Identification

• There are several species of sunfish, or "bream" in Alabama, and differentiating bluegill from the others can be challenging. The bluegill is a round, deep-bodied fish with a small mouth, spiny dorsal fin and generally olive or brown color, often with several bluish bars down its sides. The belly can be white to coppery orange in color, and the lower jaw and gill cover are usually blue, giving the fish its name. The bluegill is the only sunfish with a gill flap that is entirely black, with no red marking. Bluegill are among the larger sunfish in Alabama, often reaching over 9 inches in length.
  
  

Habits

• Bluegill thrive in fairly still water that is slightly to moderately stained. They like lots of weeds and other cover in which to hide and feed, and often share habitat with bass. Their preferred temperature range is from 60 to 85 degrees, and they can be found in less than 10 feet of water throughout much of the year, although the largest bluegill tend to be found in slightly deeper water that has easy access to shallows, where they come to feed in the morning and evening. Bluegill spawn in vast colonies on shallow flats when the water temperature reaches 75 degrees Fahrenheit; in Alabama this typically occurs from late April to early May.
  
  

Tactics

• Drifting live bait under a float or bobber is the most often practiced method of catching bluegill in Alabama, though bait can be fished on the bottom too. Cane poles are popular among locals, but rods and reels are equally effective. Red worms, catalpa worms and meal worms are common baits, with crickets sometimes being used as well. Bluegill can be caught from shore or from a boat, and wading is also practiced in Alabama waters. Cast your bait right to the outside of weed beds, brush piles, stump fields or any of the other underwater structure bluegill use as cover. You may also want to try small artificial lures, including tiny jigs and flies that imitate insects. 'Gills can be caught year-round, but spring and summer are usually the best times.
  
  

Locations

• Alabama has an ideal climate for sunfish, so bluegill and other species can be found in almost every waterway in the state. Some of the best bluegill waters include Dannelly Reservoir, Lake Eufaula, Guntersville Lake, Lake Harding, Lake Martin, Lake Mitchell, Lake Neely Henry, Pickwick Lake, Smith Lake, Lake Tuscaloosa, Harris Lake, West Point Lake, Wheeler Lake, Wilson Lake and Lake Woodruff, though this is by no means a complete list.
  
  

Regulations

• All sunfish, including bluegill, are collectively known as "bream" according to Alabama regulations. There are no size restrictions on most lakes, and a total of 50 bream may be kept on any given day throughout the year. Alabama fishing licenses are required to fish for bluegill, and these can be purchased at most bait shops and sporting goods stores across the state.
  
  

Fun Fact

• The Alabama state record for bluegill has stood since 1950, when a 4 pound, 12 ounce monster was pulled from Ketona Lake by T. S. Hudson of Birmingham.