Bluegill: Pinpointing The Right Spot On Lakes & Reservoirs
Story and Photos By Don Wirth

Harold Morgan's spinning rod bowed as something powerful slammed the tube jig he'd been casting. It stayed deep for a time, dancing in circles beneath his boat. When he finally swung it aboard and cupped it in his hand, it glistened like a jewel, all turquoise and gold in the morning sun. Morgan is best known as one of America's premier crappie guides, but on this warm summer morning, he was focusing on a different breed of fish — bluegills.

"Bluegills are easily the most overlooked of all reservoir species," he said as he released the chunky panfish. "Many fishermen don't realize how common they are in big impoundments. They think of them solely as farm-pond fish."

The twister jig I'd been retrieving was suddenly gobbled up by a bluegill. As I coaxed it to the boat, I began to understand Morgan's passion for these overlooked fighters. On light tackle, they're an absolute blast to catch.

Tunnel Vision
Morgan believes the tunnel vision of many reservoir anglers keeps them from discovering other species, especially bluegill.

"Nationwide, most big-water anglers focus on either bass or walleye," he says. "On many lakes, these species are subject to intense fishing pressure, and over time this can either deplete their numbers or make them shy about biting. Bass especially respond to pressure by learning not to bite popular artificial lures."

Tournament burnout is fast becoming a reality on these waters as well, Morgan has found.
"A great many bass fishermen and a growing number of walleye anglers have grown disenchanted with weekend tournaments, either because the fish they're after have become too hard to catch or because fishing competitively involves too much time and expense," Morgan says. "These folks are prime candidates for panfishing. Once they realize that bluegills are abundant in reservoirs, fairly easy to locate and a ball to catch, they really get into them."

But it's a return to family values that's giving the reservoir bluegill its biggest boost.
"There is more emphasis today on family fishing," Morgan points out. "Mom and dad want to show their youngsters how to fish, but quickly realize that bass or walleye are poor teachers because they're too hard to catch. I cringe when I overhear dads telling their kids that bass are the only fish worth catching and that the only kosher method of bass fishing is with an artificial lure. They try to teach their kids difficult casting skills on grown-up equipment, then get upset with them when they backlash the baitcasting reel they were struggling to use. What fun is that for a kid? No wonder they quickly lose all interest in fishing."

Fishing for bluegill, on the other hand, requires only minimal equipment and presentation skills.

"Best of all, they're abundant in impoundments nationwide, and they bite readily, so a successful outing is virtually guaranteed once you understand the basics of locating and catching them," Morgan says. "I wish you could see the expressions on the faces of the children I've taken bluegill fishing. They could care less how big the fish are. They just love catching them."

The Reservoir Approach
Hunting bluegills in reservoirs, like bass or walleye fishing, requires a pattern approach.
"Reservoirs tend to intimidate anglers because of their large size," Morgan adds. "With all that water, finding bluegills may seem like looking for a needle in a haystack. In reality, you can't hope to fish the entire reservoir in a day or even a month, so instead you need to determine what kinds of places the fish are using, then concentrate your efforts on fishing these high-percentage spots."

Morgan keys on several structures common to most reservoirs that usually hold large concentrations of bluegills, such as rock bluffs, ledges and shelf rock.

"Bluegills like to lurk around the rock rubble that gathers at the base of steep bluffs on both the main lake and in the tributaries," he says. "Stairstepping rock formations provide holding, hunting and hiding places for bluegills. When large sheets of limestone cover the bottom, bluegills hide in the cracks and crevices."

Flooded bushes are another hotspot Morgan recommends for bluegills.

"Bass anglers target sunken trees and stumps for largemouth bass, but these spots are loaded with bluegills, too," he notes. "That's one reason why the largemouth bass are there. In spring, water rises to inundate shoreline willow bushes. Minnows move in, bugs are plentiful and feeding opportunities for bluegills are plentiful."

In addition, Morgan has found that overhanging trees, which provide shade for bluegill concealment and a steady supply of insects for food, as well as fish attractors, which are often sunk by state fisheries agencies and marked with an identifying buoy, can also attract droves of panfish.

Other prime spots to try include areas with vegetation along with docks and boathouses.

"Schools of bluegills prowl the edges of weedbeds in grassy impoundments and are abundant around lily pads," Morgan says. "Watch and listen for fish popping bugs on the surface."

Rigging Up
Anglers who feel bluegill fishing is a no-brainer probably haven't chased after these critters in a reservoir.

"You've got to have the right approach on a big lake or you'll spend all your time looking for fish instead of catching them," Morgan points out.

A boat, while not essential, is a big help.

"Many reservoirs have relatively little access for bank fishermen," Morgan says. "The water may be too high or low, and the best spots may be inaccessible from shore. The few developed bank-fishing locations are often overcrowded."

Morgan's 18-foot bass boat serves double-duty as a panfishing machine. He relies on console- and bow-mounted fish finders to locate structure and submerged cover that attract bluegills.

"Schools of bluegills may not be evident on your graph, since these fish seldom 'tower' like crappie do," he says. "Instead, they fan out over a wide area. Look for sunken trees, brush or the other fish magnets I've mentioned. Chances are, the 'gills will be there."

For the fastest action, Morgan recommends live bait.

"I like to bring at least two different types of bait on bluegill outings because these fish are notorious for completely shutting off on a certain bait at a moment's notice," he says. "One minute they want crickets, then worms the next."

Crickets are the most popular bluegill baits, but they have their drawbacks.

"A bluegill can strip a cricket off your hook in a heartbeat," Morgan explains. "Mealworms and redworms are harder to steal."

He recommends small wire hooks — No. 5 or No. 7 — for all of these baits.

Of course, bluegills also respond to a variety of artificial lures.

"These fish know no fear when it comes to grabbing a meal," Morgan promises. "I've even caught them on big topwater bass plugs. But the most consistent action comes on small marabou, twister or tube jigs weighing 1/32 to 1/8 ounce. These can be fished horizontally or vertically, depending upon the season, and are inexpensive should you have to break off repeatedly when fishing brushpiles. They'll also slam a small in-line spinner or one of those finesse-sized crankbaits."

Either a fiberglass crappie pole or a simple canepole is ideal for catching bluegills in shallow water.

"I'd recommend a pole in spring and summer, when panfish are most often found around shallow wood and brush," Morgan indicates. "Poles are perfect for kids, since there's no casting involved and no reel to deal with. The rest of the year, the biggest concentrations of bluegills may be too deep to reach with a pole, so you'll need an ultralight spinning or spincast outfit. Even small bluegills are fun to catch on light tackle, and the bull bluegills you'll find in many reservoirs are a real blast."

Floats are an integral part of bluegill fishing and can add an aura of excitement with children aboard.

"Kids just love to watch that bobber go down," Morgan swears. "Floats help teach small children the basics of fishing. When a fish jerks their float under, they learn to jerk back. Plus, floats are essential at times because reservoir bluegills often suspend, and they may not strike a bait presented on the bottom."

Cheap plastic snap-on bobbers will work, but Morgan recommends the lighter but slightly more costly fiberglass or wood floats.

"These are far more sensitive to a subtle bite and much easier on light lines," he says. "They attach with a slip-on band instead of a wire clip, as do plastic bobbers."

Seasonal Approaches
In early spring, cold water may make bluegills lethargic.

"In March here in Tennessee, I fish sheltered coves on the northern side of the lake, where water temperatures will be slightly warmer," Morgan says. "Submerged brush and trees in the shallows will begin to draw in schools of bluegills, but the bite is likely to be slow. Often a 1/32-ounce marabou jig reeled very slowly through the school is your best bet."

By late April or May, bluegills may be bedding in 3 feet of water on sandy banks. The spawning bed is often clearly visible and might be protected on one side by a sunken tree or stump.

"Wear polarized glasses to help locate beds and avoid running your boat over the fish or you'll scatter them," Morgan says. "I prefer slightly stained water instead of gin-clear water when they're bedding because the fish won't be as spooky. Now is the best time to use artificial lures. Cast a jig or small spinner past the bed, swim it back with a constant medium retrieve and you may get a fish on every cast."

Bluegills can move surprisingly deep in summer, especially in clear reservoirs. Morgan first probes deep water beneath boathouses and docks.

"These man-made structures have intense algae growth in summer, attracting small minnows and other bluegill forage," he explains. "But the fish are seldom shallow. Twenty-five feet is a good target depth."

Morgan will also hunt bluegills in deep brushpiles that he previously sank in creek arms and along steep rock bluffs.

The guide simply loves fall bluegill fishing and often has the lake to himself once hunting season arrives.

"Once the water cools to between 60 and 70 degrees, the fish will be shallow but close to deep water," he says. "Main-lake coves are a good bet, as are islands. The biggest bluegill I ever caught, a 2¼-pounder, came off the tip of an island that rose out of 50 feet of water."

Go 'Gillin'
Tired of chasing after bass, walleye or crappie? Want to have fun catching fish for a change? Then take Morgan's advice and try reservoir bluegills. These overlooked game fish can be as exciting to catch as they are tasty to eat. Be sure to bring the family along. Once they get into bluegill fishing, they'll want to fish for everything else, too.