The Bluegill is easily recognizable by the blue or yellow green coloration, six to eight dark vertical bands down the sides and dark opercula flap behind the eyes. During spawning season a male may also have a bright yellow or orange on his throat or body. Fish in darker water tend to lack the bright coloration.
Scrappy fighters, the aggressive behavior of the bluegill is an indication that they do not remain in a body of water by intelligence. They attack baits two times larger than is capable of fitting in their mouth.
The best populations of this feisty fish are live in clear, well-vegetative lakes. They are adaptable and also are be found in murky swamps and turbid streams. However, they do not reach their greatest numbers and size under such conditions. They do best in water in the 50- to 80-degree range where they feed on aquatic insects and larvae as well as arthropods and crustaceans. The best area for good growth contains only about 20- to 40-percent vegetation.
Big bull gills are often line shy as well as bait wary especially in clear water. In Illinois quality size fish are 7 to 8 inches in length. Eight inch fish usually are about 3/4 of a pound and 9-inch fish will run up to 1 1/2 pounds. Eleven-inch bluegills probably are about two pounds.
Four stages growth determine the ultimate size of a fish. One is the growth rate as a juvenile. The second is the age of maturation. Their growth rate as adults and age at death are the final two. A change in any one or more of these factors alters the eventual size of the fish. Gills in Illinois live about 5 or 6 years on average. The average fish caught is about 1/4 pound.
Continue reading this article at this LINK…..
—–
Join ODU Magazine on Facebook here at this LINK…..
Join ODU Magazine on our Twitter fishing site here at this LINK…..
Join ODU Magazine on our Twitter hunting site here at this LINK…..