Bluegill and redears not nesting yet

[redearhoosier]

Went to Indian today and I couldn't believe the gills and ears weren't nesting. I looked all over and couldn't locate any nest, even with my polarized sunglasses.

We got there at around 1 in the afternoon and the rain came at about 5:30 in a downpour. I still think I could've picked up a nice mess had we fished until dark. But I'm blown away that I didn't spot one single nest. The lake is up, so maybe that's set the nesting process back a few weeks? We had two redear and one nice bluegill that we caught in about five feet of water.

Was at Elk Creek last Friday and the nest were all over that lake.

[Hoosier Hunter]

I heard from another source that they were not on the nest at dogwood as of Wednesday. I'm headed there Sunday and hope to find some.

[Hoosier Hunter]

The lakes I fish in Jackson and Bartholomew counties are done with nesting. I went yesterday in hopes of one last time and they were all vacant now. I did manage to pull a several big gills from deeper water on a popeye jig and artifical beemoth.

I'm excited about getting to Dogwood as I've never been. I'd like to a catch a 12"+ Redear.

[redearhoosier]

We go to Dogwood every September for three days of fishing. Last year we caught over five hundred redears/bluegills in this period. Of course when there's eight of us, we expect numbers like that over a three day period.

We routinely catch a number of 10+ redear, occasionaly catching some 11 and 12 inch redear. My personal best was a 12 inch beautiful colored bull redear, I didn't weigh it but wish I would've.

I personally don't see how the lake keeps producing at the rates it does with so much pressure. There's lots of out of state folks that come to Dogwood. I guess the stocking system in place balances everything out.

[Hoosier Hunter]

I was told they didn't stock Dogwood anymore. Gills & Redears are such prolific spawners there is no need for stocking.

[Hoosier Hunter]

Went to Dogwood today. Seen 100's of beds but they were all vacant. Caught a few redear but ended up letting them go.

[Dakota Kid]

I have a question? Don't Gills an Rd Ears spawn after bass. I mean don't they use the same spawning "bowls" that the bass make? The bass should be coming off the beds, if not just off. So, the gills an ears would have to wait till the fry have hatched. Can someone set me straight?

[SteveM4A1]

they use the same bowls sometimes, but that is not hardly always the case. there is a huge difference between bass beds and bluegill beds or bowls. bluegill/ears put their beds closer together, while bass, depending on clarity, like to be spaced further apart. but yes, they do use the same beds sometimes.

[Dakota Kid]

Thank you. Cool to know