Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
No statewide daily bag or minimum length for this species.
Identify your catch
Deep body, small mouth and a dark ear flap.
Habitat on B. A. Steinhagen
Flooded timber, cypress and vegetation in turbid water.
Fishing approach
Bass: work vegetation with crankbaits, spinnerbaits or low-light topwater. Crappie: spring jigs and minnows. Catfish: cut bait for blue/channel; live bait for flathead. Sunfish: small jigs or crickets.
Fishing guidance describes documented approaches, not a promise of fish activity today.
This species is not named in the active lake advisory. That does not establish that the fish is safe to eat.
Harvest permission and eating restrictions are separate.
General species guide
Common in ponds, lakes and slow streams, especially around shoreline cover.
General Bluegill profile →Sources & lake evidence
Occurrence documented in the TPWD lake guide, fisheries survey or historical records. Historical evidence does not establish present abundance. Current harvest rules were checked separately from older survey regulations.
Lake harvest rules ↗Eating guidance ↗Lake habitat & fishing guide ↗Fisheries survey · species evidence ↗Species identification ↗