We are on the hunt targeting big Bluegills. The key is to stay mobile and utilize your electronics. We have been messing around with a new way to use electronics to help you be more efficient.
We start by looking at the map and finding what we believe may be key areas for big gills. Weed beds, main lake points, and other areas of the structure that may hold those large-caliber gills we are after.
Once we arrive we drill a single hole and drop down the Humminbird 360 imaging. We have it mounted to a plank of wood and have it hooked up to a Helix screen. By doing this we have a 360-degree view around us.
We have it set at 80 feet so I can see what is down there 80 feet in every direction. It allows you to eliminate a lot of dead water and we’re not going to fish anywhere that we don’t see quite a few fish in a school.
We will scan an area for 3 minutes and if we don’t see what we are looking for a pack up and move on to the next spot.
Once you locate a school you’ll want to punch out the whole area, because these schools often roam across the structure. You find that small moves can make a huge difference. You may be fishing a hole with your screen empty, but a hole ten feet away could just be loaded with fish. The key is staying on the school once it’s found.
When it comes to baits for targeting big Bluegills you really have to read the mood of the fish and be ready to change often.
When you mark a fish with your flasher see how it reacts to your bait. Vary your jigging cadence and figure out what gets the fish to commit to your bait. It may take some time to figure out what the biggest gills want, they have a tendency to be very picky.