Fat Bluegill, San Vicente ... again? May 21

[blackcloud9]

It's officially a pattern at this point!

Really fun panfishing again today and upped gear to 6 lb. braid with 6 lb. leader, found the fish in the same areas. Targeting around 15 to 18 feet deep on nightcrawlers at the outer edge of the brushlines, similar to Friday's catch but added a fat 2.2 lb bluegill today. All fish released cuz I'm not filleting these things.

Just cannot get enough after THAT Spring we had

(I've shot GoPro footage from bite to landing Friday and today, so I pulled some framegrabs for the post)

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The GENERAL area of the lake I'm fishing should be clear from the few photo landmarks I've provided over my shoulders in my posts.
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[Fishbreath]

Love it! Keep 'em coming.

[Pourboy]

Great job out there...again! Fun talking with you at the ramp and I'm glad you found them. Cheers!

[Stringbean]

Very nice ,
You gave me hope. Was thinking about your record.
Thank you for sharing

[Str8t Slabaronies]

Str8t up Bullgills! Very Nice indeed!

[jwayman]

Thanks for sharing some details on San Vee! fished Friday and stayed right beyond the brushlines and caught six fatties and some small ones. Depth from 14 to 21' all over the lake. I forgot SKIERS on Friday!! Maybe the bouncing boat moved the bait around and attracted fish!

[Everydog]

I took a break from catching bass at Barrett to deliberately go after Bluegill. A drop shot 3" power bait minnow was catching a good-sized gill and some bass in nearly every cast. I got to wondering, could I go do that a Sans Vie next trip? Sorry, I call it Sans VIe because I don't usually catch much there.

I'm looking at Blackclouds' post here, and it's in the springtime.

What's the likely bluegill pattern now, Please? Where to start looking. Points?

[blackcloud9]

...
I'm looking at Blackclouds' post here, and it's in the springtime.
What's the likely bluegill pattern now, Please? Where to start looking. Points?

I generally do not fish these in the summer, only because I'm busy with other fish elsewhere near home. Last week
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Halibut

For San V specifically, the panfish I catch are usually suspended out in open water and they can be anywhere, even out over 80 to 100 ft of water. That's why you see the Garmin in the photo above. Note they are very sensitive to noise when out in the open, and I can watch the schools scatter when I approach within 20 feet - even in my quiet kayak.

Without electronics, I would try flylining or d/s medium nightcrawler pieces around the edges of exposed tree tops, optimally out in the middle of coves. So around any trees or brush in about 10 - 15 ft of water or just outside those trees and brush. Did I mention trees and brush? Sometimes the bass take over and won't let the bluegill get the hook. Hope that helps.

[Everydog]

Thanks, Nice Halibut. I am one-for-one on Halibut surf trips and don't want to mess up my streak. Actually, I know it was just luck. Nice fish there. Thank you for the bluegill tips. I had no idea you were catching them where and how you described; good work!

[blackcloud9]

Thank you for the bluegill tips. I had no idea you were catching them where and how you described; good work!

I'll predict in five more years almost everyone will have forward sonar and our lakes will probably be crowded throughout fall, winter, and spring when people realize what's actually happening. This is the GOOD OLD DAYS, right now! Better to learn it ahead of the pack. Very fun fishing with nobody around for miles on any one of our lakes in SD. Game changer

Summary Demo
https://youtu.be/0hJ9xo5Hvtw?feature=shared&t=435