A Fall Bluegill Standby

Every year for as far back as I can remember, a lot of big bluegills move into Cold Springs, on the Mississippi River in late August or early September. Cold Springs is a little body of water that has been formed by the Railroad tracks enclosing a bend in the riverbank just north of the town of Lynxville. This little “lake” is also fed by a trout stream that empties from the hills into it and for some reason those big bluegills move in there each fall.

I can remember back when I was a kid and my family would head to Cold Springs each Sunday after church for bluegill fishing. My Dad and Mom and my two brothers and I would meet up with my grandparents and I would go in Grandpa’s boat since I was the oldest. We’d spend the day fishing, have a picnic and then clean lots and lots of bluegills.

That good fishing is still happening each year and hundreds of bluegills are caught there every year. I’ve never figured out what drew the fish into Cold Springs but they show up and if you like to catch bluegills it should be on your list of things to do this fall. What could be more fun than hauling in big orange bellied bluegills while enjoying a beautiful fall day?

by: Dan Bomkamp - author and host of "How's Fishing?"