Author Topic: what do you do with bluegills? (Read 5389 times)

Ethan11271 · « **on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:35 PM »

Just curious... Do you just Catch and release, eat them or keep 'em for bait? Have grown up in New England nobody I know targets them.

esox_magnum · « **Reply #1 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:39 PM »

Eat them if they are big enough, once in awhile put one on a tip up for pike...

Loudmouth879 · « **Reply #2 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:39 PM »

8" and bigger to the frying pan they go other than that back down the hole

ryanmolnar55 · « **Reply #3 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:40 PM »

I and lots of people eat them and use them for pike and catfish bait. Cut them up for catfish!

icyveins · « **Reply #4 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:41 PM »

Quote from: Loudmouth879 on Nov 18, 2012, 06:39 PM

8" and bigger to the frying pan they go other than that back down the hole

x100

bwana72 · « **Reply #5 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:42 PM »

If they are 8" plus, they go under the knife and then into the hot oil. Bluegill are fantastic, and one of the most popular fish in the Midwest. Less than 8" though, they get put back. Thats me anyways. I cut my teeth on bluegill, as did many other guys on here.

Buckshots · « **Reply #6 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:44 PM »

Winter time I eat them and summer time it's catfish bait!

nonamer · « **Reply #7 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:45 PM »

eat them. they are the best in my family. we eat them all year and some years are better.

quigly · « **Reply #8 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:47 PM »

As stated before, anything over 8" goes in the pail and the rest go down the hole

Gillfisher · « **Reply #9 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:51 PM »

Gills are the only fish we eat at my house. Well an occasional whitefish too.

KevinWI · « **Reply #10 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 06:54 PM »

Quote from: Loudmouth879 on Nov 18, 2012, 06:39 PM

8" and bigger to the frying pan they go other than that back down the hole

bingo...good table fare.

cbtrtbum · « **Reply #11 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 07:00 PM »

I grew up in New England as well. Back then I used em for eel and catfish (or bass) bait. Now I target big gills through the ice and let em go. Cheers,Chris

NITE-BITE · « **Reply #12 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 07:01 PM »

Eat.

Your lucky nobody else holds an interest.

Shhh. Keep it to yourself.

Ethan11271 · « **Reply #13 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 07:15 PM »

Good info- they're everywhere I've ever fished the 8"+ are far and few between though. I'll have to see what comes up this season put a few in the pan!

rdhammah · « **Reply #14 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 07:19 PM »

live line the small ones for bass!

Loudmouth879 · « **Reply #15 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 07:21 PM »

Quote from: Ethan11271 on Nov 18, 2012, 07:15 PM

Good info- they're everywhere I've ever fished the 8"+ are far and few between though. I'll have to see what comes up this season put a few in the pan!

at times a few 7" slip in because we keep catching them and we we're cleaning fish we usually go "why did we keep this one"

mr_mojo · « **Reply #16 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 07:25 PM »

Eat them when they are caught through the ice, that's about my favorite fish to eat. The kids go bonkers for them also.

thefightingpike · « **Reply #17 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 07:57 PM »

GrizlyGarou · « **Reply #18 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 08:03 PM »

They're good to eat in the winter, warmer water they get kinda nasty. Definitely not worth cleaning them if they're less than 8" though, so I toss the little ones back.

They've saved me from a skunk many times!

Greg2ha · « **Reply #19 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 08:21 PM »

Quote from: Ethan11271 on Nov 18, 2012, 06:35 PM

Just curious... Do you just Catch and release, eat them or keep 'em for bait? Have grown up in New England nobody I know targets them.

Wow!

Chris338378 · « **Reply #20 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 08:21 PM »

If big enough I eat them but if they're small I put them back. They are a great fish for kids, lots of fun for them to catch.

pikeking · « **Reply #21 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 08:28 PM »

Quote from: esox_magnum on Nov 18, 2012, 06:39 PM

Eat them if they are big enough, once in awhile put one on a tip up for pike...

Same here... Some times they get filleted on the ice and eaten before noon...

Tunapursuit · « **Reply #22 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 08:37 PM »

Eat then during winter ice. Throw them back during the summer

john t. · « **Reply #23 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 08:39 PM »

if there big enough you can hang them on the wall.

Reel_Force · « **Reply #24 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 08:48 PM »

I'm just gonna say - it has to do with licking fingers and drinking beer ... and burping ....

hnd · « **Reply #25 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 09:31 PM »

Quote from: Ethan11271 on Nov 18, 2012, 07:15 PM

Good info- they're everywhere I've ever fished the 8"+ are far and few between though. I'll have to see what comes up this season put a few in the pan!

i have no problem getting a good fillet out of a 6" gill. don't let these guys make you feel you can't keep em.

Osage · « **Reply #26 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 09:45 PM »

Around here gills are a poor mans food....we eat a lot of gills,never had a bad one no matter what time of year.

eyesonice · « **Reply #27 on:** Nov 18, 2012, 09:48 PM »

I usually overeat!

addicted to ice fishing · « **Reply #28 on:** Nov 19, 2012, 12:19 AM »

Excellent tablefare.

GCD · « **Reply #29 on:** Nov 19, 2012, 04:35 AM »

Bluegill have a sweet tasting meat unlike any other fish and are delicious.

I prefer my smaller fish fried up whole, I grew up eating fish like this with my family.

These were 9" Crappie, but the same thing could happen to a 6" Bluegill.

... and this is what they look like when I'm finished

Notice that the tail and fins have been gnawed on, this is why I cook these fish like this. The tails and fins are very crispy and are kind of like fried fish flavored pototato chips.

My wife won't eat fish like this... so that means all the more for ME!!!

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Author Topic: what do you do with bluegills? (Read 5389 times)