# Best sized blue gill for channels?



## Bon3s

I've been catching blue gills and keeping them in a tank to take fishing. 

Just wondering what size blue gills are good live in the hook, and at what point to start using them as cut bait.

Aiming for 5-8lbs channel cats, fishing buckeye lake. Bottom rig.


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## SeanStone

For channels I prefer cut bait all the time. However we have caught some big channels while targeting flathead. I'd say if they are bigger than 6" cut them in half. Smaller than 6" use them live.


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## Cajunsaugeye

Personally if you wanna use live,I'd say 3"-4" would be max for channels.Will likely pick up a bonus flattie too.I would rig two poles.one live and one mid section of one of those 3-4 inchers.Sometimes channels will lean towards live smaller bait.Just gotta see what they want.

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## Bon3s

Thanks for the info guys! 

Going out tonight to trap minnows as well. Anyone ever do any good using minnows for channels?


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## dstiner86

I've tried minnows on channels never any luck but I always have the problem of keeping them alive.. for channels ive actually never had luck with anything but chicken liver.... also to sort of high jack ur thread a little because I've been experimenting with live gil to try and catch some big channels and flats.. how often should I change out the gil.. I'm still getting the hooking thing down but I've gotten it to where I can keep they from dying quick.. but still yet to have luck with them? Even after letting them sit for 30-40 minutes in the same spot. (Usually there dead by then).. anytips there?. Sorry again for hijacking the thread just wanted to ask since we were on the topic of using gils. 

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## LoraincountyFisher

I hook mine I'm the lower jaw through the upper part

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## Catproinnovations

3-5 lb. channels will eat anything they can fit in their mouth any size gill will do even fish Ohio gills lol. I hook mine just behind the dorsal fin. I found the key to hooking up on the channels the best with live gills was to let them have the initial run them then wait for that stop and second run that's them eating the gill let your line get tight and cross her eyes


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## hillbillybelownewphilly

Catproinnovations said:


> 3-5 lb. channels will eat anything they can fit in their mouth any size gill will do even fish Ohio gills lol. I hook mine just behind the dorsal fin. I found the key to hooking up on the channels the best with live gills was to let them have the initial run them then wait for that stop and second run that's them eating the gill let your line get tight and cross her eyes
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


I've heard channels will hit your live bait at first to kill it then come back to actually take the bait


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## FISHIN216

You would be better off with raw shrimp

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## catfishhunterjames

Yesterday I caught a 6.11 lb channel on a 3.5 inch blue gills, but most of my channel come on Catawba/Catalpa Worms.


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## SeanStone

dstiner86 said:


> I've tried minnows on channels never any luck but I always have the problem of keeping them alive.. for channels ive actually never had luck with anything but chicken liver.... also to sort of high jack ur thread a little because I've been experimenting with live gil to try and catch some big channels and flats.. how often should I change out the gil.. I'm still getting the hooking thing down but I've gotten it to where I can keep they from dying quick.. but still yet to have luck with them? Even after letting them sit for 30-40 minutes in the same spot. (Usually there dead by then).. anytips there?. Sorry again for hijacking the thread just wanted to ask since we were on the topic of using gils.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Ok so heres my question to you.....where are you hooking your gills? You may be going too deep into the spine and killing them. If not my next question is what kind of water are you fishing? Lakes have thermoclines....if you fish deeper than the thermicline your gill will die from lack of oxygen. If your fishing current.....rivers and streams...you will need to hook your gill through its lips or nose so it can point into the current. If not you can actually drown your gill.

Any of that help? 

Only other thing I can think of would be a temperature shock. If your bait bucket is colder than the water your fishing.

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## big events

you also have to worry about the gill dying on impact to the water after the cast....



> If your fishing current.....rivers and streams...you will need to hook your gill through its lips or nose so it can point into the current. If not you can actually drown your gill.


i do this in all water, seems to keep them alive longer


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## Bon3s

I got a few 1" baby blue gill in my minnow trap, should I just feed them til they grow or try and use them


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## SeanStone

Bon3s said:


> I got a few 1" baby blue gill in my minnow trap, should I just feed them til they grow or try and use them
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Use them to catch othet bait. Lol. They will take too much time to grow into sizable bait. 

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## dstiner86

Yes sean that does help I never thought of the thermaclines.. typically only use live bait in lakes an uae very littl experience with live bait really and I usually cast into a much deeper section to where I pull the gills from.. and I've always been told to hook them below the back of the dorsal fin. Never really knew I could go thru the lip and keep them alive.. that makes so much more sense when bassfishing with minnows. (Little bit of a hard palm smack to the head moment right here lol).. anyways thanks for the help!!! 

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## SeanStone

dstiner86 said:


> Yes sean that does help I never thought of the thermaclines.. typically only use live bait in lakes an uae very littl experience with live bait really and I usually cast into a much deeper section to where I pull the gills from.. and I've always been told to hook them below the back of the dorsal fin. Never really knew I could go thru the lip and keep them alive.. that makes so much more sense when bassfishing with minnows. (Little bit of a hard palm smack to the head moment right here lol).. anyways thanks for the help!!!
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


No problem. If you can figure out where the thermocline is you can usually do very well by placing baits on the bottom near it. Ie....if the thermocline is at 13 foot place baits on bottom in 12 foot near a drop off. Catfish will roam the thermocline in search of food.

Typically most guys with a boat will know where its at if they have a fish finder....all you have to do is ask them. local baitstores might even know. 

Every August and September we fish shallow flats near the deep end of our lake and wear the cats out. 80 percent of the water may lie below the thermocline so the fish only have a limited amount of bottom to feed on. It really concentrates them and makes for some fun fishing. Its by far my favorite time of the year to fish for cats.


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## dstiner86

I may have to do that.. I usually fish right near a bait shop and talk to them frequent on how people been doing on cats.. one of these days i need to also by a fishfinder for the kayak just so i can learn the lake i fish a little ie drops and all that good stuff the eye cant see. .. and agreed August and sept were my peak points on cats last year ..hopefully its the same this year.. especially with flatheads. Hoping to pop that cherry real soon! Mmmmhhmmm

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## BanksideBandit

When fishing with live bait the softer baits seem to work better for channels, such as chubs/goldfish. I'de say you could use 3-4in bluegills and 5-7in chubs for the bigger cats. I've always done fine with just cut bait at Buckeye though. Seems like I miss more fish using bigger live bait. I think the smaller channels will still try to eat it and just can't get it in their mouth to get a hookset. Good luck!


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## barillms

Channels don't eat bluegill. Cut they will.

For channels use raw Jumbo shrimp or small chubs, or liver.


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## BottomBouncer

barillms said:


> Channels don't eat bluegill. Cut they will.
> 
> For channels use raw Jumbo shrimp or small chubs, or liver.


Edited because I didn't have anything nice to say.

OP - tons of good tips (except for the above). If you want larger channel cats, stick with live bait. Yes, there are times that people catch a nice cat on liver, shrimp, etc. 

As far as rigging, if you go through the lips then put the hook through the top lip only. Think of how you would breath if you didn't have a nose and someone pinned your lips closed right in the middle. 
If I'm hooking them from the rear, I put the hook between the tail and pooper.


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## Sciotodarby

barillms said:


> Channels don't eat bluegill. Cut they will.
> 
> For channels use raw Jumbo shrimp or small chubs, or liver.


Man, I've caught an aweful lot of channel cats on bluegill for them not to be eating them.
I catch 3-4lb fish on 5-6in bluegill all the time, but for live bait I'd say 3-4 inchers would catch more.


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## Scioto jetsled

Heres two of the many Fish Ohio channel cats I've caught this past month on live blue gills. Caught on 3-4 inch green sun fish some people refer to as warmouth.

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## Bon3s

Update:

Been trying a lot of different things, trying to see what I will have the best success with.

So far Id say cut bait by far. Shrimp deff work but size is on average smaller than when using cut bait. Been trying different types of sunfish as cut bait. Best results so far have been on pumpkinseed sunfish.

Here are a couple I've caught in the last couple trips.

No idea of size or weight. I'm strictly C&R, since I like to have photos I don't keep them out of the water any longer than it takes to snap a pic.

Thanks for all the tips!


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## dstiner86

Those are some nice channels haven't had luck on cut bait but to be honest I only used it once and it was the gross store bought crap.. may have to try some fresh caught next time I go out for cats. 

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## kprice

barillms said:


> Channels don't eat bluegill. Cut they will.
> 
> For channels use raw Jumbo shrimp or small chubs, or liver.


I have had plenty of channels nail hand sized live blue gill while targeting flats 

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## barillms

I fish the OH river, I've never caught a channel on live bait. I swear... maybe channels in lakes vs rivers have a different diet. Its common knowledge in river fishing Live bait = flatheads.


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## Cajunsaugeye

So say your not fishing.Channels are just out there,living.If they're not eating something alive,what are they eating? Come on now.OP,you will catch more numbers on cut bait,nightcrawlers,etc.But they certainly will take live bait.Just remember channels mouths are much smaller than flattie mouths.Downsize the bluegill significantly.I would stay in 2-3" range.Smallish clubs and whiners will also work well.And you'll pick up some bonus flats as well w/these live baits you wouldn't normally pick up w/cut.

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## Cajunsaugeye

Uh shiners,not whiners.Auto correct is the worst thing EVER!

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## Bon3s

Cajunsaugeye said:


> So say your not fishing.Channels are just out there,living.If they're not eating something alive,what are they eating? Come on now.OP,you will catch more numbers on cut bait,nightcrawlers,etc.But they certainly will take live bait.Just remember channels mouths are much smaller than flattie mouths.Downsize the bluegill significantly.I would stay in 2-3" range.Smallish clubs and whiners will also work well.And you'll pick up some bonus flats as well w/these live baits you wouldn't normally pick up w/cut.
> 
> Sent from my VS870 4G using Ohub Campfire mobile app



OP = Me.

I never stated that Channel catfish would not eat live bait.

In fact my original post was asking what size live bait to use to catch them.


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## DLarrick

might sound like a newb question but when you guys are using cut bait are you usually using the head or what part seems to produce the most hits? or when using big shad or mooneyes are you chunking into smaller pieces or just certain parts?


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## Bon3s

DLarrick said:


> might sound like a newb question but when you guys are using cut bait are you usually using the head or what part seems to produce the most hits? or when using big shad or mooneyes are you chunking into smaller pieces or just certain parts?


When using Cut Bait, I prefer the mid section with the guts hanging out.

Alot of guys like using the head, Which does work as well My biggest came off a peice of cut head.

I have never had luck with the tail section. Although I'm sure it works as well.


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## catfishnut

barillms said:


> Channels don't eat bluegill. Cut they will.


?????????.......I've caught hundreds of channels using live bluegills.


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## slimdaddy45

When I hook a bluegill or any live bait in the mouth I always go thru the top of there mouths and bring the hook out their nose hole they stay alive good I never hook thru both lips or I hook them thru the eyes and if Im fishing the bottom I sometimes hook them between their butt and the tail on their bottom side hooking them in the back with a big say 8/0 or 10/0 hook the bait usaully lays sideways on the bottom from the weight of the hook but I dont fish for channels only flatheads


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## mr.basskisserjunior

i usuaully just cut a bluegill in half and use the head side, ive just heard they like the head better but who really knows,


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## Gepetto

Upper lip or lower lip? If a fish can't close it's mouth, it can't force water past its gills. The bigger the obstruction in its mouth, the faster it will die. If your presentation requires a forward hook, then hook through the lower lip and up slightly behind the nose. Done this way, something else will kill your bait before it suffocates.


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