I went out to Walter Long today and caught over 50 sunfish. It was very interesting as just 3 days ago Zane didn't find hardly any sunfish in the shallows. What made it even more interesting is it seemed to be almost all males. They were smaller and the bluegill were brightly colored orange. It just confirms that it was the first wave of fish coming in to spawn. The males getting the beds ready for the females. The full moon is in 9 days on 4/23/24. I guess this also gives credence to the bluegill spawn occurring around the full moon.

Thanks for the previous report Zane. I learned something today Hopefully the females will show up according to plan.

Jamie...Great analysis...I agree with you & it should be the same situation on Fayette County Lake.

No sign of the spawn in the river yet. Maybe the hot water lakes are first?

Plus #1.


Side Note: I have fished several large ponds and creeks in my local area and have seen Bluegill on nest! I have also caught a bunch of females with big fat bellies loaded with eggs. On some water bodies the spawn is on. On others it is going to start soon.

I am also seeing the same pattern in smaller, shallower lakes in the area. I assume because the water warms up much quicker in these water bodies.

Great job Jamie. I was at Fayette on Monday and found a spawning area 5' long and a couple of feet wide but couldn't get any bites. Ended up going to another area and they were stacking up on the trees and bottom cover. Anyway, I believe you're right, they are getting close.

The fishing has been absolutely incredible over the last week or so. I have been having an absolute blast. I have been kayaking and wade fishing the shallow areas of a couple lakes; throwing a popper dropper rig on the fly rod. I have caught some huge crappie, bluegill, redear, bass and catfish all off a size 10 briminator pattern I tie. Here are a few of the fish that I've caught off the fly

Jamie...Now those are some quality fish ! Great job...can't wait to get back out there...

Great report and beautiful fish. I really like that fly.

Nice mess of fish J-Moe ! That briminator is a killer

Those are some nice fish Jamie and I like that fly. I've been catching crappie on a hair jig made by Butch Moon's custom baits.
Can't wait to get back out there next week.

Thanks everyone for the comments. The fishing on several of the lakes continues to be incredible. I found a colony of 1 lb. redear yesterday and caught my new PB Redear. She weighed 1.63 lbs. She was definitely a very old fish with scars and half a tail.

Wow...That fish is HUGE ! You may need to get a wider scale.

Nice fish J-Moe. Starting to see sunnies on nest on the water bodies I am fishing in both the hill country and Southcentral Texas. Spawn is on!

Thanks Vogey and Laker

Great to hear the spawn is starting to progress on other water bodies. Maybe I'll have a pattern next year and map out which water bodies to fish first and which ones to wait until May. I've tried some water bodies that are on fire and others that I haven't found any sunfish shallow in numbers.