Author Topic: A few nice gills this afternoon  (Read 9428 times)

Offline Jigging Nomad

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A few nice gills this afternoon
« on: Jan 11, 2009, 05:59 PM »
Got out this afternoon to do some jigging. Tried some deeper water and found Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, and Yellow Perch in 13' to 16' of water. The rainbow was about 17", The yellow perch was 12" and the bluegill and pumpkinseed ranged from 7 1/2" to 10 1/4". Lots of fun on a tiny jigging rod and 2 lb. fluorocarbon. Here are a few photos of the big bluegill on top of a 5 gallon bucket.


Looking for JUMBO Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill

Offline bart

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #1 on: Jan 11, 2009, 06:01 PM »
Nice Gill!
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline J FISH

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #2 on: Jan 11, 2009, 06:04 PM »
Thats a chunky one. :clap:

Offline marcus

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #3 on: Jan 11, 2009, 06:13 PM »
nice bluegills there  I am hoping to find some tuesday which will be my first trip targeting gills done alright on the trout and perch but bluegills are my favorite  fish to go after. anyone can catch the 6"ers but finding ones like yours takes more work    congratulations on the fine fishing
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Offline Quack_Attack

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #4 on: Jan 14, 2009, 08:56 AM »
Nice gill, Husky.




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Offline Jigging Nomad

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #5 on: Jan 14, 2009, 10:33 AM »
Thanks everyone.  I never target panfish in open water, but large Bluegill are my favorite species to catch through the ice.   
Looking for JUMBO Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill

Offline Sullymon

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #6 on: Jan 14, 2009, 11:28 PM »
Nice fluffy ones ... delish

Offline beagler

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #7 on: Jan 23, 2009, 12:23 PM »
Nice! ;D

Offline fiesty

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #8 on: Jan 23, 2009, 08:28 PM »
I wish we could import some more gills up here in southern maine...we usually get a few mixed in with the craps, but it'd be nice to really get into them like southern new england...I miss em I guess...they are wicked tasty....
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Offline jimmycrown

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #9 on: Jan 24, 2009, 05:59 PM »
nice chunk there

Offline taxi1

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #10 on: Jan 27, 2009, 08:40 PM »
HB,

Maybe we discussed this before but do you have much competition fishing for bluegills in your state? If it's anything like Mass I pretty much have them all to myself when I come up in June.
I live in the midwest now but have fond memories of fishing in New England as a kid.

Offline bigfoot697

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #11 on: Jan 28, 2009, 05:06 PM »
a 10 inch gill in ny i consider a trophy and can be real finicky to get to bite.

Offline Jigging Nomad

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #12 on: Jan 28, 2009, 09:20 PM »
Taxidermist,

I believe that my buddy Neal and I are the only ones who actively target the big bluegill through the ice in eastern Connecticut.  There may be others, but I don't know any.   
Looking for JUMBO Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill

Offline blueultra2

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #13 on: Jan 29, 2009, 10:12 AM »
I usually keep 10" and up but I do keep the occassional 9".

BBK....Here's a gill that I caught this year.  I have caught them over 10" and had a couple near 11".


Offline captain54

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #14 on: Jan 29, 2009, 10:32 AM »
Nice Bull,Huskybass. I'm having a tougher season than normal,the true bulls are hard to come by a lot of 8 to 8 1/2 and a few 9 inch fish,but very few 9 1/2 inchers plus.The crappie all are 10 to 11 inchers,the bass fishing is off the charts,never have we caught so many green carp than this winter,most fish are 11 to 14 inches,but my son got 19 incher on his little St.CROIX UL.I caught over 60 bass in 4 outings( all released) Keep posting those big Conn. panfish,The Captain  P.S. WE ALL KNOW THAT A 10 INCH TRUE GILL IS A GIANT IN ANY STATE

Offline Van_Cleaver

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #15 on: Jan 31, 2009, 12:09 PM »
Here's one that went over 10, my best through the ice so far. Actually measured 10.25, but my pic wasn't good.

The same fish with some puny (LOL) 9 in. models:

Offline Townie

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #16 on: Jan 31, 2009, 09:24 PM »
Here's one that went over 10, my best through the ice so far. Actually measured 10.25, but my pic wasn't good.
(Image removed from quote.)
The same fish with some puny (LOL) 9 in. models:
(Image removed from quote.)

Another beauty 'gill-- keep 'em coming guys  :laugh:
Bulls, Jumbos & Slabs Oh My!

Offline taxi1

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #17 on: Jan 31, 2009, 11:23 PM »

Van,

Just curious, did the two on the left come out of stained waters?
I live in the midwest now but have fond memories of fishing in New England as a kid.

Offline Van_Cleaver

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #18 on: Feb 03, 2009, 10:52 PM »
tax1, they all came out of the same lake; I think I caught the fish on the right a bit earlier on. Most of the shallow lakes in this region are tannin stained from the evergreens, however. This was the first season I iced fished there (no soft water looks either), so I don't know for sure. By far best lake for big gills I've ever had the pleasure to fish; 9" was an average fish. The perch in the picture is a little over 10", for reference.

Offline taxi1

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #19 on: Feb 04, 2009, 05:12 AM »
tax1, they all came out of the same lake; I think I caught the fish on the right a bit earlier on. Most of the shallow lakes in this region are tannin stained from the evergreens, however. This was the first season I iced fished there (no soft water looks either), so I don't know for sure. By far best lake for big gills I've ever had the pleasure to fish; 9" was an average fish. The perch in the picture is a little over 10", for reference.

Thanks for you reply. I've seen a tendency for fish to lean toward the coloration of the those two out of stained lakes.

I'll be fishing in Mass for gills in June if my customer base stays stable. Used to live up in your part of the country and really miss it.
I live in the midwest now but have fond memories of fishing in New England as a kid.

Offline Van_Cleaver

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #20 on: Feb 04, 2009, 01:38 PM »
tax, The lakes in the Poconos definitely hold some fine fish; too bad I live almost two hours south. There is a nice shot of the big gill right after I landed him, on page 6 of the Private Lake Reports under PA General. Both those fish were a bit lighter on their bellies when they exited the water. The gill fishing around here has gotten much tougher lately, might have to head north again.

Offline Townie

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #21 on: Feb 05, 2009, 02:09 PM »
Those PA 'gills are beauties Van; fillets or release on the 10" fish?  ::)
Bulls, Jumbos & Slabs Oh My!

Offline Van_Cleaver

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #22 on: Feb 05, 2009, 10:55 PM »
I kept what you saw plus a few more perch. On a public lake I would have felt guilty keeping a gill that size, but this smallish, private lake is loaded with 9'' and bigger fish. I have little doubt there are more that size (10'' +) Every time I fished there, I released way more nice fish than I kept. Usually, I take two meals worth for my wife and myself. Even on our Pan fish Enhancement Lakes (20 gill limit) I almost never keep more than 8. I will probably be making the drive up there this weekend, because even our best public lakes don't have numbers of big gills like those, except right before ice out. Good gill fishing to all you addicts, out there. Question one; do you ever fish for gills alone? Hmmmmmmmmm.....

Offline taxi1

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #23 on: Feb 06, 2009, 04:51 AM »
Good gill fishing to all you addicts, out there. Question one; do you ever fish for gills alone? Hmmmmmmmmm.....

Heck yeah! Especially in Indiana! Bluegill are hammered out here by just about everybody!
I live in the midwest now but have fond memories of fishing in New England as a kid.

Offline Townie

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #24 on: Feb 06, 2009, 11:51 AM »
Question one; do you ever fish for gills alone? Hmmmmmmmmm.....

Bluegills are regarded as "kid fish" & bait stealers for the most part in MA 

I often challenge the bass guys to catch a 9" or better gill  ;D Not so easy!

Also harvest perch, trout & stripers for fillets.
Bulls, Jumbos & Slabs Oh My!

Offline Jigging Nomad

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #25 on: Feb 08, 2009, 07:26 AM »
I am a "bass guy" and I get a bigger thrill out of a 10" gill than I do out of catching a 20" bass. 
Looking for JUMBO Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill

Offline taxi1

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #26 on: Feb 08, 2009, 07:31 AM »
I am a "bass guy" and I get a bigger thrill out of a 10" gill than I do out of catching a 20" bass. 

I'm a taxidermist and I get a bigger thrill out of taking in a 10 inch gill over a 20 inch bass.  ;D  In fact I don't even get excited about a bass unless it's at least 23 inches. Once you've seen one green carp you've seen them all.  ;D
I live in the midwest now but have fond memories of fishing in New England as a kid.

Offline Van_Cleaver

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #27 on: Feb 08, 2009, 12:14 PM »
Here's a nice gill I released last night. The lake was slow for gills all day, and there was an absence of monsters; only got a few that went nine or better. Mr Jigger was out fishing me for the most part, the base is about 7.25". Fish a tad over 9"


Offline taxi1

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #28 on: Feb 08, 2009, 02:39 PM »
It may not be a monster Van but it's still a gorgeous nice sized fish. Do you mind if I put it in my browser? I collect reference pics to refer to when I paint 'em up.
I live in the midwest now but have fond memories of fishing in New England as a kid.

Offline Van_Cleaver

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Re: A few nice gills this afternoon
« Reply #29 on: Feb 08, 2009, 04:03 PM »
Not at all, do you need additional info? I am just starting to figure out Photobucket, and the whole posting process. Send me a PM if you require info. I'm always happy to hear of people taking their craft seriously.

 



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