IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Bluegill => Topic started by: Jigging Nomad 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.
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/Huskybass/bluegill02.jpg)
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/Huskybass/bluegill03.jpg)
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/Huskybass/bluegill07.jpg)
-
Nice Gill!
-
Thats a chunky one. :clap:
-
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
-
Nice gill, Husky.
-
Thanks everyone. I never target panfish in open water, but large Bluegill are my favorite species to catch through the ice.
-
Nice fluffy ones ... delish
-
Nice! ;D
-
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....
-
nice chunk there
-
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.
-
a 10 inch gill in ny i consider a trophy and can be real finicky to get to bite.
-
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.
-
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".
(http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn39/blueultra2/DSC01446Medium.jpg)
-
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
-
Here's one that went over 10, my best through the ice so far. Actually measured 10.25, but my pic wasn't good.
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/van_cleaver/Jan11IcefishingPeggysJewelry035.jpg)
The same fish with some puny (LOL) 9 in. models:
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/van_cleaver/Jan11IcefishingPeggysJewelry030-1.jpg)
-
Here's one that went over 10, my best through the ice so far. Actually measured 10.25, but my pic wasn't good.
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/van_cleaver/Jan11IcefishingPeggysJewelry035.jpg)
The same fish with some puny (LOL) 9 in. models:
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/van_cleaver/Jan11IcefishingPeggysJewelry030-1.jpg)
Another beauty 'gill-- keep 'em coming guys :laugh:
-
Van,
Just curious, did the two on the left come out of stained waters?
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Those PA 'gills are beauties Van; fillets or release on the 10" fish? ::)
-
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.....
-
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!
-
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.
-
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 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
-
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"
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/van_cleaver/Monroe2-07-09015.jpg)
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/van_cleaver/Monroe2-07-09014.jpg)
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Well I only have so much room on the browser but if you have some exceptional photos... ;D
Why not post them here for all to see?
-
Don't know about exceptional, but these match the title, at least. I released about the same number of larger gills for the future. The pumpkin seed is 8'' for reference:
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/van_cleaver/Monroe2-07-09005.jpg)
-
gotta love those eater gills. table quality right up there with all panfish and if you match your line to the size of the fish those gills never give up. 1 of my favorite fish.
-
gotta love those eater gills. table quality right up there with all panfish and if you match your line to the size of the fish those gills never give up. 1 of my favorite fish.
Darn tootin'!
-
Those are some nice lookin gills!! What state? C-ya. Crappie Rob.
-
Pennsylvania, the Northeast region. They came out of a shallow fifty acre lake (private) that is a fish factory. Tons of small to medium perch, pickerel that tend to be large, and a varied size of bass, as well as crappie which have all been large, 11'' and up. The only problem is that nobody can find the crappie on a regular basis. Oh well, have to settle for gills that are often 9'' long. Yes, they are good fighters on a light jigging stick. The day of this picture, I actually pulled my dead stick after two big gills in a row swallowed my jig. The first I had to keep, but by some miracle, I managed to easily pop out the jig on the second. (also a 9) At that point I just jigged for perch, though I caught some beautiful, small seeds, and a few more nice gills. Between me and my buddies, we have released way more big gills than we have kept; it will be interesting to see what size that year class reaches by next winter. Last night, and tonight's dinner, minus the last min perch, caught shortly before dark.
(http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/van_cleaver/Monroe2-07-09011.jpg)