There are lots of ways to catch bluegills but there is one technique that gets overlooked and it can help you catch the big ones.

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Michigan Bluegills

Tommy Carroll/TSM
Tommy Carroll/TSM
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I have talked about fishing for bluegills often and that is because they are fun to catch, you can find them everywhere and they taste absolutely great. In my opinion, bluegills are the best-tasting fish.

If you would like to take the family out to catch a mess of bluegills, then check this link for an article that will help get you started.

Popper Fishing for Bluegills

Tommy Carroll/TSM
Tommy Carroll/TSM
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I see a lot of guys out with fly rods using poppers and flies to catch fish. Not everyone owns a fly rod nor is it necessary to achieve the same results. Below is a video of a guy using a fly rod to give you an idea.

My son and I both use regular fishing rods and reels when popper fishing. I'm using a light action open-face rod and reel and my son bounces between a close-faced and open-faced rod and reel set up.

Tommy Carroll/TSM
Tommy Carroll/TSM
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I like to use a tiny black or green popper. I tie about 3 or 3 1/2 feet of the leader line to a clear popper bobber as seen below.

Tommy Carroll/TSM
Tommy Carroll/TSM
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You can tie a longer leader line if you like and if you have small kids fishing this style, you may want to try a shorter leader line to make it easier for them to cast their rods out.

Tommy Carroll/TSM
Tommy Carroll/TSM
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As you can see in the picture above, you can catch some bigger gills using this method.

Using poppers works best when the water is like glass, like in the early mornings or evenings. You throw your line out in areas where they bed, along drop-offs, weed lines, near lilypads, and anywhere you know that bluegills are hanging out.

Tommy Carroll/TSM
Tommy Carroll/TSM
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Throw your line out and let it sit for a few seconds then like the name says pop it with a slight pull. You will see the popper a few feet behind the bobber. After you pop it, reel your line in a little, wait, then repeat. Watch for the splash or hit that happens behind the bobber and then set that hood when you see it.

One of the great things about popper fishing is you don't have to keep putting worms on and hope a big one hits. Bigger bluegills seem to like the poppers and since they are bigger they may have been caught before on a hook and worm and have gotten wise to the technique. Don't get me wrong, worms work great too.

Tommy Carroll/TSM
Tommy Carroll/TSM
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Poppers work well with big gills but perch and crappie will hit them, too. Bass will hit these also so don't be surprised if you get a couple of those here and there.

It was my dad that showed me this technique when I was a little kid. This past weekend I was able to pass that on to my son and send my dad this great pic so he could be a part of the moment as well.

Tommy Carroll/TSM
Tommy Carroll/TSM
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At the end of the day, this is what it's all about. A great batch of fish to clean then fry up and when there this big you can get a couple of meals from them. Unless you have a big family.

Tommy Carroll/TSM
Tommy Carroll/TSM
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After getting up early and having a long morning on the lake, my son passed out on the way home. Not sure if he was tired from all the fishing or the ribbing I took from the night before where he caught more fish than I and had the most on the stringer but he was tuckered out.

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