Bluegill as Live Bait: Don’t Forget About the Almighty Bluegill
- Some anglers believe that bluegill are the best live bait for catching big bass. I disagree because I’ve seen the chub outfish a live bluegill by as much as 4 or 5 to 1 at times. I definitely wouldn’t rule out a bluegill as a great live bait for catching big bass though. The nice thing about using bluegill as live bait is the fact that they are so easy to catch for bait. There are many bait shops that I visit for bait that don’t offer any big live bait and if I’m looking to catch a big bass with live bait, bluegill may be my best option.
Bluegill can be used under a bobber, with a weight on the bottom or on a hook with no weight and no bobber. Anglers catch big bass on bluegill all year long, but I prefer to use bluegill as bait about a month after the bluegill spawn. You can easily throw a cast net along the shoreline of most ponds and catch recently hatched bluegill in the 2 to 3 inch range. In ponds, bass will absolutely attack these small bluegill early morning and late evening every day throughout early summer. This is the primary food source during the first month of summer for bass in many of the ponds that I fish. Sometimes, I have a hard time getting a bass to eat one of my lures, so I’ll catch a few small bluegill and cast them out. I’ll typically catch 4 to 5 nice sized bass with these small bluegill. Most anglers don’t even think about using these baby bluegill for bait, but you can really catch some nice bass every summer using this technique.
Bigger Bluegill for Big Bass…….
Bigger bluegill definitely do work for big bass. I was actually able to catch a 7 pound bass from a pond in Quincy, Illinois on a big bluegill. I saw a big bass attacking bluegill along the shoreline and I decided to catch one of the bluegill and throw it out as bait. I thought the bluegill was way too big, but within a few minutes, I had a 7 pound bass eat a big bluegill.
I have heard plenty of stories from other anglers that use big bluegill for bass as well, so I know that big bluegill work for big bass. I prefer using a big chub, but you may want to give bluegill a try.
- Fishing Tip From Kevin Sewell
- Fishing w/Kevin Sewell
Fish Finder Rig - Grouper Bottom Rig
The fishfinder rig is an excellent rig for bottom fishing. With a single-hook that moves along the line, fish can pick up your bait and swim off with it without feeling the weight. This can help you catch more fish.
The running line or shock leader will be threaded through a sleeve (this is usually made from plastic), then it is tied to a large swivel.
The leader is tied to the other end of the swivel. A sinker snap is then attached to the plastic sleeve to secure the sinker. The sinker will rest on the bottom.
Live Bait Rig: Grouper Bottom Rig
A basic grouper bottom rig consists of a sliding egg sinker followed by a 3 to 4 foot leader of mono or flourocarbon line (80 to 100 pound test line) followed by a circle hook and your favorite bait for grouper.
Fishing With Slip Bobbers
Slip bobbers will help you catch more and sometimes even bigger fish. Slip bobbers help anglers to suspend a bait directly over some type of cover or bottom structure in deeper water. This allows anglers to present their bait more naturally to deep water fish, which is a huge advantage.
The biggest key to fishing with slip bobbers is making sure you’re on a good spot. Slip bobbers were meant to be fished still, so you must find some productive spots to fish if you are going to do any good with the slip bobber.
Another important thing to remember is how deep to set your slip bobber rig. Using your depth finder, find the depth of the cover or structure that you’re going to fish and set your slip bobber knot accordingly. If you are fishing for suspended fish, make sure to set your slip bobber rig deep enough to get down there, but try to keep your bait just above the fish. This tends to work better.
Slip bobbers work for all types of species in fresh and saltwater, but they are most commonly used for walleye, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, perch and other types of panfish.
More Live Bait Fishing Information
Fishing With Bobbers In The Wind or Current
Most anglers use bobbers to still fish, but you can catch a lot more fish at times if your bait is actually covering a little bit of water instead of sitting still. When you have some a decent wind or a little bit of current, you can use this to your advantage to help cover more water with your bobber rig.
Find a good area to fish and then cast up wind or up current. Then, let your bobber rig move down wind or down current past your fishing spot. This will help you cover a lot more water than still fishing and hopefully help you find the best fishing spots quicker.
This technique may require some type of weight to keep your bait down while the bobber rig is moving. All types of live bait will work and all types of fresh and salt water fish can be caught with this technique.
More Live Bait Fishing Information
Bass Fishing With Jigheads
Using a jighead is a great way to fish for bass. Jigheads are more known for walleye fishing, but you can definitely catch plenty of bass with a jighead and some live bait.
As far as live baits go, jigheads tipped with a nightcrawler, leech or a minnow will catch plenty of bass. Don’t forget to let your bait pause on the bottom in between hops. Lots of bass prefer to hit a live bait when it stops on the bottom. Give them some time to eat your bait in between your hops when jigging the bait back to the boat.
For anglers that prefer to use artificial baits, jigheads tipped with soft plastics such as worms, minnows, leeches, crawfish and tubes will produce some nice largemouth and smallmouth bass.
Bass Fishing Resources:
- Shop Jigheads
- Jigheads Fishing Tips
- Largemouth Bass Fishing Library
- Smallmouth Bass Fishing Library
- Top Bass Fishing Trips
Trolling Live Shiners In Florida For Big Bass
If anyone has been on a trip to Florida, you’ll know there are some huge bass to be caught down there, but it’s not that easy to catch ‘em if you’re from another part of the country. These bass tend to like slow-moving baits better and they love to eat big, live shiners.
Most of the fishing guides use them down in Florida, but many of these fishing guides will use a slow troll live shiners to cover more water and find big bass.
With the trolling motor, just set the speed at one of the lower settings and troll with your shiners on a single hook and no weight or with a bobber, hook and no weight. Stay near cover and you’ll catch some of the biggest bass of your life.
Bass Fishing Resources:
- Florida Fishing
- Fishing with Live Bait
- Largemouth Bass Fishing Library
- Smallmouth Bass Fishing Library
- Top Bass Fishing Trips
Bass Fishing With Bobbers
Using bobbers and live bait for bass is a popular method for beginning anglers as well as advanced anglers. Many parents introduce young kids to fishing with a simple bobber, hook and a nightcrawler at the local pond and this technique will produce plenty of bass…even big bass.
A bobber, hook and a nightcrawler, minnow or leech will do well for largemouth and smallmouth bass. It’s basic, easy and a lot of fun for younger anglers.
Some other methods for using bobbers are to keep your bait right next to a piece of cover, whether it is a shallow water brush pile, sunken logs, flooded grass, a weed line, boat dock, etc. Many very big bass are caught this way and it’s not just a technique for young anglers.
One technique used by many florida fishing guides is to troll with live shiners very slow with the trolling motor. A big bobber, big wild shiner and a big hook is all that is needed. A slow troll one #1 or #2 speed with the trolling motor will get many strikes from very big bass in Florida and this technique will also work in other parts of the country as well.
Bass Fishing Resources:
- Shop Bobbers
- Fishing With Live Bait
- Largemouth Bass Fishing Library
- Smallmouth Bass Fishing Library
- Top Bass Fishing Trips
Lake Geneva - The Narrows - Fish the Weed Shelves
The weed shelves in the narrows of Lake Geneva can be great for catching largemouth bass. I prefer to fish at night. I try to stay away from the crazy boaters and the fish do feed a little more aggressively at night for me.
Crankbaits, soft plastics and live bait. Drop-shotting nigthcrawlers can be very productive.
I don’t catch many smallmouth in this area, but maybe that’s just me.
It looks like you’re just starting to post some of the tips from users. Please feel free to post my tip and I’ll try to keep contributing as I get out on the water.
Lake Geneva Resources:
- Lake Geneva Bait Shops
- Lake Geneva Beaches
- Lake Geneva Boat Launches
- Lake Geneva Boat Rentals
- Lake Geneva Fishing Guides
- Lake Geneva Lodging
- Lake Geneva Lake Maps
Panfish Fishing Equipment
Many fishermen that go fishing for panfish tend to use their normal equipment that they would fish for bass, catfish, etc. When fishing for panfish, there is an actual art to doing it well. Good panfish anglers will catch more fish and bigger fish than the average fisherman.
When fishing for panfish, downsize your equipment. Use smaller rods. Light action to ultra-light rods work best with 2 to 6 pound test line. With sensitive rods and light line, it is much easier to detect a bite when you are fishing with small artificials and jigs tipped with live bait.
Go small and you will catch more panfish and even some bigger fish. This tip will work well for bluegill, crappie, rock bass and other panfish.
