Bedtime for Bulls: How to Target Jumbo Bluegills

Not many bluegill anglers consider themselves lunker hunters, but in spring and early summer it’s possible to consistently target the supersized members of the species, commonly called “bulls.” And that is precisely what a buddy and I did during a trip to Florida’s Lake Kissimmee a few springs back.

We ran the shoreline north of Shady Oaks Park Boat Ramp for 30 minutes with a high sun behind us, scanning the bottom for the spread of white bowls that mark a bluegill spawning area. Finally, in a large cove surrounded by lily pads and maiden cane—and patrolled by an alligator half as long as our bass boat—we found the mother lode.

Jim flipped a 1/16-ounce jig under a tiny float. The bobber bounced just once and disappeared. “They’re here,” he said, reeling in a fat 8-incher. I immediately fired a miniature floating minnow in the same direction, twitched it twice, and hooked a twin of Jim’s fish that put up a great fight on my ultra-light spinning outfit and really stretched the 4-pound mono.

For the next 30 minutes, we reeled in one nice bull after another, all of which were brightly-colored males, indicating that the spawn had already occurred in the area and the smaller females had retreated to deeper water. Jimmy topped off the day’s action by sticking a 5- to 6-pound largemouth that broke the wispy line.

While our Florida trip took place in late March, bluegills spawn from April through July in other Southeastern states. With a little research and persistence, you can find a lake loaded with big bluegills near you and hit it at just the right time.

THE RIGHT HABITAT

To narrow your search for big bluegills in spring, consider that they’ll be close to spawning areas, typically in depths of 2 to 6 feet (deeper if the water is clear). Those bulls prefer a firm bottom consisting of sand, hard-packed mud, shell or fine gravel, ideally with docks, aquatic vegetation or sunken trees close by, although they don’t gravitate to such cover the way crappies do.

If you plan to fish a lake, canal or pond that’s new to you, Google Maps will help you pinpoint the general areas where bluegill beds are likely—essentially any shallow spot, including those well away from shore. Once on the water, a well-tuned side-scan sonar can show bluegill beds as well, allowing rapid probing of shorelines.

Scouting is a key part of scoring large bluegills, and it’s easiest during the brighter part of the day, with the sun behind you. Of course, polarized glasses are indispensable.

Keep moving until you see beds—a dozen or more shallow bowls in close proximity. The beds will be 8 to 12 inches wide and usually lighter in color than the surrounding bottom because the fish brush away any silt and debris.

SCENT OF SUCCESS

Whenever there’s a large number of bluegills spawning, it’s often possible to smell them. You will sometimes notice the faint scent of fresh fish above the water, similar to the smell some anglers detect when downwind from large schools of shad (you may have a tough time convincing your smoker friends this isn’t a hoax).

Biologists say that all the bluegills in a complex of beds spawn on the same day, probably to overwhelm predators, and this is when they are most likely to generate a discernible odor. In my experience, this often occurs around the new and full moons, starting as early as February or March in Florida, and occurring in April or May across the rest of the South. Some bluegills spawn in June and July, however, and getting the timing right requires checking likely locations repeatedly.

TUNED TACTICS

While bluegills readily eat live crickets available at most bait shops across the South, it’s hard to beat lively red wigglers when it comes to live bait. The fish can also be fooled with lab-engineered imitations like Berkley Gulp! Red Worms and Crickets, both of which stay on the hook better than the real thing.

Whatever the bait, a light-wire hook in size 6 to 8 will do the job. The Aberdeen style, with its long shank that affords extra space to display the bait and makes it easier to remove the hook from a fish’s gullet, is a favorite of many anglers.

Around the beds, live baits (sometimes jigs, too) work best suspended just off the bottom, so a small slip float like the many models made by Thill can be useful. Aside from holding your offering at the desired depth, the weighted float designs make it easier to cast very light jigs.

Big bluegills always keep an eye out for eating-size fry, so any small lures that imitate baby fish will attract their attention. And since the fish are typically close to bedding areas in spring, small topwaters and slow-sinking lures work well. Tiny floating minnows, like Rebel’s Crickhopper and the original Rapala floater in the 2-inch size (F05), are very effective and add the excitement of surface strikes to the fun.

The difference between fishing topwaters for bluegills and bass is the pace. Bluegills like a more leisurely action with extended pauses. In fact, counting to 10 after the lure hits the water is often all it takes to get a bite. If that doesn’t do the trick, twitch the rod slightly to create a gentle ring on the surface and let the lure just sit for a count of 5. If there’s a bluegill within range, it will latch on.

Should the topwater let you down, try a slow-sinking lure like the 2.5-inch Rebel Trac-Down TD-50 Minnow. This artificial requires watching the line intently because bluegills usually hit it during the hesitation that follows each rod twitch. If the line goes slack or moves in any way, set the hook.

TOUGH-DAY OPTIONS

Though rare if you’re on the fish, there are days when hard baits simply won’t work. In those instances, a bluegill-sized jig or spinnerbait is frequently the ticket. The legendary Beetle Spin is an excellent choice, but TTI Blakemore’s Road Runner and Z-Man’s Flashback Mini in 1/16- to 1/8-ounce sizes are other top producers. Tail color doesn’t generally matter, but it’s a good idea to carry some in both light and dark shades, just in case.

Soft plastics like the Z-Man LarvaZ and StingerZ rigged on tiny jigs are also quite effective. And you’ll find a number of good alternatives in the Bobby Garland Crappie Baits family. The tiny soft plastics (ranging from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches in length) can be fished just off the bottom under a float, cast directly into bluegill beds or dragged slowly across them to tease the fish and elicit a defensive response.

Keep in mind that ultra-light gear is best suited for throwing these little lures. I find a 6- to 7-foot spinning rod matched with a 1500-size reel loaded with 4- or 6-pound mono perfect for the job.

If you’re a fly-rodder, you won’t do better than tossing a size-8, rust-colored sponge spider with a basic 6-foot leader on a 5- or 6-weight outfit. The spider proves particularly deadly when there’s a mayfly hatch, and bluegills have a much easier time inhaling the soft fly pattern than a hard popper. Just cast the fly over the beds, let it sit until the surface ripples die, then barely wiggle it. If there’s a fish below, you’re in business.

Bottom line, there are plenty of hefty bulls available during spawning time, so plan a trip or simply hit a body of water near home, no matter its size. The next bluegill you hook just might be a whopper.

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