Don’t be surprised to find bluegill feeding in open water either, especially following an insect hatch. They’re seldom far from cover, so stay close to weed lines, and you won’t go wrong.

The fish can also feed other animals in their care ... but we do occasionally take salmon and bluegill too, as well, for any herons we get in,” Lead Avian Specialist Sampson Metzgar explained.

4. On Lake Hamilton, on the big lake, the bluegill and shellcracker spawn is still going on in the reeds, so the bass are there feeding. Try flipping a black-and-blue creature-style bait in about ...