FreeFishCatching panfish: bluegill, crappie and perch
Simple, fun and great for beginners and kids. Where to find bluegill, crappie and perch, and the small baits that catch them.
Panfish such as bluegill, other sunfish, crappie and yellow perch are where most anglers start, and many never stop. They are found in nearly every lake and pond, bite readily, and are a lot of fun on light tackle. Here is how to catch the most popular ones.
Bluegill and sunfish
Bluegill are small, round, colorful sunfish that live around shallow cover. They eat insects, larvae, small crustaceans and worms.
Where to find them
- Docks, piers and boat lifts.
- Weed beds and lily pads, especially the outside edges.
- Shallow, protected bays and shorelines with overhanging trees.
- In late spring and early summer, spawning beds: groups of round, light-colored depressions in shallow water, often 1 to 4 feet deep.
How to catch them
- Bobber and worm: the classic. A small hook (size 6 to 10), a piece of nightcrawler or a wax worm, a small split shot, and a bobber set so the bait hangs just above the weeds or 2 to 4 feet down.
- Small jigs: 1/32 to 1/16 oz jigs with tiny soft plastics or tipped with a wax worm.
- Flies and small spinners also work very well, especially in summer evenings.
Tip: Bluegill have small mouths. If you get lots of nibbles but no hookups, use a smaller hook and less bait.
Crappie
Crappie (black and white) are larger, speckled panfish with big, papery mouths. They eat mostly small fish and insects, often school up, and are known as one of the best-tasting freshwater fish.
Where to find them
- Spring: crappie move shallow to spawn when water reaches roughly the low 60s °F, around brush, reeds, docks and fallen trees in protected bays.
- Summer and winter: they move deeper and often suspend over deep water, near brush piles, standing timber, bridges and the edges of basins. A sonar unit is a big help.
- Fall: they follow baitfish and may move back toward creek channels and mid-depth cover.
How to catch them
- Minnow under a slip bobber: a small hook through the lips or back of a minnow, set at the depth the fish are holding. A slip bobber lets you fish deeper than your rod length.
- Small jigs: 1/32 to 1/8 oz jig heads with 1.5 to 2.5 inch tube or curly-tail plastics. Cast past the cover and swim it back slowly, or hold it still near brush.
- Vertical jigging over brush piles and timber from a boat or a dock.
Set the hook gently. Crappie are called "papermouths" because hooks tear out of their thin mouth membranes easily.
A bonus: yellow perch
Yellow perch are another favorite panfish, especially in northern lakes and the Great Lakes. They travel in schools near the bottom, often over sand, gravel and the edges of weed beds, and feed during daylight hours. When you catch one, stay put, because there are usually more nearby.
- Baits: small minnows, pieces of nightcrawler, or small jigs and spoons tipped with a minnow head or wax worm.
- Rigs: a two-hook "perch rig" with a sinker on the bottom lets you fish two baits just off the bottom.
- Seasons: perch bite all year and are one of the most popular targets for ice anglers.
Gear for panfish
- An ultralight or light spinning rod, about 5 to 7 feet, or a long, light jigging pole for crappie around brush.
- 2 to 6 lb monofilament.
- Small hooks, split shot, a few bobbers, small jigs and soft plastics.
- A pair of needle-nose pliers or a hook remover, because panfish often swallow the hook.
Tips for fishing with kids
- Pick a dock or shoreline spot with lots of small bluegill. Action matters more than size.
- Use a bobber so they can see the bite. It is half the fun.
- Keep trips short and bring snacks.
- Teach them to handle fish with wet hands and release them gently.
Regulations and keeping fish
Many states have daily limits for panfish, and some lakes have special rules or size limits, often to protect bigger bluegill and crappie. Check before keeping fish. If you are keeping a few to eat, keep them cool on ice right away for the best quality. See how to find your local rules.