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Create The Ultimate Bluegill Fishing Kit

When fishing for bluegill keep your bait small and your line light. A well-stocked bluegill tackle box will include items for two basic blue gill fishing styles. The first, a slip bobber rig, will allow for light baits to be thrown long distances while having the bait presented underneath the bobber at your desired depth. Slip <a href="https://fishbrain.com/shop/c/bobbers-floats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bobber</a> rigs require a bobber of your choice, a bead, a bobber stop, and your bait of choice on the end of the line. This method keeps all the weight of the rig on the end of your line, allowing for long distance accurate casts that will cover a ton of water. On impact the bobber will slide to the bobber stop and your bait will now dangle underneath at your chosen depth. Your bait of choice will be on the end of your line and typically consists of a small jig or hook with a soft plastic lure or live bait of your choosing. Common baits to attach to the jig or hook include, worms, crickets, larvae, <a href="https://fishbrain.com/shop/c/bugs-grubs-fry" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">grubs, flies</a>, curly tails, spade tails and small insect related baits of this nature. The second general method involves removing the bobber and fishing a more cast and retrieve style with common lures like spinners, cranks, spoons, and similar jigs with the previously stated baits attached. Bluegill are aggressive feeders but have tiny mouths so keep your presentations small.&nbsp;&nbsp;Line choice is situationally and personal preference dependent, however, whether you choose braid, mono, fluorocarbon or a combination of two for a main line and leader, the line should be light in order for better casting of those small baits. A big bluegill can fight hard, so while 4 pound test may be ideal, if you find yourself on the lunkers you may need to bump up to the 6 or 8 pound range depending on your line type.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Put that line on a smaller 1000-2000 size reel and match it with a 6-7 foot fast action rod and you’ll be perfectly set for filling the boat with blues. The reel should allow for long casts, smooth retrieves and easily adjustable drags for those aggressive fights. As far as rod length, blue gill fisherman are trending away from the shorter panfish rods and bumping up to 6 or 7 footers to allow for that power and sensitivity to be transferred into the hooksets appropriately. Be sure to have some needle nose pliers, a net, and a glove, for hook removal and to protect your hands from those pointy fins.See all recommended gear for starting your own bluegill fishing kit. We make recommendations based on user-reviews, logged catches and more. If you have specific gear you recommend we include on this page, please contact us to let us know. We would love to hear your opinions.

Shop top-rated fishing gear for catching bluegill. Our recommendations are based off millions of catches.