HOW DO I CATCH PANFISH!!!!!!!!!!!

4# test line, a small bobber, split shot, a #8or10 hook and a few wax worms or spikes usually works, especially around docks or deadfalls. Vary your depth until you get hit. Tom
Fishin' fool in NE Illinois

whts a spike?

it blank?

If there isn't too much cover on the bottom, then I put a couple of split shots about 14 inches from the hook and let her rip. I usually fish with nightcrawler (just cut them in half), crickets, Berkley Gulp (maggots, and angleworms). All will catch fish.

 

now if there is to much cover, then I like using a slip bobber.

A spike is simmilar to a waxworm, it is the larva stage of some kind of insect. Tom
Fishin' fool in NE Illinois

at night if you have a boat rate befor dark at sand bars surrounded by weeds big crappies come out to feed at night on worms and minnows

 

But when i go fishing for any panfish i use a drop shot rig with a #2 hook 

 

if i am fishin for panfish i usually use my medium light rod with 8 pound test just in case something bigger might like my worm. I use a slip bobber with a 1/16 oz jig

I have found that pumpkinseed sunfish and other small panfish that normally eat corn or bits of cookies or anything that doesn't resemble its natural prey usually bite trout bait, the kind that comes in a putty.
Crankbaits 4 LIFE!!!!!!

I guess I'm going to have to give the trout bait another try, I have never caught any trout on it, but it's worth a try. I appreciate the top. Tom
Fishin' fool in NE Illinois

About 1/2 mile from my house, there is a little pond that the Arkansas Game & Fish stock with trout in the fall and winter, and catfish in the summer. Those trout in there tear that trout bait up.You can catch 20 trout in 30 minutes. It doesn't matter what kind or brand. Troutzilla, Berkley, marshmallows, etc... If I were you I would give it another try. But also, the trout there aren't wild trout. The are stocker rainbows, maybe thats why they eat that trout bait, I'm not really sure.

do crappie and bluegill like the troutbait 2?

I've never tried it for bluegill or crappie, but I could give it a try. I will be going fishing this weekend and could try it then. you'll just have to wait till then.

This might help you catch more bluegill. Wherever you are fishing, bring a couple containers of fish food to attract the bluegill. Do this every time you fish in the same location and you will have the fish trained.  This also works with catfish, but I like to use dog food.

We thought we were going to get skunked on a new lake Tuesday, but we switched from artifical bait to bee moths and pieces of red worms and ended up having nearly 30 keepers between the two of us. You might want to go out with someone that has been fishing for a while that could give you some tips. If you are going to fish artifical; I'd suggest buying some curly tailed grubs, some tube jigs, and some swim baits of different colors. This would be a relatively inexpensive startup kit.

I took Fri off and plan on fishing my local pond. As it is loaded with small panfish, I'll give the trout bait a try. Tom
Fishin' fool in NE Illinois

Hey Tom, I think I've noticed in some of your post about all the small bluegill in your pond (or at least I think thats you). If I were you, if the pond is small enough (and not too many people fish it), you should feed those Bluegill (and also remove some) with some catfish feed you get at Tractor supply or even throw some old bread out (It may take a week for the bluegill to get used to it, but they'll eat it sooner or later)

My family has a small 3 acre pond that I fish out of  every week, and because we feed those Bluegill, I commonly catch Gills that are 1 1/2 pound+ and the occasional 2-2 1/2 pounder. You may just want to consider feeding those fish around your favorite spot. That way you can have some good old Bluegill patties.

Has anyone tried putting Garlic paste on there bait? I was fishing at Lake Almoner in my boat got up at 6:am on the lake by 6:30AM,didn't catch a thing ! while everybody else got there limit!!I ask what was going on why I didn't catch any fish? This old timer said to me You have to use Garlic Liquid or paste on your bait.Gets Them Every time!!I said OK,never got to use it I had to drive back home the next day.Anyone have any luck with this?

Be more specific.  Alot of species are considered "Panfish".  For Bluegill, I stongly recomend a very small dry fly from mid-Spring until mid- Fall.  They dominate!  My record for sunfish in mid-Summer is 75 on a three hour trip!  Around mid-Fall when the temperatures start to really drop down to the high 50's, I recomend using a bit of nightcrawler on a very small jig head.  You can still continue to use dry flies when the temperature drops, but its not near as affective.  If you want to continue to use dry flies, I recomend adding a corn niblet to it, for extra scent and so it will sink deeper.  Around spawning time, I recomend using a small curly-tail plastic grub on a jig head.  Cast it directly into the middle of the bed, and you'll get a bite almost immediately!

WHAT DEPTH DO YOU FISH IN THE FALL FOR BLUEGILL

what type of body of water are you fishing?

Posted By fisherfanatic on 06 Oct 2010 03:17 PM
Be more specific.  Alot of species are considered "Panfish".  For Bluegill, I stongly recomend a very small dry fly from mid-Spring until mid- Fall.  They dominate!  My record for sunfish in mid-Summer is 75 on a three hour trip!  Around mid-Fall when the temperatures start to really drop down to the high 50's, I recomend using a bit of nightcrawler on a very small jig head.  You can still continue to use dry flies when the temperature drops, but its not near as affective.  If you want to continue to use dry flies, I recomend adding a corn niblet to it, for extra scent and so it will sink deeper.  Around spawning time, I recomend using a small curly-tail plastic grub on a jig head.  Cast it directly into the middle of the bed, and you'll get a bite almost immediately!

I almost forgot, small inline spinners work really good during the spawn, too.

My go-to panfish setup is a Northland Fire-Fly in Parakeet color tipped with a Berkley Crappie Nibble using either a light or ultra-light rod and spinning reel.  Fire-Flys come in 1/64, 1/32 and 1/16 oz weights and what I use depends on conditions such as water depth, wind, etc.  I use a bobber only when absolutely necessary as I much prefer tight-line fishing.
Other than the fact that green is one of the colors that fish can see, I have no idea why this setup has been so successful.  What really amazes me is the number of species of fish that have fallen prey to the Fire-Fly.  Panfish species are: crappie (both black & white), bluegill, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, green sunfish and warmouth.  Incidental catches include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, bullhead catfish, rainbow trout, coho salmon, northern pike minnow, and carp.
I do use other lures occasionally but when fishing gets tough its back to the Fire-Fly.

Caught this Black Crappie about four years ago off a very tiny dry fly.  I was extremely surprised at the time.  Before then, I had only caught Crappie off of plastic grubs.  It was caught during the evening, which has, recently, been the time of day when I've caught the most Crappie off dry flies.

Fish a piece of a red wiggler or nightcrawler on a small hook. set your bobber at about 16 - 18 inches and fish it out about 10 ft from the bank. May have to fiddle with the depth but this should get the panfish bitting.

Posted By EYELLAW1 on 07 Oct 2010 07:21 PM
WHAT DEPTH DO YOU FISH IN THE FALL FOR BLUEGILL

I usually river fish in the fall, so my casting place can be anywhere from maybe a few feet deep to maybe up to 20 feet deep.  I just set my lure for bottom fishing and sometimes catch them on nightcrawlers or crappie minnows.  I will catch a host of other fish too.

Posted By EYELLAW1 on 07 Oct 2010 07:21 PM
WHAT DEPTH DO YOU FISH IN THE FALL FOR BLUEGILL

Definately deeper than in the fall.  Grubs or sections of nightcrawler should work well.

Hey, toxicstar 12. "Spike" is slang in NE Illinois for a maggot... fly larva... and they're GREAT bait for 'gills. Tip a small jig with 1 to 4 them and sling it under a Thill float, and get ready to fill your 5 gallon bucket. Panfish will also suck down nightcrawlers, redworms and waxworms (moth larvae) here around Chicago. Size 8, long-shank hooks (some call these "cricket" hooks) hooks seem to do the trick if you don't have (or don't want to use) small jigs. Ultra-light to light action rigs are the most fun. Rods can be anywhere from 5 1/2' on up to 12 or 15' (depending on fishing conditions and your personal preferences), and line should be no heavier than 8 lb. test. Some guys go all the way down to 2 lb. test, but I'm not that trusting... for pans, 4 lb. or 8 lb. is how I roll. Have fun.

tiny reel. 4 lb test. very very sensitive bobber. worm, minnow or waxie.