05/10/2026
Growing up fishing Deep South Texas, the “good fish” were always catfish, gar, and bass. Panfish? Most people called them bait fish or even trash fish.
Then I moved around the country — Florida, the Carolinas, Nebraska — and got introduced to panfishing on ultralight gear. I became hooked overnight.
This photo was taken nearly 20 years ago at Falcon Lake on the Texas-Mexico border. My friend, his kids, my brother, and I were originally chasing largemouth bass and catfish… until I convinced them to try bluegill fishing.
Since these fish barely get pressured there, they crush almost anything you throw at them and grow HUGE. We released most of them and only kept the ones that could literally fit in a frying pan.
If you’re tired of getting skunked, grab an ultralight rod, 4lb test, a bobber, and some worms. Bluegill fishing is underrated, fun as hell, and they taste amazing. Definitely not “trash fish.”
