sized lures and jigs you’ll need to use when catching bluegill.
You’ll get plenty of success with this rod-and-reel combo since you can cast a split shot and half a crawler when you need to on an ice-fishing jig very far when you need to accomplish that. Also, setting the hook is also easy. All you’ll need to do is raise the rod high up, then let it bow out and bend. By doing this movement and learning how to catch your bluegills successfully, you should be able to hook them safely and reel them in every time.
Bluegill Spinning Combinations for Newbies
Some newbies think they need to purchase the smallest, lightest rod and reel when selecting a spinning combination that will capture bluegills. However, that methodology is not the way to go. You’d be better off purchasing a light-action spinning rod that is about six to seven feet because it will offer plenty of leverage for all of the powerful casts you’ll need to make into the wind so that you can get the fish out of the weeds.
Also, for newbie and younger anglers, using a spin casting combination to nab bluegill works out to be a fantastic choice. Spin casting rods are more comfortable to utilize when compared to spinning rods because you’ll wind up with fewer moving parts and bails to handle when you fish. If you add a slip-bobber to the mix, then you’ll wind up with reasonably easy set-up for any beginner.
Slip-bobbers work better than fixed bobbers in this case because, with a slip-bobber, you’ll be able to reel the line all the way in, so you will wind up with fewer tangle issues. Also, longer, more slender bobbers do a great job of detecting a bluegill’s bite, and they are also reticent when they make it into the water, meaning there are far fewer chances of you scaring off the fish. Even though we recommend using a slip-bobber, it’s still a good idea to have a selection of bobbers to pick from when you need to cast with larger baits.
Catching Bluegill with a Fly Rod: Advanced Method
Now that you have some ideas for the newbie about equipment, we’ll cover a little more advanced bluegill tactic you can use as you gain some experience fishing. Another choice you have when catching bluegill is to use a fly rod, which we’ll explain in more detail below.
Catching bluegill with a fly rod is many angler’s favorite way of catching bluegill. Fly rods are one of the best tools you’ll have when it comes to finding and catching bluegills, but it does take some time and practice to learn how to work with a fly rod. We suggest grabbing a measured amount of line so you can drop a super-light fly quickly onto your target without making much noise. Fishing for bluegill this way will give you a massive advantage because you won’t have to change lures often.
My favorite combination of a fly, rod, and lure is to use a size 12 rubber spider with a nymph following behind it. The nymph’s pattern doesn’t need to fit any particular requirement, but you will need to make sure you purchase a durable nymph. I’d suggest a Hare’s Ear, Copper John and Brassies that’s got a size ten or twelve hook. Bluegills tend to love this combination, and some expert anglers report catching up to two bluegills with this method at a time.
Another thing to remember is that flies are a popular option for bluegill baits, but they aren’t the only choice. You don’t want to limit yourself because there are a lot of other options you’ll have, and you’ll need to figure out what works best for you.
I’ve gone from using wax worms and nightcrawlers, and after spending some time fishing for bluegills, I figured out you don’t necessarily need live bait to catch a bluegill. I’ve had a lot of success with scent-enhanced plastics like the Berkley Gulp. That’s because these plastics imitate the types of food bluegills love. You’ll want to use them on a light jig.
Finding Bull Bluegills
If bull bluegills are the prime catch you’re interested in catching, then you’re probably wondering where and how to find them. Honestly, you’ll be using a lot of the techniques we’ve mentioned above, but you’ll need to keep in mind that bluegills only become bull bluegills under the right conditions. So, you’re looking for a unique body of water that can create enough food to support these massive bull bluegills.
So, what do you need to look for in a body of water that’s likely to contain some substantial bull bluegills?
There needs to be a combination of bluegill density, the right kinds of food, and certain predators for bluegills to grow to their maximum size and become bull bluegills. You can find a lot of large bluegill in ponds or private lakes, but these areas need to be carefully managed and restocked for the process to continue. When too many bulls are caught, you get an overflow of runts.
So, you’ll be looking for bodies of water that have some largemouth bass in them. Largemouth bass help check the bluegill population, and also need to be present for bluegills to be inspired to grow to maximum size. With largemouth bass around, you’ll typically see more bull bluegills because of the more significant the bluegill, the more the bass will leave it alone. So, your body of water also needs to feature plenty of largemouth bass if you want to find a lot of bull bluegills.
Bluegill Bulls Can be Found in Large Public Lakes
One of the best types of bodies of water to find bluegill bulls in is large, public lakes. Most expert anglers will tell you that large, open lakes create the best and most consistent bluegill fishing. For the lake to have plenty of bluegill bulls in it, it’ll need to have a well-developed base of predators, plenty of shallow spawning areas that also have a substrate, plenty of deeper regions that allow the fish to retreat deep when the weather is hot, and a lot of healthy, green weeds.
Pay Attention to Predators
Since more mammoth lakes create more biomass, you should be able to find a lot of bluegills there. Also, paying attention to the predators that are around you in the lake becomes vital because the predators will be keeping the bluegill population controlled by feeding off the easier-to-grab, smaller bluegills. So, not only will the smaller bluegills get killed off more quickly, they’ll soon become inspired to eat and grow so that they survive.
That’s why the conditions need to be just right for you to find plenty of bluegill bulls in the water. So, lakes that are well-known for having walleye and bass, two types of bluegill predators, will also have a lot of bluegill in the water, and plenty of anglers that are ignoring them and going for the bass or the walleye.
Not only will you find plenty of bluegill in lakes with bass and walleye in them, but you’ll also wind up fishing in bodies of water that have the right conditions for creating bluegill bulls. With the predators around them, killing off their smaller friends, the bluegill tend to start eating and growing for self-preservation. That means you’re more likely to find bluegill bulls in lakes like this, especially during the summer.
Weeds, Weeds, Weeds
We’ve already discussed how much bluegills enjoy hanging out in the weedy areas over the summer. Well, this is also true of those big bulls, because they also like eating plenty of aquatic insects while they feel like they’ve got some protection from predators. So, if you’re looking to catch some bluegill bulls, you’ll still be looking to the weeds to capture them.
- You’ll probably also find plenty of bedding bluegills in weedy areas, too. You’ll need to look for hard-bottomed regions that are located within the weeds and seem to create the perfect spawning habitat for bluegills.
- As you search around these weedy areas, check for open spaces and holes in the green, healthy weeds. Those areas with the rocks and gravel won’t allow plants to grow through them, but they help create the perfect environment for spawning.
It can be hard to find these types of holes, but if you find them, you’ll be able to get a lot of bull bluegills in a short period.
Final Thoughts
When you’re attempting to catch bluegill in hot weather, you’ll need to know where to find the bluegill, what types of lures and tackle you’ll need to use to attract the bluegill, and how you can fish for them. We’ve covered all of these issues above to help you improve your chances of catching some bluegill over the summer.
While it does take some time to learn how to find and fish for bluegill, the time and effort are well worth it. Bluegill is a fantastic fish to enjoy, and you’ll get plenty of tasty meals once you start catching them. Also, once you start figuring out how to locate bluegill and catch them, you’ll be able to bring home a lot of fish. So now it’s time to get out on the lake and enjoy the hunt!
