PANFISH FISHING - PERCH, BLUEGILL, CRAPPIE

Perch & Bluegill Fishing

Bluegill are fun to target and catch. When you get into a school of bluegill you can get into a burst of action cast after cast. They can grow to lengths over twelve inches long, and to a weight of over four pounds. Bluegill like slow moving sections of water in creeks and streams, and shallow areas on lakes. They typically school together with other panfish in groups of ten or more. They bite just about anything you throw at them, and are fun to catch. Small worms, crickets, and grasshoppers (live or fake) work great. The most important thing to keep in mind is that they typically have small mouths, so it is important to have smaller baits with smaller hooks. You can also use small jigs and small plastics to entice them to bite. If you know they are there and you aren’t getting any fish biting, slow it down. They don’t typically chase anything for their next meal, reel slowly, let your lure drop and reel, and you are sure to get hooked into some great bluegill fishing action!

Perch and Bluegill Fishing Guides

There are many different fishing guides that offer guided fishing trips for perch, bluegill, and pretty much any other fish that you may want to target. FishingBooker is a service of local guides that you can choose from and schedule your next guided fishing trip. Book A Perch and Bluegill Fishing Guide Today!

Largest Bluegill Ever Caught

The biggest world record sized Bluegill ever caught, as per the International Game Fish Association, was caught in Alabama, at Ketona Lake, in 1950, and it weighed in at 4 lb 12 oz.

FISHING FOR CRAPPIE

Crappie Fishing Information There are two types of Crappie, black and white Crappie. Crappie are a native fish species to North America. They typically live in deeper water during the day, and come into the shallow water in the evenings and mornings to feed. They are typically found in clear water lurking around submerged vegetation, trees, and other objects in three to six feet of water. Crappie school together, and they also school with other types of fin fish. Crappie live an average of about ten to twelve years, and can grow to a little over five pounds, with the average catch size between a quarter to a half pound. When they are juveniles, crappie feed mostly on microscopic prey like cyclops, cladocera and daphnia. When Crappies are more mature they will feed on insects, minnows, and fish fingerlings of other fish species.

Panfish Crappie Fishing Guides

There are many different fishing guides that offer guided fishing trips for panfish crappie, and pretty much any other fish that you may want to target. FishingBooker is a service of local guides that you can choose from and schedule your next guided fishing trip. Book A Crappie Fishing Guide Today!

Largest Crappie Ever Caught

The largest Black Crappie ever caught, as per the International Game Fish Association, was caught in Tennessee, in Richeison Pond, in 2018, and it weighed in at 5 lb 7 oz. The largest White Crappie ever caught, as per the International Game Fish Association, was caught in Mississippi, at Enid Dam, in 1957, and it weighed in at 5 lb 3 oz.

Crappie Behavior

Crappie like to school together with other crappie, and other panfish. They like to hang out around underwater structures like fallen trees, overhanging vegetation, docks, weed beds and other submerged structures. During the day crappie tend to stay deep under water and only move to shore when they are feeding around dawn or dusk. During the crappie spawning period they can be found in shallow water in large concentrations. Crappie do not go into semi- hibernation during the winter and cold weather, which makes them a prime target of anglers that like to go ice fishing. Both black and white Crappie can have a color variance that is affected by their habitat, age and the colors of the local Crappie breeding population.

Crappie Fishing With A Bobber and Live Minnows

Best Crappie Fishing Lures

Small jigs of around 1/8 ounce tend to work the best. They also can be caught on spinnerbaits, small minnow stickbaits, and other small spinners. Small rubber worms, small live worms, and minnows will also work well. Crappie Fishing with a Minnow and a Bobber

Loop Knot

When fishing for crappie with a small jig, you should use a loop knot. IA loop knot will allow the jig to move more freely when casted. It also provides crappie with a subtle movement that crappie will be attracted to when fishing it vertical to the fish.

Best Live Bait Rig

The best bait rig for crappie is to use a #6 hook, a small split shot, a live minnow and a slip bobber. Having the slip bobber will enable you adjust your minnow to any depth. You should hook the minnow through both lips, so the minnow will survive and be able to swim around, or you can also hook it just behind the top dorsal fin.

Best Depth for Crappie Fishing

Crappie are usually found fairly shallow in three to six foot of water. In the summer months, crappie will move to deeper water and come in to the shallower areas during dawn and dusk in order to feed.

Keep the Line Tight

Crappie have a fairly soft lip, which means that as you reel them in they can tear their lip and shake your hook if you don’t keep the line tight. Crappie do put up a good fight for their size, so keeping the line tight is fairly simple to do.

Slow and Steady Lure or Bait

Crappie will bite better if you attract them in by keeping your bait or lure slow and steady with no sudden movements. You should retrieve your line slowly. If you know the crappie are there, and you aren’t getting any bites, you should try slowing down a little bit more to see if that helps.

BEST PANFISH FISHING LURES

Panfish Lures for Crappie, Bluegill, and Perch

Panfish like bluegill, crappie, and perch are fun to target and catch. When you get into a school of bluegill you can get into a burst of action cast after cast. They can grow to lengths over twelve inches long, and to a weight of over four pounds. Bluegill like slow moving sections of water in creeks and streams, and shallow areas on lakes. They typically school together with other panfish in groups of ten or more. They bite just about anything you throw at them, and are fun to catch. Small worms, crickets, and grasshoppers (live or fake) work great. The most important thing to keep in mind is that they typically have small mouths, so it is important to have smaller baits with smaller hooks. You can also use small jigs and small plastics to entice them to bite. If you know they are there and you aren’t getting any fish biting, slow it down. They don’t typically chase anything for their next meal, reel slowly, let your lure drop and reel, and you are sure to get hooked into some great bluegill fishing action!

How to Catch Panfish

When targeting panfish such as crappie, bluegill, and perch, it’s important to reel slow with small baits, small lures, like jigs, flies, and small spinners like a beetle spin. More often than not they will be schooled up, and when you locate them, as long as you are throwing out the rights baits and lures, you are in for hours of enjoyment and a great fresh meal when you get home!

300 Piece Crappie Lure Kit

The 300 Piece Crappie Lure Kit is the perfect assortment of panfish lures for crappie, perch, bluegill, and trout. It is an incredible value, with 300 pieces in total. The lure bodies are an assortment of proven, fish catching, soft plastic baits in many bite inducing colors. The Crappie Lure Kit Includes: 90 - 1.5" Mini Tube 45 - 2" Squirmin' Grub 45 - 2" Tripple Ripple™ Grub 20 - 2" Minnow 20 - 1" Crawfish 20 - 2" Pro Baby Shad 20 - 2" Pad Hopper 20 - 2" Jake 20 - 2" Bumble Bee A durable 360 series utility box

Crappie Magnet Best of the Best Lure Kit

The Crappie Magnet® Best of the Best Kit has all of the best Crappie catching colors, along with Double Cross jig heads and E-Z Slotted Crappie Floats. This kit has everything you ned to begin catching more crappie, bluegill, perch, and trout than your fishing buddies. Get this kit today, and bring your new special fish catching secret baits on your next fishing trip.

Crappie Magnet Lure Kit Includes

• 96 Split tail grub bodies in 12 colors 1 • 6 Double Cross jigheads - 5 each of sizes 1/32, 1/16, and 1/8 oz. • Four 2" E-Z Crappie Floats

Rooster Tail Panfish Trophy Lure Pack

This unique kit of the popular Rooster Tail Panfish Trophy Lure Pack includes the six hottest known panfish catching colors of the perfect size to target all panfish, crappie, bluegill, perch, and will even catch trout. Fantistic blend of colors to attract panfish to entice them to strike. Colors for every water quality, and weather cycle. Pick up this trophy panfish lure kit and be ready to catch full limits.

Crappie and Bluegill Panfish Lure Kits

• 67 Piece Pro Baby Shad Kit • 76 Piece Tutti Frutti Tube Kit • 104 Piece Squirmin’ Squirt Kit • 73 Piece Tri-Color Crappie Grub Kit About The Author Mike Mendenhall is the the founder of Mendenhall Outdoors. This website is an extension of the Mendenhall family’s lifestyle and passion for the great outdoors. Everything that they learn, and experience, along the way that they find may be valuable to our website visitors is on the site for you to enjoy. We highlight products and services that you might find interesting. We frequently receive free products from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. If you click a link on this page, then go on to make a purchase, we might receive a commission – at no extra cost to you, and does not impact the purchase price of any products that you may purchase. The Best Panfish, Crappie, Perch, and Bluegill Fishing Experience Awaits!