Bluegill are now moving into shallow water at the area lakes and anglers are beginning to report some nice catches. I checked a couple of anglers on Sunday that had a quite a few “nice” bluegill on their stringers at Crowder State Park. If this small panfish could compare in size to some of Missouri’s larger fish species, much of our fishing would be poor sport by comparison.
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The bluegill is probably the best known member of the sunfish family. It is found from New York to California and from Canada to Mexico. Although the ideal pond fish is yet to be found, fisheries biologists would probably agree that the bluegill is our most adaptable pond fish.
In many areas, the bluegill is confused with other members of the sunfish family. In fact, you’ll hear them referred to as perch, pond perch, sun perch, punkinseed, bream, brim, and many others.
In Missouri, bluegill will spawn from May to September, with the “peak” occurring in June. Fishing can be excellent prior to the spawn as the breeding fish tend to feed heavily before they begin to nest. They’re colonial spawners, and several males (brightly colored compared to the female) may be seen guarding their nests in the spawning area.
Nests are usually in one to two feet of water and consist of round depressions, with a diameter about twice the length of the male that builds it. Nests are often located close together in a limited area. Fishing during the nesting season can be frustrating. Anglers can usually see the nests from the shore and cast repeatedly towards the numerous round depressions. Many times, the male fish will race towards the lure or bait, only to bump it away from the nest.
Several females often spawn in the same nest, and a female may deposit her eggs in more than one nest. Biologists believe that females release only a portion of their eggsat one spawning, which allows broods to come off the nest throughout the summer.
It is the male’s duty to fan the eggs with his tail, to keep them aerated and free from silt. The male also guards the nest vigorously until the eggs hatch, but does not guard the “fry” once they leave the nest.
Young fish ordinarily become spawners during their first year of life. Thus, the potential number of offspring from a new fish becomes enormous over the span of a few years. You can bet that fisheries biologists consider this when making pond stocking recommendations.
Bluegills are predators, and feed largely on insects and their larvae. In the larval stage, dragonflies, damselflies, aquatic beetles and caddis flies make up the bulk of the diet during the cooler months. The preferred bait during the early season is usually crickets if you can find them. Land dwelling and other mature insects, such as grasshoppers, are welcomed in season along with an occasional minnow or other small fish.
In most Missouri waters, the bluegill reaches a length of six inches by the end of its third summer. Some individuals commonly reach a length of 9.5 inches and a weight of 12 ounces. It takes a 10-inch bluegill (or a weight of one pound) to qualify for a Master Angler Award from the Department of Conservation.
If you haven’t eaten bluegill fillets, you’re really missing a treat. Sure they’re a little smaller, but you can’t beat the flavor. So whether you enjoy catching or eating bluegill (or both), the time to do it is now. Bluegill fight great, taste great, there are no length limits to worry about, and you can take up to 20 per day at local Conservation Department lakes. What more could you ask for?