Bluegill

McKenzie, Tennessee offers some surprisingly good bluegill fishing, especially if you know where to look. The smaller lakes and ponds scattered around Carroll County are the real hotspots. Forget the big reservoirs for these guys; think farm ponds, smaller community lakes like McKenzie City Lake, and even the sloughs off the Obion River. Spring and early summer, during the spawn, are prime time. Look for shallow, weedy areas near the banks where the bluegill are bedding. A simple bobber and worm rig is deadly, but don't underestimate small jigs or crickets. A local tip: many of these smaller ponds are on private land. Always ask permission before fishing, and respect the property. The bluegill here aren't giants, but they're plentiful, and a mess of them fried up is hard to beat. Many of the ponds also hold decent crappie, so it's worth bringing a variety of baits.