These small fighters are perfect for introducing new anglers to the sport, providing recreation for those who sit on the bank and dangle a hook baited with a worm into the shallows. Rarely are these fish large, but boy are they fun to catch, whether you’re 9 or 90.

One destination where anglers can expect to find and catch large bluegills is Reelfoot Lake, a somewhat mysterious body of water in the northwest corner of Tennessee.

Reelfoot was created by earthquakes that rocked along the New Madrid Fault in southeastern Missouri during 1811 and 1812. Eyewitnesses said the shaking was so powerful it temporarily raised the bottom of the Mississippi River, causing it to run backward for as long as 24 hours. Later, people living in the area discovered a huge lake had been formed to the southeast in what then was known as Indian Country.

The flooding of the low country resulted in a lake spreading over 11,000 to 15,000 acres of incredibly fertile lands. Originally populated with fish from the Mississippi River, the shallow lake has become what many consider the best bluegill lake in the world.

May and June are the months most serious bluegill anglers visit Reelfoot. That’s because the fish are plentiful, big and always found in shallow water this time of year. They love to hide in weed beds, near submerged logs and amid the thousands of cypress knees that hide just under the surface.

’Gills Are Close

During spring, bluegills weighing 1 pound and more hide beneath cypress tree aprons, darting out for a meal and then returning to the cover of the root formations that extend out from the base of the trees 2 to 3 feet below the surface. Anglers cash in on these sanctuaries by using 11-foot fly rods fitted with automatic fly reels spooled with 10-pound-test braided line. A popular technique is to use a small feather jig or a single hook baited with a piece of mealworm or wax worm. The bait rig is floated above the cypress apron with a small bobber. The idea is to push the line tight against the root system and wait for the bobber to dip. The strong, but small-diameter, line allows even pound-size ’gills to be pulled out of the tangle and into the boat.

Spawn Is Best

At Reelfoot, where bluegills are in the spotlight much of the year, the spawning period is most productive. Mature bluegills spawn when the water temperature reaches 70 degrees. That’s when hordes of these scrappers invade shallow water to build circular nests on the bottom. The beds usually are constructed near each other, meaning there could be hundreds of spawning-size females concentrated in small locations. Those who find these beds can load up a stringer in a hurry by dropping tiny jig/grub combos or live bait down into the spawning melee.

There’s a lot of particulate matter in the lake, making it difficult to see the beds. Locals know the location of choice sites where bluegills spawn year after year.

Bluegill spawning at Reelfoot is almost a continuous process from early May through September. Louis Mansfield, a long-time guide on the lake, believes bluegills spawn four times during the season, ending with a small visit to the shallows in early September. Fishermen who miss the spring bonanza have plenty of time to catch up through summer and early autumn.

Three Lakes In One

Reelfoot is considered by some to be three lakes in one. Bluegills are plentiful throughout, but much of the fishing pressure is applied to Upper and Lower Blue basins. Buzzard Slough and Buck Basin form the center lake. Bottom structures and cover in all the lakes are much the same. Hand-dug canals allow anglers to travel in and out of each lake area easily.

Fishing at Reelfoot is like going back in time. Old and new fish camps surround much of the accessible parts of the lake, and rental costs are similar to the 1960s. The famed Reelfoot Stump Jumper, a unique fishing boat that features patented oars (row backward and the boat goes forward) is available for rent at most camps.