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Bluegill Facts

Bluegill/Panfish

Bluegill and other related panfish are easy to find and catch, making them an excellent species for newcomers to fishing. Bluegill readily bite on live worms and small insects. The bluegill has 39 to 44 lateral line scales. Its dorsal fin contains nine to 11 spines and 10 to 12 soft rays, its anal fin three spines and 10 to 12 rays. The pectoral fin is long and pointed, extending past the eye when bent forward.

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Latest Bluegill/Panfish Tips

Popping Cork Rig (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: A popping cork is the main element in a surface-fishing rig designed to make a splashy noise and attract feeding fish by both sound and sight. It is normally used to catch speckled trout and other inshore marine species. However, it is equally effective on white bass, black bass and striped bass in freshwater lakes. Here is how to tie a popping cork rig.

Catfish Stinkbait Rig (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: Dip bait is a commercial catfish bait that comes in paste form in a plastic tub container. Dip bait is very pungent-smelling and is manufactured in a variety of flavors: shad, cheese, blood, etc. It is called dip bait because of how it is used. A special dip bait worm is the basis of this rig. The 1 ½-inch plastic worm has molded rings around its sides. It is rigged with a treble hook and stout line that is threaded through the worm for easy attachment to the main line. This worm is rigged as a simple float rig. Here is how to tie a dip bait rig.

Bottom Bouncer Rig (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: A bottom bouncer is a trolling rig designed to present live bait at a controlled depth just above a lake or river’s bottom. It consists of an L-shaped piece of wire with a weight molded around the longer wire arm. A worm harness, live bait rig or spinner rig is attached to the non-weighted (shorter) arm of the wire. Used primarily to catch walleye, the bottom bouncer rig is highly productive on crappie, catfish, white bass, black bass and other pan- and sportfish that dwell near bottom. Here is how to tie a bottom bouncer rig.

Slip Sinker Rig (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: The slip sinker rig (also called the “walking sinker rig”) is designed to slowly crawl live bait along breaklines, rock reefs, humps or other fish-holding bottom structure. Here’s how to tie a slip sinker rig.

Mechanical Yo-Yo Rig (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: A fishing yo-yo is a spring-loaded metal reel that is rigged, baited and left in place so fish can find the bait. When they bite, the spring-loaded trigger trips, and an inertial reel sets the hook and keeps pressure on the fighting fish. Here is how to rig a mechanical yo-yo.

Limb Line Rig (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: A limb line is one of the simplest and most effective ways to fish for panfish and even catfish. Here is how to tie a limb line.

Live Bait Rig (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: The live bait rig is a stationary bottom-fishing rig that allows natural action from live bait. It can be used in ponds, lakes, rivers or streams and with light or heavy tackle. It is primarily used on catfish and walleye, though it will work on other species that hold and feed near bottom. Here’s how to tie a live bait rig.

Two-Hook Panfish Rig (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: The two-hook panfish rig is primarily meant for catching crappie, catfish and other species that dwell near the bottom in deeper water. This is a rig for vertical fishing - straight under the boat. Here is how to assemble a two-hook panfish rig:

Popping Cork Tactic (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: The popping cork rig is normally used to catch speckled trout and other inshore marine species. However, this rig is equally effective on white bass, black bass and striped bass that are schooling and surface feeding in freshwater lakes. Here are tips for fishing a popping cork rig.

Catfish Dip Bait Tactic (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: Dip bait is commercial catfish bait that comes in paste form in a plastic tub container. Dip bait is very pungent-smelling and is manufactured in a variety of flavors: shad, cheese, blood, etc.

Bottom Bouncer Tactic (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: A bottom bouncer is a trolling rig designed to present live bait at a controlled depth just above a lake or river’s bottom. It is used primarily to catch walleye, crappie, catfish, white bass, black bass and other pan- and sport fish that dwell near bottom.

Slip Sinker Tactic (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: The slip sinker rig is designed to slowly crawl live bait along breaklines, rock reefs, humps or other fish-holding bottom structure. It is primarily fished on light spinning tackle to catch walleye, though it will also work on perch, catfish, bluegill and other species. Bait with nightcrawlers, minnows or leeches, depending on target species.

Bream Killer Tactic (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: Bream Killer is the proper name of a fly fishing rig used to catch bluegill and small bass. It consists of a floating popping bug trailed by a length of monofilament leader and a sinking Bream Killer fly. This presentation is deadly on bluegill and other panfish that feed near the surface.

Mechanical Yo-Yo Tactic (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: A fishing yo-yo is a spring-loaded metal reel that is rigged, baited and left in place for fish to find the bait. When they bite, the spring-loaded trigger trips, and an inertial reel sets the hook and keeps pressure on the fighting fish.

Limb Line Tactic (Video Included)

Wade's World Fishing: A limb line is one of the simplest, most effective ways to fish for crappie, catfish, bluegill, and bass. It is what its name implies. An angler ties a line to a springy limb (not a dead, brittle one!) that overhangs the water.