The Bluegill is a favorite with kids and adults alike, and is probably the best-known member of the sunfish family. The only drawback with this species is its tendency to overpopulate.
You must maintain a stable population of Largemouth Bass to keep the Bluegill in balance (see the LAREGEMOUTH BASS STUNTING article for details). And when you harvest the Bluegill, you should keep the most abundant size class, and throw back most of the biggest ones. (see the BLUEGILL STUNTING article for details). When this is done, Bluegill can have tremendous growth rates and provide many meals for the fisherman.
Bluegill Advice:
Bluegill feed on a wide variety of organisms, and they will take fish pellets if trained. We recommend stocking 100 to 300 per surface acre for an initial stocking if no Bass are present, or 400 to 1,000 per surface acre if stocked in combination with Bass. 4-6" stocked in the spring will almost certainly spawn that same year, but 2-4" may or may not.
FOR A PRICE LIST, plus ordering and availability info, WI & IL Customers can email us at info@keystonehatcheries.com. Sorry, but we do not sell fish outside of WI or IL at this time.
CUSTOM FISH STOCKING RECOMMENDATIONS: email us with some info and we will recommend a stocking for you.