Crappie / Bluegill Fishing

[radiohead]

My daughter has reached the age where she wants to go out on the boat fishing with Daddy. I am going to start setting aside Friday mornings as our day to fish every week. All I've ever done is Walleye fish.
I'd like to get into some pan fishing because I think that will be fun for her.
I've never been Bluegill or Crappie fishing. Any tips and pointers would be appreciated.
Not looking for your honey holes, just looking for what type of bait/tackle to use, and general areas and depths to try and target them in.
Thanks for help in advance.

[Mark Sylvester]

Copied from another thread............
Just got back, took some very nice gills(biggest a little under 10")before the sun came out and it slowed noticably after that. Got a couple crappies too, not much size to them. Canal was full of mating gars, some carp working too.

Did best dritf/rowing down the canal til I hit a nice fish, then camps on them til the bite slows. Today they liked the jigs better than plain hooks, little activity on minnows. Crappies came on worms too. Top 2 FOW had the nicer fish, run deeper and they were smaller. Most of the fish were gills, just a few pumpkinseeds. Lots of bass followed small gills to the boat, even got hit by a good pike right at the boat, but he dropped the gill.

Hope this helps!!! :chillin: :coolgleam

[kneedeep]

I have been taking my 5 yr old son out between ginos and the crooker launch and catching alot of gills, perch, and bass. We just drift in about 6 to 8 feet of water with a smaller hook and a worm and enough weight to bounce on the bottom.Good luck and remember to have alot of fun and she will be hooked (dont forget to bring alot of good snacks:)).

[mwakely]

Anywhere from M-59 north to the Salt River in 6 fow using a slip bobber and a plain #8 hook and a worm suspended 6 to 10 inches off the bottom and you will catch sunfish. Look for the weeds and anchor off of them and throw into them.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Try some of the deeper cuts down the middle channel. The Sni too.

Slip bobbers work good for teaching her to cast, also helps in reeling in her catch.

[jiggineyes]

We couldnt keep the pumpkinseeds, rock bass, and perch off our harnesses right in front of the spillway yesterday in 8 fow. We tried in by the mouth as it was slow out deeper for the eyes. As soon as it was in the water wed catch another!

[ficious]

Good luck! Might be out on fri or sat.

mmmmmmm fat gills!!

Harry

[Badboy69]

Best I ever did on gills is 50 in 2 hrs (nothing under 10") with me an my buddy fly fishing them with black spiders on a small public inland lake about 2 1/2 hrs. north of here. Best time I ever had with a 3wt. fly rod! NOW is the time...so if you know that lil honey hole... get there now...I'll be there this weekend!

[ficious]

Hey Larry,

I have to agree, big gills are a blast on a flyrod. Done well on small poppers too

Harry

[MSUICEMAN]

fly fishing is a bit much for a real youngster.... put on a casting bubble and a spider (my personal favorite is brown with orange legs or orange with white legs), but usually it doesn't matter much on a spincasting outfit and you are good to go.

cheap setup, works amazingly well when they are on the beds, and its a visual strike which kids will get a kick out of and figure out quickly.

if they aren't on their beds, a simple leaf work, split shot, and slip bobber setup will do well.

[Badboy69]

How ya doin Harry...been on the big pond yet? Just got my boat all together and gonna hit the bay this weekend for some eyes.
Fly fishing is a bit much for youngsters, but for my 5 yr. old he has a spongebob pole and I just place a small bobber with a 3-4 ft. lead to the spider and he has a blast watching the gills strike and picked up very quickly when to set the hook.
I also have an older eagle claw 6' 6" 5wt. I loaded up this year for him and not sure if it's from watching me or not...but the kids a natural with a fly rod! amazing how well a 5 yrs old can cast a flyrod.
Sorry Raidohead...didn't mean to highjack your thread:eek:
fly fishing is a bit much for a real youngster.... put on a casting bubble and a spider (my personal favorite is brown with orange legs or orange with white legs), but usually it doesn't matter much on a spincasting outfit and you are good to go.

cheap setup, works amazingly well when they are on the beds, and its a visual strike which kids will get a kick out of and figure out quickly.

if they aren't on their beds, a simple leaf work, split shot, and slip bobber setup will do well.

[Reeltime]

I think that is great!! We need to teach them when they are young.

The blue gills are in the canal behind my house pretty heavy this week, if anyone wants to get a youngster some fishing off the dock - it is open to you. Just let me know - they will probably be available the next 2 weeks. We do catch and release so they can learn - my 11 year old caught 10 this evening and wants to eat them all! I tell her that is why we go on the lake so we can keep those :lol: