Thread: Gills

One tip that has always worked well for me is to use a long-shank hook. It doesn't help catching them but it helps a lot when trying to unhook them. I prefer a #8 Eagle Claw long shank.

Originally Posted by Damion Kidd

Guess after a bad spring for crappie I’m gonna try some gills this coming weekend. My question is when using red worms what kind of set up do you guys use??Ive fished for them a little but never seriously targeted them. I’m also gonna try some 1 inch sliders but taking some worms as well.

Everything works for bed fishing, so definitely try small jigs.

If you're gonna use live bait, I suggest:

1) Using a jig hook (not a plain hook.) It really helps to prevent swallowing the hook.

2) Using grub baits (waxworms, meal worms, maggots.) They're much better than red wigglers, IMO.

To each his own , I always go crickets over worms for gills while my buddy will start with worms and by the end of the trip be using my crickets most times HA Worms tend to attract Crackers first but they will eat crickets as well. I like them because they are cleaner and faster and easier to put on hook and B fast and furious when you hit a bed Where we fish my set up is a small snap on bobber a # 7 split shot about 5 inches above the # 6 aberdeen hook Since we are usually in 3 ft or less water we set out bobbers about 18 inches . At the moment IMO we are about 7 to 10 days before the gills are full on due to the water not quite warm enough . Got to have a string of 80 plus degree days , The crackers are starting now as they like it a bit cooler around the vegetation. I also keep a tiny spinner bait ready or a small jig such as a keystone minnow as sometimes you can find a bunch by casting the jigs which allows you to cover more area

I use a drop shot rig with a #5 split shot about 12" below a #6 aberdeen hook. If the split shot gets hung you just pull it off and put another one on. When you drag the sinker thru the beds the hook (I use redworms for shellcracker) will be 3 or 4 inches off the bottom. You can feel the sinker slide into and up out of each bed you pull thru. You just slowly work it thru the bed field. They can't stand something being right in the bed and it means you don't have to keep adjusting the float to get the right depth. I can catch 8 or 10 fish off the same worm. Just out another one on when it gets to tiny.

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Originally Posted by IfitFlies

I use a drop shot rig with a #5 split shot about 12" below a #6 aberdeen hook. If the split shot gets hung you just pull it off and put another one on. When you drag the sinker thru the beds the hook (I use redworms for shellcracker) will be 3 or 4 inches off the bottom. You can feel the sinker slide into and up out of each bed you pull thru. You just slowly work it thru the bed field. They can't stand something being right in the bed and it means you don't have to keep adjusting the float to get the right depth. I can catch 8 or 10 fish off the same worm. Just out another one on when it gets to tiny.

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Love this idea, thanks for sharing


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X2 on sharing the idea.

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

Everything works for bed fishing, so definitely try small jigs.

If you're gonna use live bait, I suggest:

1) Using a jig hook (not a plain hook.) It really helps to prevent swallowing the hook.

2) Using grub baits (waxworms, meal worms, maggots.) They're much better than red wigglers, IMO.

^^^^^^This ! they hardly ever swallow a jig head.

A 1/64oz jig head in black with a crappie nibble will catch them all. I have been doing it for years. Use with a #10 hook.