Help on Bluegill and Redear at KY and Barkley

[Moveon]

OK guys, I have a guy coming down in a couple weeks and he is from Wisconsin......he LOVES gills and redear, and has been reading about how KY lake grows monsters.

Problem is.......I've never not once targeted them. Heck I don't target them around here.

Now, I know they are on or going on the nest, and I'm assuming big males are quite fine taking that way.

Another problem.......how do I tell.........

Final problem.........where do I fish for them. I'm assuming shallow 4-6 feet, north The shores, out of the way, protected type pockets.....

Any help would be greatly appreciated guys.

Later,

Geo

Along with what you mentioned about check out the botto type. They need to make a nest that will not cave in on the eggs. And the soil has to be soft enough for the males to sweep out a depression for the eggs. So try to focus on the soil type along with the other factors.

Also under Willow trees along the shorelineis a good year round spot for bluegills. When the Mayflies hatch the Bluegills and other sunfish will be on them hard. There are a lot of bugs that fall off the Weeping Willow Trees.

The shape of panfish tells me that they like to swim around wood and objects. I was taught this in my Purdue Fish Class. Fish shapes determine their nitch in the Environment. Pike like open water and their long shape is designed for straight line speed but not turning. Bluegill and Crappie like the safety of wood as they can turn really fast in amount the branches. Where as larger fish can't turn as quickly. So the panfish feel safer around the wood stick ups. Panfish also feed on bottom dwellers that prefer certain types of soils or bottom.

Once you located the spawning beds you can fish them next year if the water levels are not drastically different. Live Crickets, works, bee moths are great baits for bluegills and crappie.