How To Get Big Bluegills In The Hot Summer Months of Michigan
Most people do a lot of their big bluegill fishing in the spring when the fish are on their beds but that doesn't mean you still can't catch them when the summer heat kicks in.
Bluegills in Michigan
Nothing like the smile a big old bluegill can put on the face of a child in the middle of the summer. There is also nothing like the smile a mess of big bluegills put on my face in the middle of the summer when I'm sitting at the dinner table.
Bluegill is my absolute favorite to eat and some of the most fun to catch when they are big. Using a nice ultra-light rod and reel with a slip bobber with a hook and redworm can be a lot of fun during the dog days of summer.
How To Catch Big Bluegill in the Heat of the Michigan Summer
Yes, there are plenty of little bluegills near the fishing dock and around the weed beds, and for many, they can be a blast to catch but if you want some big ones to catch and eat you are going to have to go deep.
It helps to know of a lake where you have previously caught big bluegills in the spring or through the ice. If you know of a lake where there are some really deep weed lines or catch them suspending over the lake's deepest holes.
A slip-bobber set-up is the way to go. This will allow you to get your depth right and be able to get your line right back in the same area quickly. The bluegill in these deeper pockets is usually a lot bigger than the ones around the shoreline.
I find bigger gills suspending in anywhere from 15 feet of water all the way to 35 feet of water and these areas are usually near weeds and well vegetated. The hotter it gets the deeper the big gills are. It helps to move around a bit. If you find some gills that are biting, fish until it slows then move to another location. Start with your bait about 6 inches from the bottom and work your way up until you are getting regular strikes.
It takes some patience and time but remember where you caught the big gills because the fish will usually be in those same spots year after year. You can find them in these same locations usually in the fall when most other people have already stopped fishing for the year.
