That may surprise some who consider bluegill as merely bait to catch something bigger, but the fact is you just can't beat bluegill for fun. It is also pretty handy that Mother's Day occurs around the peak of the bluegill spawn. For our trip, I chose a local state park where the bluegill are large and abundant. I bought my wife an ultra-light rod and reel, a handful of small bobbers and some ice fishing jigs. After digging enough earthworms to fill a can, we were in business.
Male bluegills build and guard nests in shallow water near stumps and logs.
They strike at baits and other fish either because they are hungry or because they are defending their territory. This makes them easy to find and easy to catch. They frequently build nests in colonies, so where there's one, there's usually more. It didn't take us long to find such a spot. I baited my wife's hook and pointed to a small stump about 10 yards away.