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| BLUE GILL DESCRIPTION: |
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The back and upper flank are brown or golden green to olive, and the lower flank has
wavy blue-green lines. The belly is a very distinctive and colourful orange to red-orange. The flank has vague bars which
are most evident in females, and is variously spotted olive, orange, red, blue or emerald. The head has alternating wavy blue-green
and orange-brown stripes, and is also spotted with olive, orange or red. The red 'ear' flap spot may be orange or yellow.
The name pumpkinseed is said to be derived from the body outline resembling these seeds. Reaches 16 inches.
The sunfish clan, with the exception of thevarious basses, is not known for producing
leviathans. One eight inches long and weighing half a pound is a good catch. |
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| Blue Gill |
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| Click Picture for larger View |
TECHNIQUES:
Since the sunfish clan is constantly on the alert for a snack,
the angler can enjoy good fishing using almost any method known. Although not known for their ferocity, sunfish will usually
pursue anything that doesn't actually frighten them. They will snap up almost any natural bait, including worms, grasshoppers,
mayfly nymphs, crickets, leeches, mealworms and minnows. Care should be taken to use small baits with light hooks, lines,
and sensitive bobbers. Lures, too, should always be very small and light and will often out produce live baits. This is especially
true when sunfish are guarding their nests.
You alway release what your not going to eat . Practice CPR ( Catch . Picture. release )
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TACKLE: |
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The various sunfish are renowned more for their constant willingness to
take a lure, bait or fly, than for their fighting abilities. To be fair, sunfish try to give a good account of themselves
when hooked, but their diminutive size often works against them. Ultra-light rods and reels, combined with very light line
in the 2 to 4 pound test range, will give the angler added sensitivity, which will add to the enjoyment of catching sunfish.
Such ultra-light equipment also gives the angler an outright advantage when working with the extremely small and light lures
which are used for sunfish. The variety of lures used to catch sunfish is endless. Small spinners such as the Size 0 Black
Fury or the Size 2 Rooster Tail are 'can't miss' lures. Just about any very small spoon, such as the Daredevil or Mepps Spoon,
will take Sunfish. Similarly, tiny plugs such as the Thin Fin XT, Sonic, or Teeny-R, will produce. In faster currents or deeper
water, jigs or jig-spinner combinations, such as the Fuzz-E-Grub or the Beetle Spin will work wonders. Sunfish are particularly
suited for the fly fisherman. Fly rods of 7 to 8 feet in length are used with No. 5 or 6 fly lines. Since sunfish are anything
but shy feeders, many fly anglers use surface lures with floating lines. Hair bugs such as the Black Gnat, Rubber Spider,
or Wooly Worm are favorites, along with any of the lightweight poppers. | |
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