IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Bluegill => Topic started by: Jigging Nomad on Jan 06, 2008, 03:30 PM
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I've had a great time jigging up bluegill this winter, including about a dozen that have gone 10" or better. That 10" mark is the "catch and release" trophy standard here in Connecticut. I got this 10" bluegill this morning on a very small Marmooska tipped with a spike:
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/Huskybass/gill3.jpg)
What is a big bluegill where you icefish and what jigging baits do you prefer?
Thanks in advance.
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Nice Gill. I would say the 10" mark is a trophy in NY waters also. I caught one 10 3/4' in December. Mine came on a metalic perch jigging Rapala fishing for walleyes. Other than that, most of my big gills come on chartruese moon jigs tipped with a waxworm.
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nice gill!
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my biggest is 11 1/4....and she doin on the wall i caught her about a month ago... great fish man
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A 10" gill is big anywhere you fish !! my best is around 9 or so, them big girls are hard to find come winter.
For baits, i like moon glows, and a 1" tube, pearl or black& chartreuse, tipped with a spike.
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10 inches is a very good fish just about anywhere. Some places it's hard to top 9 inches. Here in Indiana we go more on weight than length though. Anything 1 lb. or over is the cuttoff for a trophy here. And I'm not talking about all those 12 oz. fish people call 1 lb. fish. Incidentally a 1 lb. bluegill here is at least 10 inches.
Here's one a little over 11 inches I caught in a small lake in Massachusetts several years ago.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a169/CecilBaird1/CecilAvatar-1.jpg)
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Nice Gill... :flex:
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that's a beaut!
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nice gill...anyone who says that's not that big is lying.....that's a toad no matter where you go. Here in northern indiana thats a nice gill. We do get them bigger occasionally, but not often. I personally have a
11 1/4" redear mounted that I caught 2 yrs. ago. My buddy got a 13" gill out of his grandmas gravel pit about 7 or 8 yrs. ago.
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Thanks for all the feedback. The 10" ones are generally pretty tough to come by here in CT. The biggest I have seen/caught here in CT was about 11". We also get some real nice yellow perch and the occasional real nice crappie.
I am mainly an open water bass fisherman, but I really enjoy jigging up quality panfish through the ice.
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Nice Gill.My biggest is around 10".I like the marmooskas also.Have to order more.
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nice gill...anyone who says that's not that big is lying.....that's a toad no matter where you go. Here in northern indiana thats a nice gill. We do get them bigger occasionally, but not often. I personally have a
11 1/4" redear mounted that I caught 2 yrs. ago. My buddy got a 13" gill out of his grandmas gravel pit about 7 or 8 yrs. ago.
Not fair to compare Redears to gills James. Redears get bigger. ;D I've mounted several 11 to 12 inchers from the Lake James Chain and Coldwater Lake.
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I totally agree taxidermist! I don't get a chance to brag about fish very much, so I get it in while I can. ;) i caught that one and the year before I caught one a little bigger on lake George. George is a very underrated gill fisherie.
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We do the same, catch and release on big Bluegills and I feel it keeps the big ones coming back.
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Here are a bunch of good ones I got last winter, now I release most of the real good ones.
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/Huskybass/gills3.jpg)
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had 5 gills this weekend between a buddy and i that were over 10", and i had a handfull of crappies over 12" also. Too bad the ice if going to disappear.
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My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o130/Dblsshtr/img012.jpg)[/img]
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My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
Do you have a picture of the mount? Who mounted it for you?
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Thats one heck of a bluegill. Congrats to you and your wife.
Was it caught through the ice?
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Gambell, Here;s the pic of the mount. It was mounted by Tom Evanicki[sp] from Honeoye. He moved south a few years back and I have lost track of him.
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o130/Dblsshtr/100_2739.jpg)[/img]
Huskybass, It was caught in the summer out of a large deep pond.
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thats a very nice bluegill anywhere you go. my biggest was a 14" caught out of a farm pond in the fall. as big as a paper plate, ended up being just under 2 pounds. new to the site so hello to all the long time members.
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i seen a bluegill at a baitstore (Brown's Bait & Tackle) in Jacksonville, Fl when i was in the Navy that was 15.5" and 4.4 lbs. It was huge..
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Bluegills in the 14" - 15" range had to have put up one heck of a fight. Those pictures are outstanding!!
:clap: :clap: :clap: :bow: :bow: :clap: :clap: :clap:
NBG
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caught a 12" 7/8 blue gill , just a 1/2" of the state record,what a fight i couldnt killer to mount it :'( , i put it back to let a nother fisherman catch it :-\
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Here is a pic of a 11" one I caught this past summer, fishing some local waters.
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/fishingmachine/willowslough-1.jpg)
sorry about the size of the pic could not resize it.
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My biggest gill was caught in the summer 12 1/2" female filled with eggs,i took a picture and put her back in the lake.I have also got a total of twenty over 10" and under 11" caught through the ice, local lake in western NY....
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I totally agree taxidermist! I don't get a chance to brag about fish very much, so I get it in while I can. ;) i caught that one and the year before I caught one a little bigger on lake George. George is a very underrated gill fisherie.
Big redears are nice too though! Harder to get to bite through the ice though don't you think?
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My son Carter got this one in June at age 6. It barely measured 10", but was a beast.
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/Huskybass/Cartertrophybluegill.jpg)
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yeah id say 8 and up is considered a decent gill around these parts (madison wisconsin)
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That is the biggest bluegill I ever seen, I gotta get my wife out there fishing. The mount is super nice!!!!!!!!!
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My dad and I caught a mess of Big gills this past sunday, 12 -13 in the 8" - 10" range Biggest and most we have ever caught at this lake. Also a 13" Crappie, and a 12" perch...We had an awesome day...I should be there fishing now instead of looking at a screen..hmmmm
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My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o130/Dblsshtr/img012.jpg)[/img]
Hey the wife should be more excited, that is a mudflap and a half, big gill.
10 inches is a trophy fish, any thing over 11 should be considered for the wall.
Personally I keep the gills to eat love em. anything over 8-8.5 meets hot oil. In lakes near wny there are some nice gill fisheries. Non stop action all day.There is generally no problems in harvesting a good batch to eat.
Last note, I have fished a private lake for bass and have had big gills wack lures like storm hot&tots, jr. thunderstick and 3.5 tubes. There are some tankers in this lake, but nothing in the 14 inch range.
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My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o130/Dblsshtr/img012.jpg)[/img]
My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o130/Dblsshtr/img012.jpg)[/img]
I caught one like that once up in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, about the size and round like a Dinner Plate. Wish I would of had a camera, that was close to 40 years ago!
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wow those are some nice gills guys and girls keep up the good work. dont think i ever got one that big maybe nine.
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My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o130/Dblsshtr/img012.jpg)[/img]
All I can say is WOW!!!!!
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Now that is a gill. holy cow :o
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Husky....first off congrats on a PIG! That's a hog for sure. I am glad to see others have the approach I do to this fishery.....put the slobs back to breed.
Now don't get me wrong I take my share of panfish....for the pan but I see no reason to take ALL the big fish "we" catch. It takes a long time for perch and gills to reach that size. I commend you on this!
Good fishing buddy!
C'mon cod snap....bring the "safe" ice back!
HB.....where to you normally roam in CT....I usually fish the NW corner....you?
Tight Lines Buddy!DD
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Congrats on the nice 'gill. That's big in anybody's book. My personal best is just over 11"...which I released. Great fishing.
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10 inch gill is a nice catch in my eyes. We have several ponds that produce 10 inch gills all day long. I am waiting for a 11 inch to put on the wall. I caught 30 that were all 10 inches last friday. I was using a thin orange jig tipped with a waxy. I have also used a demon jig that was yellow with an orange head and a waxy.Have caught them on minnows also, they are pigs!
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DuckDiggler,
I live in Glastonbury, so most of my ice trips are east of the CT River. Your corner of the state is GREAT for ice fishing though. Best of luck out there.
I am a big believer in selective harvest, especially on the bluegills over say 9". One day I caught a bunch and kept 10 real nice ones. WE will make a nice chowder this winter, but 80 plus % of the fish we catch will be released.
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DuckDiggler,
I live in Glastonbury, so most of my ice trips are east of the CT River. Your corner of the state is GREAT for ice fishing though. Best of luck out there.
I am a big believer in selective harvest, especially on the bluegills over say 9". One day I caught a bunch and kept 10 real nice ones. WE will make a nice chowder this winter, but 80 plus % of the fish we catch will be released.
You are so right! The latest research says we are our own worst enemies by taking the largest bluegills. These fish tend to be males and if they are removed they are replaced during breeding season by smaller males which become sexually mature when they would not have otherwise. When fish become sexually mature they slow down considerably in growth. Energy that would go into growth gets diverted to the gonads and of course males that are on the beds don't actively eat (although they will attack items thrown into their beds). If I could take this a step farther; If you're fishing for them during breeding season and you must keep fish, keep the females not the males, and throw back the largest males.
For those of us that are not sure it's fairly easy to sex bluegills during the breeding season. The males have orangish breasts vs. yellow in the female. The males have black scale tips just behind the head on top fading out posteriarly, the male has a longer ear tab, vs. shorter square ear tab, and the male tends to be darker. Other times of year it can be hard to differientate.
Here's a link to some of what Illinois Natural History research is finding:
http://www.illinoisgameandfish.com/fishing/crappies-panfish-fishing/il_aa051603a/
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HB...if you ever want to get out in these parts....shoot me a pm...would love to share the ice with another insano-panfish man like myself! LOL
taxi....great info bud! I wish more people would think about what they are doing before they decide to fill up a 5-gallon bucket with every fish they stick.
Tight Lines All! DD
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Show off!!!!!!!!
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Listen Popeye, you'll be showing off too when I put you on some 10" gills. :D
Mr. Diggler,
When we get some safe ice again, lets get out and do some serious jigging. Have Vex, will travel.
Mike
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Mike sounds like a plan! Todd
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10" gill is biggest i've seen out of my lake, then an 11" crappie, then a 12" perch, then bass and trout ranging in all sizes. my local ace hardware has a couple of gills that are about 13" mounted on the wall, i can't get over the size of those things!
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My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o130/Dblsshtr/img012.jpg)[/img]
congrats to you,re wife I,ve never caught a bluegill over 10.5", but as far as the biggest bluegill mount I,ve ever seen, it is of all places up in the u.p. at the seney B/Pstation, that also doubles as a bait&tackle shop. They have a big bluegill mounted that weighed 2lbs13oz. over 16" long, caught in 1971 out of South Manistique lake.
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9" = keeper
10" = trophy
11" = THAT THING'S A MONSTER!!!!!!!
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I think a 9 or 10 inch Bluegill is a trophy anywhere. They are so fun on light tackle. My biggest didn't come threw the ice. It was in late June on a Central Iowa lake. Was 11" and 1.6#s, took picture and released to fight another day. Caught plenty of 8 1/2"ers this winter, just cann't find the Bulls. Maybe this weekend.
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my mouth is watering yum :icefish:
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Around these parts 8'' is a nice gill, and 9'' is a big fish. I've caught a few over 9 this season, but my biggest ever was 11.25. I was a young kid and caught (and measured it) out of a local farm pond. It almost looked like a different species, but it was definitely a bluegill. Would love to catch one like that through the ice!
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My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o130/Dblsshtr/img012.jpg)[/img]
Who says girls cant fish
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I caught about 3 or 4 over the years out of a farm pond that went between 12 - 13"... but of course thats a farm pond and i try not to count them as real fish... unfortunately they were on open water...
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Caught one out of Pymatuning Lake in PA fishing for walleye. Swallowed a 1/8oz jig and half a crawler! Just over 12in long! It must have been a dinosaur!
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I caught about 3 or 4 over the years out of a farm pond that went between 12 - 13"... but of course thats a farm pond and i try not to count them as real fish... unfortunately they were on open water...
Why doesn't a farm pond fish count? ???
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Why doesn't a farm pond fish count? ???
i dont know, have just always considered farm pond fish to be inferior because no one else has a crack at em
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i dont know, have just always considered farm pond fish to be inferior because no one else has a crack at em
Did you know farm pond bass can get really hard to catch if you practice catch and release? There are only so many of them and I can assure you they wise up to the same presentations.
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That is one awesome fish that your wife caught, really nice mount also.
No pics, not sure I owned a camera back then but back in the late 60's while fishin' with my dad I iced two Gills back to back that measured 11.5" fishing a small local lake on State land. Of course bein' young and bulletproof I thought it was just the start of better things to come. ::) ::) Thus no mount and no pics, heck I don't think I could have afforded ta mount 'em back then with four little ones at home.
Have caight a few honest 11" Gills fishin' in the spring spawning period when they where on their beds back in the early '80's.
Lately it's been difficult for me to break that 9" mark. Gotta find some new waters.
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Did you know farm pond bass can get really hard to catch if you practice catch and release? There are only so many of them and I can assure you they wise up to the same presentations.
I know a small private lake down in SEPA that is exactly like that....when we first started fishing it last spring we'd knock out bass and gills all day long (all released) but by the end of the summer you had to really work for even a bite
My best gill is just under 10"...I just can't break the 10" mark
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I know a small private lake down in SEPA that is exactly like that....when we first started fishing it last spring we'd knock out bass and gills all day long (all released) but by the end of the summer you had to really work for even a bite
My best gill is just under 10"...I just can't break the 10" mark
I'll tell you what's really wild. I believe smallmouth learn faster than largemouth at least due to the following experience: Last spring I and some friends removed as many yellow perch out of one of my ponds up to 15 1/4 inches via angling for BPS aquariums along with another 48 for VHS testing. In the process we caught and released up to 50 smallmouths.
Come fall when it's time to catch the smallmouth out they won't cooperate. Very skittish and hard to catch on even live bait. Most of them I got by draining down the pond (was going to anyway) an dipping them out of puddles. I'm telling you I was amazed how conditioned they had become after only one catch and release.
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My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o130/Dblsshtr/img012.jpg)[/img]
Wow... Now thats a fish
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Quote from: dblsshtr on Jan 07, 2008, 11:26 AM
My wife caught a big Bluegill a few years ago. It was 14 -1/2" and weighed 1lb 15oz on a certified scale. In almost 50 years of fishing I haven't seen one even close to that size. I had to get it mounted for her. It is a super fish. I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Hope it works
That's awfully light for a fish that length though. And it doesn't look that skinny in the picture.