Identification

• The bluegill is one of several types of sunfish that can be found in Wisconsin, many of which are quite similar in appearance. The main trait that differentiates bluegill from the others is a gill flap that is black with no red mark. The overall color of the bluegill is olive or brown with blueish bars down the side. The belly color ranges from white to coppery orange, and the lower jaw and gill cover are blue, giving the fish its name. The bluegill's body is very rounded when viewed from the side, yet thin when seen from above.
  
  

Habits

• Bluegill thrive in water with little or no current and abundant vegetation in which to feed and hide. They can be found in shallow water through much of the year, though larger bluegill often are found in deeper areas directly adjacent to shallows. Bluegill build nests and spawn in huge colonies when the water warms to the high 60s. In Wisconsin, this usually takes place in early June. Late spring and early summer are the best times to catch bluegill in this state; they also can be caught through the ice in winter, when they gravitate to areas that have green vegetation year-round.
  
  

Tactics

• Bluegill readily bite on live bait. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, cane poles used to be popular, but have been largely replaced by light spinning rods and reels, which can be used to drift live bait or cast artificial lures. Nightcrawlers, crickets and wax worms are highly effective live baits when suspended under a bobber or fished on bottom, while tiny jigs and soft plastics are lures that typically catch blueguill.
  
  

Location

• Widespread across the state of Wisconsin, bluegill can be caught in almost every lake, pond, reservoir and river in the state. Some of the most productive bluegill waters include Beaver Dam Lake, Castle Rock Lake, Green Lake, Grindstone Lake, Holcombe Flowage, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Chippewa, Lake Chetac, Lake Kegonsa, Lake Michigan, Lake Puckaway, Lake Superior, Lake Winnebago, Lake Wisconsin, Long Lake, Pelican Lake, Petenwell Lake, Shawano Lake, and Willow Reservoir.
  
  

Regulations

• All sunfish, including bluegill, are considered "panfish" under Wisconsin regulations. A fisherman can catch and keep a total of 25 panfish per day. and there are no seasonal or length restrictions. You must have a valid fishing license to fish for bluegill in Wisconsin; these can be purchased at most bait shops and sporting goods stores statewide.
  
  

Fun Fact

• The Wisconsin record bluegill weighed 2 pounds, 9.8 ounces, and was caught by Drew DePere in Green Bay in 1995.