In this video tip, Scott Mackner (330 Maniac) shares a great method targeting monster bluegill.
When many people think of drop shotting they don’t typically think about targeting panfish. However, that’s exactly the technique Scott uses to get down to the biggest panfish, especially those giant bluegill.
Before breaking down Scott’s favorite trophy bluegill method, first it’s important to know where he finds the fish. Although many people relate panfish to shallow weeds, he finds his biggest panfish, particularly bluegills, in the middle of the lake, away from the weeds in general. Instead of shallow weeds, he targets mid lake structure – whether it be humps, rock piles, or even brush. In fact, in this particular video he is targeting them on a rock pile in 20 feet of water.
Once he finds the structure and a school of fish, his favorite presentation to get them to bite is to use a drop shot rig. The drop shot is an easy method to get down into the trees, rocks, or whichever lake structure that is being targeted.
As for his typical setup he uses a size 2 hook and 1/8 oz drop shot weight (if it’s windy or very deep water, he will go 1/4 oz or heavier). He will typically bait it with a leech or a crawler.
At the 2:45 mark he shows exactly how he rigs his drop shot for giant bluegills.
According to Scott, you can’t go wrong chasing big gills on mid lake humps with a drop shot so be sure to give it a shot.
You can also learn more about Scott’s big bluegill techniques here.
