Bluegills lakes

[GB 83]

  With warm weather coming and ice going out fast. I still have my vacation time booked weeks ago. So still going to try to fish for gills in the Webster area. I know SD has excellent perch/walleye and pike. But what about the big bull bluegills? I never hear much talk about them? You know the 10-12" gills. I have ice fished Clear Lk, South Buffalo & Enemy Swimg for gills. But still looking for that 1lb+ gill after 5yrs of trying. So my question is....
*Am I fishing wrong lakes for those jumbo bull gills?
*Am I taken my vacation at the wrong time of the yr to catch those 1lb+ gills?
*Does SD not have that many jumbo gills in their lakes?
  Any input or feedback would be very help full. If you like you can PM too
Also with the weather changing fast. Be safe & darn careful out there

[wyoutdoors]

SD isn't known for their 'gills, although I'm sure there are some around. Most of the huge 'gills I've seen have come out of Nebraska. Proabably the closest and best bet for you would be the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. A number of my fishing buddies in NE fish there and have caught trophies every season. Years ago, I lived just south of Olathe and that's where I'd head if I were targeting bull blues. Check the link there is a pic of a couple you're probably after! Otherwise, if you're set on SD, I'd be looking for those Sumo Jumbo perch! 

[tornadochaser60]

Like any bite, when big bluegills are on the feed in northeastern SD, they get hammered.  very few practice selective harvest.  If I was to target specifically trophy bluegills, it would be the small lakes, reservoirs and stock ponds in the south central part of the state or out on the grasslands.

[SDPerchPounder]

The key to giant Bluegills is release.. When you pull at 9-10" and it hits the bottom of the bucket that's a huge hit to the system. And when they are on the chew a lot of them can hit the bottom of the bucket. I personally try to rarely keep any Bluegills, I have a soft spot for them and I love catching them. Rant finished.

That said, I  did catch an 11", 1.20 pound Bluegill this weekend in NE SD and let go numerous 10" fish. They are around, but it wouldn't be the first area I would go if I wanted to catch a trophy. You might be a bit late with the deteriorating ice conditions, I'm not sure the safety of the ice next weekend.

[ice dawg]

I live fairly close to a lake where you could catch limits of 10"gills some years ago. Lots of them went into livewells and buckets. Now you could call it dinksville if you catch any at all. I very seldom fish in the Webster area these days due to the pressure on the lakes.

[Poutman]

I agree Dawg,It is sad to watch these once bountiful lakes getting hammered.

[ice dawg]

The Perch my son and I caught on Saturday measured from 12" to 13 3/4". We took nine home which is enough for a meal for our families. Caught em on a slough a long way from Webster.

[GB 83]

Just got hm from SD. Caught a ton of perch and gills. No 2lbs perch. Biggest was 1lb 14oz Biggest gill was only 10.25" and only 13oz. No perch or gills came home with me. I was only trophy hunting. Ice was good, hope to go back to SD after St Paddy Day🍀..... If there is still ice

[drillinforgold]

GB 83 If you don't mind me asking, what lakes in NESODAK still have good ice? Not worried about where you caught fish, just where it's safe to travel.
  Thanks

[majic0135]

You are on the right lakes,,, Only additional one I would add is Lynn lake,,, NW of Webster,,, Again maybe in that 10in range,,, I caught a 1lb2oz on Swim some years back but that was in East Lake where most fish the bay on swim, Good Luck,,,

[GB 83]

I perch fished Dry Lake and Long Lake. I gill fished Enemy Swim and Clear Lake. I had zero problem with the ice.

[MidwestHoleHoppin]

Hey GB 83, what sort of ice we thickness did you see on dry and long lake?  Hoping to make one more weekend trip on the 17th.  Thanks for any info you may have.  I guess I should ask which dry lake also so I don't go on one too far south.

[GB 83]

Was on Dry Lake by the town Willow Lake. The edges was gone when I first got there. But was still able to get out on the lake. Later in the week when It got cold again the edges firmed up and four wheelers were able to get back out there. The ice was 17-20"...... when I left Friday march 3.  Permanent  shacks were back out on enemy swim and bitter Lake and full-size truck on bitter. But I did not fish that lake. I just saw him when I drove bye .

[MidwestHoleHoppin]

Thanks for the reply. With the weather getting cold again hopefully it keeps for a week or two.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

  With warm weather coming and ice going out fast. I still have my vacation time booked weeks ago. So still going to try to fish for gills in the Webster area. I know SD has excellent perch/walleye and pike. But what about the big bull bluegills? I never hear much talk about them? You know the 10-12" gills. I have ice fished Clear Lk, South Buffalo & Enemy Swimg for gills. But still looking for that 1lb+ gill after 5yrs of trying. So my question is....
*Am I fishing wrong lakes for those jumbo bull gills?
*Am I taken my vacation at the wrong time of the yr to catch those 1lb+ gills?
*Does SD not have that many jumbo gills in their lakes?
  Any input or feedback would be very help full. If you like you can PM too
Also with the weather changing fast. Be safe & darn careful out there

If your looking for a lake with big blue gill (bream)I would suggest you look at a trip to west Okaboji in North West Iowa. The bay's like Miller, Emerson, and smiths are fairly easy short pulls and fishing for gills above the weeds is usually good with size and numbers.