Tag Archives: bluegill

Bream Fishing – Fun For The Whole Family

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Bream, or more commonly panfish, are one of the most beloved fish species in the country. By shear numbers caught, they might be considered the #1 game fish in the country. Most anglers consider bream fishing just for kids or beginning fishermen, but the fact that they are found in basically every watershed in North America and don’t require expensive fishing equipment to land makes them great for young and old anglers alike.

Red Breasted Sunfish

Different Bream Species

Bream can be broken into a few different species, including the most popular bluegill, the red-ear sunfish, and the red-breast sunfish (pictured above). These fish all have similar characteristics, including their shape, relative size, and coloration. They also fight in a higher weight class than their size will portray. Don’t mix them up with their larger cousins in the crappie family.

What Do Bream Eat?

The main diet of bream consists of small insects, insect larvae, snails, crayfish, and small fish. The red-ear sunfish tends to stay closer to the bottom, feeding on snails and crayfish, while the red-breast sunfish has a taste for smaller fish. The fact that they will eat just about anything makes bream fishing a wonderful fishing experience for all ages.

Bream Fishing Gear

The nice thing about bream fishing is that it doesn’t have to be an expensive fishing getaway. Expensive fishing gear is also not necessary. They inhabit any kind of freshwater habitat, from ponds and streams, to rivers and lakes. You likely won’t have to drive far to get to a spot that is full of these fish. Bream fishing gear can be simple. That is what makes bream fishing so attractive. For your bream fishing pole, it can range anywhere from a simple cane fishing pole to a fly rod. Spin fishing combos are the most common, especially in ultralight rig setups.

Bream Fishing Lures

When choosing bream fishing lures, anything will work as long as the hook is small enough. Bream have small mouths, so make sure the spinners, jigs, poppers, or flies have small enough hooks to fit. Other than that, the sky is the limit as to what will work with these fish. Live bait fishermen have just as large an option for these fish. Worms, crickets, and grasshoppers are probably the most popular bream fishing baits, but wax worms, grubs, maggots, and small minnows will also attract success. When choosing a bream fishing bait, remember what works and what doesn’t work in certain situations, and try them out on future fishing trips. You will likely have similar results. Below is a pro panfish jig kit that is highly recommended. Click on the image for more information or to purchase the kit today.

Pro Panfish Value Pack Kit

When Can You Fish For Bream?

The bream fishing season lasts throughout the year, depending on the location. In areas where the waters freeze over, ice fishing for these fish has become popular. In the southern states, bream may become less active, but the fishing remains a possibility.

The Bottom Line

Bream fishing is a great fishing experience not just for kids or beginners, but for everyone. Happy fishing!

What is your favorite bait or lure for catching bream? What is your preferred bream setup? Let us know below. Thanks!

Bluegill Fishing Tips – Panfish Fun

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I can think of some great fishing experiences for panfish on warm summer afternoons as a kid growing up. I lived for a few years as a child in New Mexico, and I spent most of my free time fishing on the Pecos River. I didn’t know back then that the Pecos was not the best fishery around, and that it mostly just had garbage fish, like carp and catfish patrolling the dirty waters. What I was always interested in was fishing for the bluegill. There are many tips to catching your limit, so read on to learn a few different bluegill fishing tips.

Bluegill

The Good Old Days

My brothers and I spent many hours trying to get the perch and bluegill to eat our bait in the Pecos River shallows. Sometimes we used corn. Sometimes we would dig up worms to use. Mostly, we would use stale bread. What we would do was break up a few pieces of bread and spread it around the water to attract the fish. In the mix, we would wad up some wet bread on a hook and wait for a fish to take our bait. Every once in a while, a larger carp or catfish would wander in and scare us by jerking our poles out of our hands.

Those were the good old days, back when the only worry on my mind was catching more bluegill than my brothers. Growing up has meant a lot more responsibility, but I still occasionally enjoy panfish fishing for crappie, perch, or bluegill.

Characteristics Of Bluegill

Bluegill are small fish that rarely even come close to a pound in size. They are feisty fighters, but relatively easy for a child to real in. Bluegill mostly feed on small insects and very small fish. They are known for their nibbling of your bait, and often stealing it off the hook completely. They are also known as an excellent tasting fish, like their bigger cousin, the crappie.

Useful Bluegill Fishing Tips

When fishing for bluegill, it really doesn’t matter if you are a fly fisherman or like to use live bait. Bluegill will eat just about anything. The best bluegill fishing tips and techniques can be summed up in a few words: use live bait. Nothing looks, moves, or tastes like the real thing. Crickets, worms, grasshoppers, and small minnows are excellent bluegill bait. Other bluegill fishing tips and tricks would be to try chumming the area with bait (if legal) to attract a school. Bluegill will generally stay in schools of around 25 other fish, so having more options will make it easier to catch a lot of fish.

Below is a panfish jig kit that is inexpensive and effective at landing bluegill. Click the image for more information.

Slo-Poke Panfish Kit

Lake Bluegill Fishing Tips

Fishing for bluegill in a lake will be different than fishing for them in rivers. Bluegill seek out underwater cover. They hover in underwater vegetation like weeds and moss, and use the shade to stay hidden from predators and prey. When fishing for them in a lake, you will need to seek the different underwater cover that will harbor bluegill schools. There are a few other lake bluegill fishing tips, but they are similar to fishing for them in ponds or other sedentary waters.

Winter Bluegill Fishing Tips

Bluegill become more dormant in the winter months, but can still be caught by ice fishermen. Like the crappie or yellow perch, bluegill continue to feed even throughout the frozen months. Watch a bluegill fishing tips video to get some winter bluegill fishing tips. These videos will show you what bait to use and what techniques to use to bring in winter bluegill.

The Bottom Line

Bluegill fishing is fun for kids and adults alike. It is easy and always yields a few fish, no matter how slow the day is. Happy fishing!

What is your favorite method for catching bluegill? Do you have a favorite recipe for cooking up bluegill? Let us know below. Thanks!