Down deep gills

[outdoor ran]

A friend of mine took me to his crappie hole tonight. He tells me the crappies are right on the bottom in the mud in 35 fow. I was having a hard time getting them out of there, he's got it down and he schooled me . Anyway, about every 3rd fish was a bluegill and some of them were just monsters.

Boy did that surprise me. I always fish gills in 15 fow and less with weeds. I never thought about going that deep for them in mud. I learn something new everyday Whats the deepest you have caught bluegills? Any ideas or thoughts on this.

[rockman]

I have caught bigger'gills as deep as 25-27 feet.It depended on how deep the body of water I was fishing was.Many times I was catching fish suspending in schools anywhere from 8-12 feet up off the bottom.

Earlier today I was reading parts of Dave Genz's book,"Bluegills", and he wrote about searching for bigger bluegills in deeper, spongy transition areas, adjacent to, or in the basin.The idea there was that bigger 'gills are using the spongy bottom/ mud spots to forage on insects and bloodworms that are burrowing in the bottom there.It sounds like you may have found one of those areas.

[Corey Bechtold]

Bluegills aren't much different from any other fish that swim in our lakes. They are opportunistic feeders and will drop down deep if there is food there. I have caught Gills dragging a lindy rig with a leech for Walleye's in 30' of water.

How big were those Gills anyway?

Good fishing,

Corey Bechtold

[Matt Johnson]

More than likely they were after some sort of food. When you have crappies hugging the bottom then I'd bet 10 to 1 that they are there because of food. Something is lining the bottom that interests then, and like mentioned, its probably some sort of insect or bloodworm.

In order to snatch those big gills, I would use a small, yet heavy jig. I would also consider tight-lining on the bottom. Maybe use something red to see if they're feeding on bloodworm, or else something dark. Don't be afraid to stir up the bottom either, as sometimes that will draw in fish and trigger them into biting. A small 1/16oz jigging spoon can work wonders too

A spring bobber can pay off huge on situations like this too. And downsize to 1 pound Fireline Crystal... the no-stretch line can really increase your hooking percentage in deeper water...

[Luck e 1]

Couldn't agree more with the 1lb fireline and a spring bobber. I don't know if what I saw was typical...but when I used to fish with a small Thill bobber...they would hit the lure and spit it...almost like they felt the resistance. With a spring bobber I can sit and let them hit it and hold it and they seem to have no idea.

Again...I may have been doing something wrong with the Thill...but I won't go back.

I will also sometimes use the Gulp red worms and go right to the bottom...then SLOWLY reel up. I think they hit it thinking it is a blood worm escaping.

Those have just worked for me...but I am no expert.