What is a "keeper" gill or perch for you?

[Mich-Again]

I've done a LOT of hardwater fishing over the last two years, and am still looking for good spots on lakes in the Muskegon area.  Another year or two of this and I might give it up.  Sometimes I wonder if maybe I'm expecting too much.

I know a lot of people will say "it's good just to get out" (or something similar), which is fine and I don't disagree.  But to that I say "why not have have both?"  Why shouldn't I be able to enjoy the outdoors AND catch good fish?  If I want to sit on a hard surface and enjoy the outdoors, I've got a paved driveway just outside my door.

I could get a limit of dink perch and gills every day, but I rarely catch what I consider "good" fish.  I see photos posted here with a few nice fish, but a lot of fish I wouldn't keep.  So maybe I'm being a fish snob?  So what do you guys consider a "keeper" perch or gill, and when you fish, do you do a lot of sorting?

[HoleHpr]

I will keep pretty small fish, if I feel like I can run the knife through it pretty well.  It really depends on how the bite is.  If it's hot, I will do a lot more sorting.  if not, i'm happy with what I get.  I'll keepem around 6".

[wishing4winter]

depends on the bite    we try to keep 7" and better   but if it's real slow we may keep a few 6" for the fry pan

[Swift]

Much of it is learning and understanding what's going on down there and more importantly what to do about it. Bigger fish of whatever species do tend to act much differently than the smaller ones, USUALLY. Local lakes I fish are generally known for 5,6 and the odd 7 inch 'gill but some of us old timers catch more 7,8 and the occasional 9+. Why? We know whats basically going on, can adapt more quickly to the subtle changes and know the cycles the fish will undergo from the beginning to the end of the season. ~~~~ Good eaters? Depends, on some lakes a 6" 'gill has more meat than another lakes 7". Generally aim for 7"+ on 'gills and 8"-10" on Perch, those fat 10"+ females go right back down the hole, simply a personal choice, do what you need to do. Just keep an open mind, try presentation variations/locations and keep at it

[sam419]

if your fishing bigger lakes, you might want to try out a smaller lake, I find it much easier to find fish on smaller lakes than larger lakes(though bigger lakes usually have bigger fish). I generally dont keep gills under 7.5 unless they are nice and fat, perch usually 8-9in is as small as ill go, It does get frustrating catching 50-100 dinks and maybe get 5 keepers but ice fishing can be tough and it takes time to really dial in to the bigger fish.

-Just my opinion,
Sam

[esox_magnum]

For my area rare for us to keep gills under 8.5" some days 9-10 is our limits. Perch we used to not keep anything under 10 but with the recent perch boom anything fat and over 8.5 in the winter now goes home most days a 25 fish limit averages 10" give or take 1/4"

[DasRottweiler]

I keep perch over 11"--Crappie over 10" --- and Gills over 8" anything smaller and it just ain`t worth it.

[fishin machine]

I keep perch over 11"--Crappie over 10" --- and Gills over 8" anything smaller and it just ain`t worth it.

That is about right for me also.
I would rather keep a select few good fish, instead of a limit if mediocre fish.
However I fish all year long, and am never without fish to eat.

[stumpjumper]

 If I can fillet them I will keep them.

 I prefer the medium sized gills 6"-8" over the larger ones. The little row of bones in the fillet are much more likely to stick in your gums then the ones on the smaller gills.

[wax_worm]

Gills depend on the lake.....some lakes it's 7.5 and bigger, others it's 8 and bigger.  Perch, when they get to that 8.5-9 inch range they are keepers to me.  Crappies depned on the lake...some lakes there are zillions of 8.5-9.5 inchers and rarely see a 10 incher.  Other lakes, 10 inches and bigger are what are kept.

[damanfrgr]

If I can fillet them I will keep them.

 I prefer the medium sized gills 6"-8" over the larger ones. The little row of bones in the fillet are much more likely to stick in your gums then the ones on the smaller gills.

yup if the knife fits fillet it , i like the smaller gills better i think the taste little better,i dint mean dinks but, if i am already keeping nice ones then if i can fillet it i eat !!!!!some may beg to differ but hey thats your game go ahead and play it!perch tend to keep 7- 11 get more meat of a perch than a gill anyways but if fish to eat not to throw back ,really in the winter i lovem wife and kids my kids like the smaller fillets so i guess what floats your boat ,I aint out there for Master angler, Im out there to get some food and have fun!!

[axtell31]

It varies on the lake that I am fishing, I fish year around and never go without fish to eat, but I hate that feeling of going home with no fish when I am fishing panfish.  However if I am fishing a local lake I usually set my standards a little bit higher seeing I usually know the water better and prefer to release the little ones to grow.  However if I travel and hour or more to fish a different lake I will keep fish a little smaller than normal just because I feel I am not doing a large damage on the fish population if I only make a couple trips a year there and to make up for the expensive gas prices, gotta put dinner on the table.  However I like to set my gills around 7.5 about 8 for perch and about 8 inch for crappie... However there are lakes that I will release fish that size.

[wmu1989]

I don't believe youre a "fish snob" at all. It cracks me up to watch people keeping "dinks", especially when the lake has better fish and may require some sorting or moving to find them. Personally, I would never think of keeping an 6" gill. But to each their own-just saying

[stumpjumper]

I don't believe youre a "fish snob" at all. It cracks me up to watch people keeping "dinks", especially when the lake has better fish and may require some sorting or moving to find them. Personally, I would never think of keeping an 6" gill. But to each their own-just saying

 If anyone is a fish snob.... Just saying.

[nick109]

If you want to catch bigger fish try fishing for bigger species of fish like walleye, pike or trout. You wont catch as many, but you will catch some bigger fish and get some better fights out of them.

[jigemin]

I think it's funny when people say that they don't keep gills under 8".  An 8" gill is a monster.  The term 9" gill is thrown around way too loosely.  I, personally, say that anyone who doesn't keep a gill under 8" is full of it, or, they don't measure their fish!  Measure your fish next time and i think you'll be surprised!

[stumpjumper]

I think it's funny when people say that they don't keep gills under 8".  An 8" gill is a monster.  The term 9" gill is thrown around way too loosely.  I, personally, say that anyone who doesn't keep a gill under 8" is full of it, or, they don't measure their fish!  Measure your fish next time and i think you'll be surprised!

Yep

[damanfrgr]

Yep

true that!!!!!! u hit that nail right on the head there!

[runswithfishes]

I think it's funny when people say that they don't keep gills under 8".  An 8" gill is a monster.  The term 9" gill is thrown around way too loosely.  I, personally, say that anyone who doesn't keep a gill under 8" is full of it, or, they don't measure their fish!  Measure your fish next time and i think you'll be surprised!

I agree....

[fishin machine]

I think it's funny when people say that they don't keep gills under 8".  An 8" gill is a monster.  The term 9" gill is thrown around way too loosely.  I, personally, say that anyone who doesn't keep a gill under 8" is full of it, or, they don't measure their fish!  Measure your fish next time and i think you'll be surprised!

I just cleaned a dozen for dinner today.
My cutting board is also a measuring device, and not one was under 8 inches, and 3 measured over 9".
I think anyone that believes as you do just doesn't catch big gills.
I have had 5 this year over 10".
They are far more available than most people think.

[runswithfishes]

I just cleaned a dozen for dinner today.
My cutting board is also a measuring device, and not one was under 8 inches, and 3 measured over 9".
I think anyone that believes as you do just doesn't catch big gills.
I have had 5 this year over 10".
They are far more available than most people think.

10 inches is a master angler award fish

They exist, but are rarely caught...for example...this year you have caught more 10 inch gills than anyone has hooked in the last 10 years in my county.

[fishin machine]

10 inches is a master angler award fish

They exist, but are rarely caught...for example...this year you have caught more 10 inch gills than anyone has hooked in the last 10 years in my county.

Those all came out of the same 40-50 acre lake and this lake has always produced 10's every year.
I have another that I see some 10's in but not as many. Still plenty of 9's though.

[afishhawk]

I think it's funny when people say that they don't keep gills under 8".  An 8" gill is a monster.  The term 9" gill is thrown around way too loosely.  I, personally, say that anyone who doesn't keep a gill under 8" is full of it, or, they don't measure their fish!  Measure your fish next time and i think you'll be surprised!

I agree with you..  Most people seem to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the size a little. If you have 7.5" to 8.5" Gills you have a nice catch. I may catch a couple up to 9" with the limit but not always and I am happy with that. We can fish a farm lake nearby and catch a limit of 9" to 10" gills but the bones are tough and they don't seem to taste as well IMO.
I'll take the 7.5" to 8.5" all day. When taking pictures of fish they should have a legible ruler for comparison.  

I sure would like to see some of those fish from Iowa mentioned on an earlier post.
I have had days that were way above average, that's why I take pictures cuz it might be a while
before I see it again.

[fishin machine]

I sure would like to see some of those fish from Iowa mentioned on an earlier post.
I have had days that were way above average, that's why I take pictures cuz it might be a while
before I see it again.

You want to see some incredible pics of real monster gills, look for a post by a guy that goes by "splitshot" I believe it is on MS.
That guy has caught some truly incredible fish in his time.

[marcus]

Opinion from NY.    <---just a warning     first of all crappie minimum is 9" so that works for me.  Bluegills I will keep 7" and up perch 8.5" and up. I know this because today I fished with no tape measure  and kept what I feel I normally would and ended up with 32  bluegills  average size 8 1/4"   with a couple just shy of my 7" mark 6 1/2- 6 3/4 . And the biggies  (2) 9 1/4"  . and One was 9 3/4   which is a huge bluegill. The perch were 8   9.5  and 10.5   .  All produced decent fillets.   Much smaller than that and there is no meat IMO not really worth it

[JDthree]

Unfortunately i havent learned how to clean my own yet so i use this rule to keep it nice for the guy that does it gills: if the fillet would be 4 fingers perch: across my palm

[pzoch]

About 7" is when I think the gills and perch are getting to
the eating size on most lakes all depends on how skinny they
are.Some lakes they are nice and fat others they can be skinny  dinks.

[walleyesteve]

If I can fillet them I will keep them.

 I prefer the medium sized gills 6"-8" over the larger ones. The little row of bones in the fillet are much more likely to stick in your gums then the ones on the smaller gills.

I "Zip" larger Perch-11'' and up, just like a Walleye. No bone's stuck in teeth.

[stumpjumper]

I "Zip" larger Perch-11'' and up, just like a Walleye. No bone's stuck in teeth.

 I was talking about blugills. they have a row of bones in the fillets and the big ones have some pretty stiff ones.

[fishin machine]

I was talking about blugills. they have a row of bones in the fillets and the big ones have some pretty stiff ones.

I don't leave bones in ANY fish I eat.