I've got a chance to go to a private lake that a friend of mine owns in Wills Point, about 9 acres of water, and it is slap dab full of big red ears and blue gills. The full moon for May happens on Monday the 19th. Would it be better to go the Saturday before the full moon or after. Please tell me you experience fishing the full moon.

Thanks
Dave

2 days before and 2 days after.the 18-22 nd.

What time of the day? morning/afternoon/evening/night?

Thanks

Marc

Dave I was just about to post a thread on the same question. I have access to a private lake with big coppernose in it and I'm taking my 16 yr old cousin with me. I haven't targeted bluegills in years and I want to make the best of it. I'll plan it around the full moon in June. What would be a sure fire bait, crickets,meal worms, corn, power bait, etc. There have been 14" BG caught there so I want to use big bream techniques. What would yall do?

Crickets first, then super mealworms and then worms. However small poppers and foam spiders from a flyrod are the most fun.

They are biting so good right now, another "every 30 second" outing today. As far as time of day, morning or afternoon, although anytime might work. To me they are more aggressive if they can see the bait, so I prefer daylight.

2 or 3 days before the full moon, during the full moon, and 2-3 days after. I fish for em LATE at night, catch more BIG fish, hardly any small ones, that is the best part of the deal, and as far as bait, keep it simple and mobile: Load up on tube jigs, 1/32nd oz, same as for crappie, get a bunch of colors, when they stop hitting one, switch, just like crappie fishing! Oh, and throw in a slip cork or two! talk about fun: watching a bobber disappear into the blackness of the water late at night, and 10-12 inch bull bluegill on the business end of the line, WOOHOO!!

But then, what do i know about fishing! Just my $.02's worth.

Rudy

The sure fire bait for me for the last 30 years has been night crawlers or red wigglers if you can get them. They seem to like the reg wigglers a little better than the night crawlers. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the 3 mentioned live baits, crickets, night crawlers or red wigglers. Crickets seem to be easy for the fish to get off the hook without getting hooked. I prefer night crawlers because they are harder for the bream to get off the hook and can usually catch 2 or 3 on the same chunk of night crawler. I prefer the long shank snelled hook if you can find them. They are stiffer than the long shank hook and the stiff long shank hook is easier to get out of the fishes mouth. But the last time I went to Academy all they had was the long shank wire hooks which are a little more flexable and they will eventually break off in the fishes mouth from too much bending and flexing trying to get the hook out.If you can find the long, stiff hook, then use them by all means. They are easier to extract from the fishes mouth without braking the shank of the hook. I prefer bream fishing over any other species of fish because they put up one heck of a fight and taste better than any other fish including crappie. If I ever find those long shank stiff hooks again, I'll buy every package they have.

Thanks for the input folks, I have an idea, it does not mean it's a good one but it's an idea. I was thinking of using some of the 100 black power worms I have and cutting some of them with an exacto knife into critters with little legs, worm like things.
Putting out some chum of some kind like crackers or bread and then corn. Then do a drop shot rig about 12" of the bottom with the power critters. I just want to help a 16 yr old know that there is more to life other than video games and the computer. If I was fishing by myself or with one of you guys I would get down with what ever it takes. I just want to him to catch big fish for a change of pace. Take a kid fishing is good for me.

Went out last night from 9:30 PM to 10:30 pm and it was like Tony from Oak Pt said, "Every other cast", and some BIGUNS, including a 4 lb bass! My goodness, but those 'gills are big! Also caught some HUGE warmouths aka goggleyes!

TricolorMicroTube jigs, 1/32nd oz did the trick. Caught about 30 'gills and warmouths, and 4 black bass, including the 4 lb 'er.

Rudy

There's no real specific magic optimum time but it is best a couple of days before, during, and a couple of days after the full moon...in my area the May full moon is the very best time. Try to fish in low light conditions, early, late or on cloudy days.

As Fallsoutboatoften says, "The sure fire bait for me for the last 30 years has been night crawlers or red wigglers if you can get them. They seem to like the reg wigglers a little better than the night crawlers."

The red wigglers, day in day out, are the most reliable bait, IMO.

The red ears are a litle tougher to catch and it is usually best to fish for them on the bottom...otherwise, BG will dominate the catch. Good luck!

Well, tonight it was good between 10 PM and 11:15 PM or so, got some green sunfish that weighed in at 1 lb on a digital scale, and one bull blue gill that was off the charts! HUGE, film at 11, Ryno is the cameraman!

Stay tuned!

Rudy

Rudy, I was driving home from work last night and saw the full moon and thought about seeing if you were at one of your spots. I didn't because I had to be up to dang early this morning.
Ed

I was there, had company and we caught some!

Rudy