Boating & Fishing Insiders

A family thrilled with a jumbo male bluegill. Credit: Bob Wattendorf, FWC

The full moon of March marks the beginniing of big bream season.

Shellcrackers -- one of our biggest freshwater panfish -- generally kick things off, especially in the southern half of the state. Look for saucer-shaped light spots marked with shell hash, and you've found the "beds." These critters can be a bit particular, but they'll rarely refuse a live cricket or earthworm. Fly anglers do best with sinking spider patterns. Beetle Spins are the ticket for anglers fishing with ultralight spinning rods.

Bluegill bream, shown in the accompanying photo, are found spawning on their beds beginning in April and on the new and full moons through August. The same bait and lures work well for this species, but fly anglers catch quite a few on popping bugs on top, even when the fish are on the beds.

Bream fishing is great family fun and you can catch these species in just about any lake, river, stream or pond.