Species › North America · Freshwater › Bluegill

Freshwater · #9 most targeted in the US

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus · bream, brim, sunfish

Water temp
68–82°F
Peak season
Apr–Jun
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
4 lb 12 oz (2.15 kg)
Bluegill (Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus).jpg)

Photo: Ltshears · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Bluegill are a deep-bodied, saucer-shaped sunfish with a small mouth, a dark blue-black ear flap with no colored margin, a dusky spot at the rear of the dorsal fin and five to nine faint vertical bars on the sides. Colors range from olive and purple-blue on the back to a yellow or copper-orange breast on spawning males. The soft dorsal spot and the plain black ear flap separate them from redear, pumpkinseed and green sunfish, though hybrids are common.

Native to the eastern and central US from the Great Lakes to the Gulf, bluegill have been stocked in every state and on several continents, usually alongside largemouth bass as forage and as a panfish in their own right. They do best in warm, weedy, clear to slightly stained water in ponds, natural lakes, reservoirs and slow river backwaters.

Bluegill feed by sight on insects, larvae, snails, small crustaceans, zooplankton and fish eggs, nibbling rather than slamming a bait. They spawn in colonies when water reaches about 67–80°F (19–27°C), with males fanning saucer-shaped beds in sand and gravel in one to four feet of water and guarding them aggressively. After the spawn, big fish move to deeper weed edges, drop-offs and shade and feed most actively in daylight.

For anglers, bluegill are the gateway fish: a worm, a bobber and a cane pole still work. But trophy bluegill over a pound are a serious pursuit, and fly fishers, ice anglers and panfish specialists chase them with tiny jigs, poppers and ultralight gear. They are also the backbone of community fish fries and the forage base for most bass fisheries.

Typical size4–8 oz (0.1–0.25 kg); 6–9 in
Trophy1 lb+ (10 in) anywhere; 2 lb+ fish are rare and mostly from southern ponds and fertile lakes
Table fareExcellent — sweet, firm and best fried whole or filleted

How to catch

Bobber and live baitA small hook (#8–#10), a split shot and a piece of nightcrawler, cricket or waxworm under a small float, set 1–4 feet deep, is the classic. Cast near weed edges, docks and brush, let it settle and wait for the float to dance. Downsize the float so a nibbling bluegill feels no resistance.
Bed fishing in the spawnIn late spring, look for clusters of light-colored saucers in 1–4 feet of water in protected sandy coves, often with a musky smell on the wind. Drop a cricket or small jig into the beds from a distance and the guarding males will hit immediately. Keep a few and move on so the colony keeps producing.
Fly fishing with poppers and nymphsA 3–5 weight fly rod with a small foam popper or sponge spider fished along weed edges in the evening is as fun as bluegill fishing gets. When they will not come up, a bead-head nymph or small wet fly under an indicator picks off deeper fish.
Slow-falling micro jigsA 1/64–1/32 oz jig with a 1-inch plastic or a hair body on 2–4 lb line, cast and allowed to flutter down beside cover, draws the big ones. Big bluegill often follow and eat on the fall, so watch the line and set on any tick.
Deep-weed-edge drifting in summerAfter the spawn, the largest bluegill drop to the outside weed line in 8–15 feet. Drift or slow-troll a drop-shot rig or a small jig tipped with a piece of worm along the edge, watching electronics for pods of fish.
Ice fishing with tungsten jigsThrough the ice, a 3–4 mm tungsten jig tipped with waxworms or spikes, fished with a quivering jiggle over green weeds in 6–15 feet, is the standard. A flasher shows fish rising to the bait; pause when they close in.

Gear

Rod5'–7' ultralight spinning or 3–5 weight fly rod
Reel500–1000 spinning
Line2–4 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon

Lures

Micro tube jigHair jigInline spinnerFoam popperSponge spiderBead-head nymphMicro crankbaitTungsten ice jig

Baits

CricketsRed worms or nightcrawler piecesWaxwormsMealwormsSpikes (maggots)

Regulations

A state freshwater license is required for adults; bluegill are usually grouped under a generous panfish or sunfish aggregate daily limit with no minimum length, though some trophy-managed waters set length limits or smaller creels.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 4 lb 12 oz (2.15 kg) — Ketona Lakes, Alabama, April 9, 1950 (T. S. Hudson). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What is the best bait for bluegill?

Crickets and pieces of nightcrawler are hard to beat, with waxworms and red worms close behind. Use a tiny piece of bait on a small #8–#10 hook so the fish can get it in its mouth; bluegill nibble, and a whole worm just gets stolen.

When do bluegill spawn?

When water reaches roughly 67–80°F (19–27°C), which means March or April in Florida and Texas and June into July in the northern states. Spawning often peaks around the full moon and may repeat several times through summer, so beds can be found for weeks.

How big do bluegill get?

Most are 6–9 inches and under half a pound. A 10-inch, one-pound bluegill is a trophy in any state, and fish over two pounds are rare and usually come from fertile southern ponds. The all-tackle record is 4 lb 12 oz from Alabama in 1950.

What is the difference between bluegill and bream?

In the South, bream is a catch-all name for bluegill and related sunfish such as redear (shellcracker), redbreast and longear sunfish. A bluegill is identified by its all-black ear flap with no red or white edge and the dark smudge at the back of its dorsal fin.

Bite forecast — Bluegill

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Bluegill.

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