First ice might be your best opportunity of the year to catch truly huuuuge bluegills. Here’s how (and where!) big-fish junkie John Hoyer targets ’em when things lock up, and it’s likely not where you’d think:
Location
Most folks zip straight off to the weeds…while Hoyer runs with the bulls đ in 15-30′, focusing on soft-bottom basins that flatten out at the base of a saddle or shelf:
> Hoyer: âTheyâre out on deep flats that have bug life going on — especially the trophy-sized fish. Theyâre following the food and not really holding to structure.â
When drilling holes, he starts in deep water at the base of a drop-off and moves OUT from there:
Timing
Bluegills are picky when a lake first caps. Hoyer says, âtheyâre crabby” and “it takes a week-ish for them to adjust to it.” When fish start actively feeding again, time of day is crucial:
> âBig bluegills will shut off completely for long stretches — you have to hit the feeding windows, which are usually at first light and then dusk into nightfall.â
Says you can NOT rule out a lake for big ‘gills until youâve spent time trying to locate fish at lowlight dusk. Heâs also a big believer in overcast days with a falling barometer = fish are more likely to feed all day:
> âThatâs when weâll make a long run to a known trophy lake. Other than that, itâs basically the 2 feeding windows.â
Tackle
Any light rod combo will work — the key is a bite indicator, like a spring bobber or noodle rod:
> âYou have to be able to see the bite, because 90% of the time, you wonât feel it with gloves on.â
Hoyer fishes 3-lb Berkley Trilene Micro Ice Mono, switching to fluoro (which sinks) in deeper water to boost the bait’s drop rate. And here’s why he says 3-lb is the deal:
> â4-lb is too thick, and 2-lb will lead to heartbreak on a hookset, guaranteed.”
Lure selection isnât as meticulous as it can get later in the season:
> âI usually go with a 1/16-oz tungsten jig or a 1/16-oz spoon. Iâll tip it with a red Berkley PowerBait Whipworm or Mayfly, and Iâll always have a bait puck of Euro larvae on hand, too. The key is getting it down in front of their face fast when the bite is on.â
Leans towards dark colors for bluegill, including red, black and motor oil. Heâs also partial to lures outfitted with a razor-sharp Berkley Fusion19 hook.
Tactics
Hungry bluegills often suspend low in the water column.
> âYouâll see them 2-5′ off the bottom. Sometimes, you can watch them compete for your lure on the flasher — thatâs when you can really wail on them.â
Once he marks a fish, he moves his bait 12-18″ upward while quickening his jig cadence to mimic fleeing prey.
> âThen you let them catch up to it and eat it.â
Using a flasher also helps visualize the way bluegills feed using lateral line vibration.
> âA 1/16-oz lure will be a thick red mark, like a fish. If Iâm getting denied, the first thing Iâll do is downsize jigs. The smaller jig shows up as a thinner, green line, and that lighter frequency is the same thing that happens on a bluegillâs face. When the bite is tough, less is more.â
And if you’re lucky, you might just hit a dusk plankton bloom on some lakes, and then:
> âItâs go-time. It gets so thick you canât even mark your jig, but thatâs their food source. If you hit one of those hatches, the bite is usually good as late as you want to stay.â
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