best places to find big bluegill?

[Fisher_Girl_Kitti]

i live in texas near lake lavon and ive been wanting to find some big bluegills. i hear near shadowy spots like docks and tree lines are good spots to look. but what other places would be good places to look?

[CrappiePappy]

Ms Kitti .... as I understand it, the "big" Bluegill tend to be "loners", and generally reside deeper and in deeper water than the smaller ones. But, they too will come into the shallows during the spawning times (which usually starts a few days prior to a Full Moon).

I'm not sure about actual "types" of spots, as I'm not all that experienced in fishing for Bull Bluegills ... but, I would think that isolated cover, steep dropoffs, cliff wall ledges, deep humps, submerged rock piles, and the like would be good places to try.

... cp

[Fisher_Girl_Kitti]

oh ok. i see. i guess i might be just sticking to crappie. im trying to gather as much info on crappie as i can so could you give me some of the info you go by? like rig setups, baits, jigs, etc etc. i have 2 rods one with a spincaster reel and one with an open face spinning reel. one has 8lb test line and the other will have 6lb test line thats hi-vis yellow line. i hear the hi vis line is good for vertical jigging with just a simple grub, tube or marabou jig on it.

[Biggerbear]

Go on YouTube and type in - how to slip bobber for crappie
It works great for Bluegills also. I have been Slip Bobbering for Bluegills this year with great success.
My suggestion is go with 4lb test line and you will get more hits. I actually use a small swivel and tie it to the 4lb line then on the other end of the swivel I tie 3ft of 2lb line. This way if you snag the 2lb line breaks and you still have the swivel and slip bobber. Just put 3ft of new 2lb line on. I also use #8 Aberdeen hooks I buy on Ebay in packs of 100.
Recently the bigger Bluegills I have got are in 12ft/18ft of water and I set my Slip Bobber Stop Knot at about 9ft(So I'm fishing 9ft down)
Best bait for them(My choice)is mealworms or crickets

[buck128]

ive been catching huge bluegills on a litttle dreged off place its flat and then it drops off to like 4 or 5 foot..idk if that will help u

[Fisher_Girl_Kitti]

im gonna be getting some new gear and im planning to pick up some stick bobbers. i can only afford so much right now. ill look into the slip floats for tight lining. i didnt see 2 or 4 lb line at walmart that was cheap. im gonna have to look again this weekend. i have a list of what i need to get or look at hehe.

i think ill just catch what i can catch. i just figured id ask what kind of areas gills or other sunfish would be found at.

i have one other question that i never really go answered. minnow raps: homemade or commercial. are they effective?

[buck128]

yes they work great

[Fisher_Girl_Kitti]

ok because i have made one out of the screen door mesh stuff. its tiny and pathetic looking. i might make it bigger since i have the whole thing built. well not exactly bigger but longer.

[buck128]

i use chickin wire....but im sure it will work put bread or something in it like that

[Fisher_Girl_Kitti]

I have multiple things to use for it as bait. I'll tie it up at the dock I'll launch from and check it when I get back. Now I just need to figure out a date when my aunt will be heading to the lake.