Can't believe it, I'm addicted!!

[Pail Rider]

After doing a bunch of reading here, I figured I'd give bluegill/crappie fishing a shot.  Caught a mess Friday and fried them up....and HAD to go back Saturday and get some more.  All the gills were between 8-9"....what a blast I had, and can't wait to do it again.

Friday's take



And on the return trip

[UP jigstick]

Great job on the panfish and welcome to the addiction!

[bobbyfish64]

I know aint it cool!! ill set some tip ups for eye's and pike ,but i love my pannie's. you should look into some tipdowns for crappies there all the rage in my part of the country~!!

[fiesty]

NH is a great state for panfish....the limit sucks though.....

[Townie]

Ease up on those 9"ers--or they'll be gone quick 

Chow all the 8's ya want  plenty of those guys

Beauty panfish there!

[ryno]

Ease up on those 9"er's--or they'll be gone quick 

Chow all the 8's ya want  plenty of those guys

Beauty panfish there!

so true...just do some research on the life and growth of bluegill and you will know why it is so critical to toss the big ones back.  take some quick pics and get em back down the hole.  as long as the big ones are in the lake the little ones will get big and more quickly.  nice mess of panies and some great eating!

[Pail Rider]

Will do on the 9's.  This is new to me, so thanks for the edumakation 

Pretty much an untapped bluegill fishery here...nobody I know targets them, probably why I got such a late start in life on them.  I hate the term, but they are considered a "junk" fish, but now that I've discovered them, I'm putting "junk" in the trunk 

[Van_Cleaver]

Ditto on the harvest remarks. It takes a long time for a blue gill to hit 9'' on most NE lakes. You've got some real nice fish there, but releasing some of the biggest will provide you with good fishing in the future. Also, be careful about naming the lake that produces like that. It's fine to post pics, but if it's a public lake the internet has the power to destroy it in short order. Welcome to the club; my name is_________; I have a pan fish problem!

[Jigging Nomad]

Congrats on your success.  I agree with the others on releasing the 9" plus gills. 

In open water I never target gills, but through the ice, they are my top choice along with big Crappie and big Yellow Perch. 

[Townie]

In open water I never target gills

You really should Mike; come Spring I target bedding bull gills w/ L action rod on 2000 size reel--incredible bulldog fights! I love 'em year round 

I mostly use the same ice jigs tipped w/ Gulp Maggots under Thill Mini Stealth float...

[Game Hog]

If my math is right them Crappies are all of 14".  Nice pile of fish.  Keep-on Keep-in on.

[Jigging Nomad]

You really should Mike; come Spring I target bedding bull gills w/ L action rod on 2000 size reel--incredible bulldog fights! I love 'em year round 

I mostly use the same ice jigs tipped w/ Gulp Maggots under Thill Mini Stealth float...

(Image removed from quote.)

Smallies keep me busy all spring... but I will make an exception for ond day this Spring. 

[Pail Rider]

If my math is right them Crappies are all of 14".  Nice pile of fish.  Keep-on Keep-in on.

Thanks, the crappies were all 12-14, except one dink and one that was a shade over 15".

I'll throw the 9" gills back...please don't tell me to toss the 15-16" crappies back...they're my fav     

[Townie]

please don't tell me to toss the 15-16" crappies back...they're my fav     

I would I couldn't break 10" crappie the other day

[Van_Cleaver]

I love catching crappie, but still think gills and pumpkin seeds rule when it come to flavor. At least when the water is cold and clean. I stop keeping gills in the spring as the water warms up.

[fishon22]

Nice bunch of fish!

[PerchPirate97]

nice fish, love the mixed bags of panfish!