Bass, Bluegills, Red Ears and Hybrids

Type: Nontidal
Region: Central
Location: Local ponds

With the coming of warmer weather there has finally been a surge in bedding sunfish activity as bluegills, red ears, pumpkinseeds and various hybrids are now nesting and the action can be fast. My friend Alvie Sickle and I caught about 50 big bluegills recently along with some bass to 2 pounds at some local, central Maryland farm ponds. We used simple live worms on #6 hooks. I also caught some nice red ear sunfish and some bluegill X red ear hybrids...'gillcrackers'...in several public ponds from the same region. Be sure to release the majority of those larger, spawning males as they are the guardians of the future and pass on 'big fish' genes for for upcoming generations of fish, and fishermen.