Do you love big bluegill?

The Big and Ugly

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This group is for all the members that enjoy an occasional bend of your rod from Carp, Catfish, Redhorse Suckers, Quillbacks, Gar, Bowfin and other undesireables........Our hearts are with the beloved Bluegill but we don't shy away from a big battle!

Location: Anywhere they grow......
Members: 30
Latest Activity: Nov 25, 2022

Discussion Forum

BOWFIN LOVERS 7 Replies

Since it must be Bowfin Monday, I just thought I'd offer this to any of our BBG members who have ever caught or photographed the powerful bowfin. Southern boys and mid-westerners alike, show us your…Continue

Started by Jim Gronaw. Last reply by John Sheehan May 25, 2016.

Blue Cats from the James and Potomac 2 Replies

I am hoping to try for some blues on the tidal Potomac this Monday...Hope to tangle with some of the big cats, like these from previous trips...…Continue

Started by Jim Gronaw. Last reply by Slip Sinker Nov 15, 2014.

Channel Cats in Ponds 6 Replies

We have had a very good week with pond cats, and largemouths, locally. Pond catties are available to us in about 8 different small bodies of water, both public and private. We have been getting them…Continue

Started by Jim Gronaw. Last reply by Tony Livingston Oct 17, 2013.

Well, well, well...look what the fly drug in! 5 Replies

Fishing slow and deep for a big gill and connected with Mr. Whiskers.Continue

Started by Rex Robinson. Last reply by Ray Ditzenberger Feb 13, 2013.

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Comment by Jim Gronaw on May 21, 2012 at 8:43pm: Went and did the carp gig this afternoon with my carp mentor Mr. Bob. Rained hard throughout much of the day and the fishing was unusually slow as we had only 4 runs. Bob went one for one with this fine 15 -pound egg-laden female at about 3:30 in the pouring rain...

I missed two very nice runs on the hookset. Apparently, the carp are streaking over an area of rock and sharp shale, as both of my fish were clean cut-offs on the hookset with nicks and abrasions on the 12 pound mono. Then right at 8 PM, I got this fine 'walk-off' carp on a cocktail hair-rig, that saved me from the skunk and heartbreaking embarassment from a needling Bob. Here's the fish, maybe an 18...

Here's a head-on shot of the last-minute catch. Notice the huge pectoral fins of these fish...one reason they fight with such power.

We got our fish on curve-shanked #6 hooks rigged with a hair-rig baited with a cocktail. A 'cocktail' is 3 to 5 kernels of corn or artificial boilies ( small, round baits) that are threaded on the 'hair' of the hair rig, and each bait may be of a different flavor, i.e. tutti-frutti, scopex, strawberry or pineapple, etc. Hence the 'cocktail' effect. Always nice when everybody gets a decent fish. Had fun and cracked jokes and stories with Bob the Carp Guru.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on May 21, 2012 at 6:40pm: And as far as I know - Ive never seen one of these. Seen many marine variations, though. "Croakers," for example, were always reliable - when you could catch nothing else, there were always croakers. Add a bowl of grits and you would never go hungry.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on May 21, 2012 at 6:37pm: Epicurean tip: Poach in milk and serve with drawn butter. Poor Mans Lobster.

They appear to be related to croakers and salt water drum, being the only members of the genus that inhabits fresh water.

It is also called shepherd's pie, "perch", silver bass, gray bass,Gasper goo, Gaspergou, gou, grunt, grunter, grinder, wuss fish, and croaker, and is commonly known as sheephead or sheepshead in parts of Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States - - wiki

Comment by Allen Morgan on May 21, 2012 at 6:26pm: David, you probably know it as a "Sheepshead". Many of the Drum we caught today were agressive, hard-hitting, hard-fighting fish.

I'm half-tempted to take a couple home sometime soon. I've seen a video on how to clean them; not much different than BG. The flesh is firm. I've heard you can cut it into cubes, poach it, chill it, and serve it with cocktail sauce, just like shrimp.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on May 21, 2012 at 4:38pm: Wassa "drum," officially?

Comment by Allen Morgan on May 21, 2012 at 3:19pm: Ok, went fishing today. I just posted about it, got a video in the post of me catching a channel cat, and another guy catching a couple drum.

http://bigbluegill.com/forum/topics/arkansas-river-5-21-2012

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on May 20, 2012 at 6:21pm: Agree Allen....I've taken all species of cat on artificial including a Tabby cat on a Rapala Husky.......I catch big channels here in North Carolina on soft plastics every Summer so I'm looking forward to that again......This is another reason I use 10 pound test for gill fishing so I can catch the other fish that hit my offering.....I also love a fresh channel cat dinner...especially the 1 to 2 pounders.......

Comment by Allen Morgan on May 20, 2012 at 6:16pm: I've caught Bullheads on Mepps Black Fury spinners. Last year, I saw a gent catch a decent Channel cat on a Rooster Tail. I've read accounts of Blues and Flatheads taking crankbaits. I've even read of Fly Fishing for all three dominant species of cats. Use Streamers, and a 10w pole.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on May 20, 2012 at 5:42pm: Cats are hunters, too, Leo. In fact, once the rotting things that died over the winter have been eaten, well... the Whisker Faces gotta go find food!

Comment by Leo Nguyen on May 20, 2012 at 5:13pm: Wow, just freaking awesome. It's a rare case for us to catch cats over here with plastic crawler, between 4" to 6". So fun to record information from other waters with different species striking on different baits.