Schooling Bluegills and other Pan fish

A PHENOMENON

In summer, Bluegills and other pan fish frequently school up into large groups. Most of the gills within a block or so along the shoreline may almost all be in one school.

We can usually find them by standing up in our boat and slowly moving along in 10 to 20 feet of water while watching for a group of small Bluegills near the surface with our long-brimmed hat, polarized glasses and life vest.

If you don’t find them in the 10 to 20 foot depth, then try a little shallower.

Most of the time they are grouped, feeding upon a massive group of zooplankton.

When you visually find a school of dozens of 2” to  4” gills near the surface, carefully note their  location, or throw out a marker buoy (about 30 feet away from the school),   or mark a waypoint. Read More