Using Bluegill as Bait for Bass and Catfish

Even though this is a bluegill fishing site, I've noticed a lot of questions regarding using bluegill as bait for bass and catfish. I think this question needed to be addressed more thoroughly than i've seen on other fishing sites.

Why cover using bluegill as bait on a site aimed at fishing for bluegill? Well because most fisherman don't just fish for bluegill. Myself, I love to warm up by bluegill fishing for a few hours to fill up my stringer and get into the fishing mood. Then I sometimes enjoy stepping it up a notch to catch some largemouth bass and catfish. What better bait to use than a few of the small bluegill you've just caught?

Bluegill as bait for bass

Using bluegill to catch bass is a pretty straight forward endeavor. The first thing you want to do is pick a live bluegill off your stringer or out of your livewell that is under 6 inches long. I use the smallest bluegill I have for catching bass because you'll catch a wider variety of bass. If the bluegill is too large, then some nice medium size bass might not be able to fit it in their mouth easily and might opt for an easier meal.

It's imperative for your bluegill to be live when using it to catch bass. Why? Because, bass are fish that are reactionary in nature. This means that movement in front of them is likely to be seen as food and trigger a strike. Use a large hook and hook in the meaty of the fish just below the dorsal fin on it's back. The goal is to avoid organs so you don't kill the fish, give the hook a strong place to stay in, and also to give a somewhat natural bluegill presentation. It' won't look completely natural because the bluegill will be struggling but this just gains the basses' attention for us anyway.

Bluegill as bait for catfish

On the flip side of using bluegill as bait for bass, catfish want their meals bloody and smelly. It's a lot easier to satisfy a catfish. There are two techniques that I personally use when using bluegill as bait for catching catfish.

Cut bluegills
The first one is the most popular. Making your bluegill into cut bait is a great way to catch monster catfish. I like to make two sections of bait out of each bluegill. The first is the head. Simply cut the head off, hook it about a third way down the head securely and you're done. I like using the heads the best because they stay on the hook better.

The next section of bait I use is the midsection. This is everything left except the tail. I throw the tail away as it's pretty much worthless as there isn't much substance to it to hold a hook and not enough blood. The midsection is packed with the bluegill's internal organs and catfish will go nuts over this disgusting package of fishiness.

Live but bleeding bluegills
This is the other technique I like to use when using bluegill as bait for the cats. I hook up the bluegill just like I do when using them for bass fishing. A hook securely places under the dorsal fin in the meaty part of the back will do the trick. Next, take a sharp knife and make a shallow but long cut down the side of the fish's body on one side. This will allow the fish to slowly bleed out while it's swimming furiously in the water, thus spreading it's bloody scent for us! This attracts the cats like crazy and can also act as a chum for when you decide to switch your baits!

Legality of using bluegill as bait for bass and catfish fishing

The safest thing to do to make sure using bluegill as bait is legal is to check out the sign next to the main boat ramp at most major lakes and other bodies of fishing water. They almost always have the laws of the water listed.

Another good guideline to follow is that if there is a length limit for keeping bluegill, you can't use them as cutbait. The reason for this is that if your bluegill are all cut up, it's impossible to prove the true length of each gill you had before you prepared them. Remember, if you are in doubt about the laws avoid using bluegill as bait until you clarfiy your local conservation laws. It will save you from being paranoid on your relaxing fishing trip and could also save you from a hefty fine too.

Bluegill Information