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maybe taxi will chime in on this. I think he weighed the ones we pulled from his pond, but I don't remember what they went now. gills and crappie generally don't get put on the scale around here.
I think if you catch one at 11inches you can get your scale out. Probable real close to a 1lb. Not many public lakes in Indiana produce 1lbers on a consistent bases. I pretty sure most guys claim to have caught 11 to 12 inch gils that are really 9 to 10s. A tape takes care of that and a scale the weight.
The bluegills in my pond can be a pound at 9 1/2 inches but that's because I feed them artificial feed most of the year. Typically on public lakes they have to be about 10.5 inches to get to a pound and even then they may be just under. A lot of 12 oz. bluegills out there that anglers call a pound.
I didn't say it was JUST the beards . I said that is where they should START fixing the issue.... And I'm just glad I don't live in the area to deal with them on a consistent basis and have them ruin a good body of water
. I have weighed fish for guys that swear a pound and a 12 oz fish looks pretty big. 99% are not a pound that guys think are
I would agree. Several years ago I caught 2...11" @ 1.33# and 11.25" @ 1# even. Sad story...gave them to a "friend" who knew someone that could mount them at a reasonable price. Never seen them or him again...and don't know where he is. Anyway...back to the dink gills. I generally fish 3 lakes that give up some nice gills and very few "dinks" and I'm not sure why, but here is a little background on them.Lake #1...44 acres w/avg. depth of 30'. #2...82 acres w/avg. depth of 30' and #3...30 acres w/ avg. depth 30'. All are what I would call small to medium in size and depth is the same. All have marl, pulpy peat and muck bottoms. Plenty of weeds but little in other structure. All have a few springs and inlet/outlet streams. Now the differences...#1) Avg. of 7-8" gills with plenty of 9's and 10"+ crappie and only a few perch of any size. Some LM bass up to 2# and a few pike that will reach 35-37". This lake is public and gets moderate fishing pressure.#2) Same as #1 except not as many 9"gills but the crappie run a little bigger and there are some decent perch if you can find them. Bass and pike run about the same as #1. This lake is public and gets moderate to heavy fishing pressure.#3) Average of 8- 9" gills with plenty of 10 inchers and perch that will reach 15" but they're few and far between. Some LM of 2# or so but no pike or crappie (at least I've never heard of or caught any). This lake is private and gets light fishing pressure.Again, none of these lakes have I caught any dink gills...which I call under 5".So I get why the private lake has so many decent gills...at least in part. But why the other 2?My guess is a little bit of everything...water depth and quality, lots of weeds, decent amount of predator fish. But could all of this explain why there is what seems to be an above average growth rate of these pan fish. Any fish biologists out there who can confirm or add to why this might be? Invasion of the dink bluegill...why and why not?
Here in Maine, they’re an invasive species that hardly anyone targets. I target them for fun, just catch and release, mostly with a fly rod during summer. One lake here is so loaded with them the locals Say they’re like piranhas, they’re biting bass lures. I’ve personally yet to break a 10” mark, but I know they are in there in abundance.
Crazy to think just how much food is out there swimming around and people spend money on farmed fish. Not you, just in general
And I personally would like to keep it that way LOL
Maybe lakes should be manage so there is a season, so people can't fish for them while they are bedding. That may help improve the size of the fish.
When I lived in Mass as a kid they weren't targeted and they did attack bass plugs! Some of the best bluegill fishing I have ever had in quantity and size as there was no competition. Now I go back and it still can be good but not as good as people are now targeting them. I noticed the Asians really target them during spawning season.
Farmed fish are the only freshwater fish you’ll find some in Maine. Being on the coast, seafood means from the ocean. This is what I usually catch in the summer, I’ve never ran into anyone else fishing for panfish out here.