Bruce Condello's lake record 3 pound bluegill from Richmond Mill

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Comment by Tony Livingston on December 27, 2013 at 5:54am

I doubt it also, David. That's not to say it's impossible, only that the chances are extrememy remote. If they weren't, we would see photos of three pounders posted here frequently. Nothing wrong with fishing the public waters close to home.....I don't normally like to travel either, which is the primary reason I've always wanted my own pond. Having multiple ponds, and trying to grow big fish all came about much later.

As I've alluded too earlier, fishing is about playing the odds......you want to catch big gills, then you fish where you KNOW big gills live. Or, you do your best to grow big gills. You want to have a reasonable shot at a three pounder? I'm not talking sheer blind luck now, which is how I would wager many state records came to be caught, but rather a thoughtful, well planned out attempt at a monster gill......then you need to up your game, and take things to the next level. Richmond Mill awaits those folks.

Two years ago, I interviewed the angler who caught the Indiana state record gill back in 1972....3 lbs, 4 ozs. Do you know how he did it? He got out of the truck, walked down to the water's edge, and made ONE cast. He didn't see that fish, and he wasn't aware that it was there. In his own words to me, "It was sheer dumb luck" No more fish near that caliber have come from that BOW, or anywhere within the state for that matter, since that time. Could that happen again?, Sure it could.........but 42 years is a long time to wait.

I believe that an angler needs to decide on a goal, then decide just how serious they are at wanting to achieve that goal, and be honest with themselves regarding their own level of dedication. Then they will have an idea of how to proceed.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on December 26, 2013 at 8:45pm

"tony is right you gotta go where the fish are...."

On that we can surely agree. I have several places here that afford me the large gill, some backwater holes off the main lake. 3+ pounders? I rather doubt it... call me a jaded skeptic.

But nice fish come out of there - enough to keep me and my (future) canoe busy. And that is what I really love. Im a 20 minute guy... I dont like to travel much more than that to get to a fishing spot. SO I find the best ones within that radius and fish. But Im gonna work all the overtime I can get for the next 6 months.

The Condello Mystique is gonna come crumbling downl!! bwahahahaha!

Comment by jim cosgrove on December 26, 2013 at 8:27pm

tony is right you gotta go where the fish are.i get a few over a pound every year.and many times not where i expect.was at a public pond ,we have what are called cook county forest preserves.all over the county which is large in land mass and almost 6 milllion people here are 100s and 100s of acres of woods,trails and 40 or so lakes and ponds scattered around.with my wife walking the dogs brought the fly rod,saw a decent gill on the weed line made a few casts.big swirl,thought a bass sucked down the popper.got a real nice one,over 10 inches.some how the pic didn't save on my phone.a 6 ich gill is usually as good as it gets in these ponds.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on December 26, 2013 at 7:58pm

@Allen Morgan - love it! I like your thinking.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on December 26, 2013 at 7:54pm

Id put it a bit less eloquently, Tony:

For $600/day, on a relatively small, sequestered and manicured BOW -
A. I'll take what the guides put me onto.
B. It darn well better be braggin' fish.

It doesn't seem too much to ask, right? Since that also happens to be what they are selling at Richmond Mill, well, it works for me.

Comment by Allen Morgan on December 26, 2013 at 7:34pm

I'm wondering if a pellet fly near the feeder(s) would be allowed???

Comment by Tony Livingston on December 26, 2013 at 7:08pm

That size of Bluegill is exceedingly rare....many anglers, perhaps even most, will fish their entire lives and never catch a fish of that magnitude. And if the chase is reward enough, in and of itself, then all is well. And if a storm chaser is content to scan the skies and drive the roads of Washington state while looking for tornadoes, then more power to them.

However, I believe that most of those thrill seeking folks have opted to ply their trade in an area more prone to produce those particular  kinds of storms.....increasing the chances of success, as it were.

Tornadoes can happen anywhere. And a giant Bluegill could show up where you least expect it to. But when one is no longer content to merely enjoy the chase, then doing what is necessary to try and stack the odds in your favor might be the next, logical move.

For me, that is the essence of Richmond Mill, and perhaps one reason that explains its popularity. Some day I will get there, and if I'm lucky enough to catch a 3+ pound BG, I don't think I will feel disappointment if a portion of its diet came in the form of pellets......rather, I will be in awe that such a fish exists in the first place, and I will feel fortunate to be able to catch and hold it, even for a moment.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on December 26, 2013 at 5:51pm

I've caught some large shell crackers, Vince, but really large bluegill have eluded me. I've caught some nice ones, mind you, but just the ones that make you go, "Nice...that's a keeper!"

But, the fish that makes you shout, "Holy Mother of God... Would you look at that sumbitch! That's gotta be some kind of &@!$ record!!"....
Well, that kinda bluegill has yet to be seen.
That's why I struggle with suspending disbelief when confronted with a brobdignagian* specimen like this one.

* brobdignagian - I hadda dig deep for that one, bro!

Comment by Vince Fusco on December 26, 2013 at 5:29pm

My personal best is 1lb. 10oz. on a certified scale from a backwater river lake here in Georgia. I have been holding out for a 2lb. gill to have a replica made of. This fish was caught in the late 80's. I have not come close to one that size since then, and have wondered many times if I was wrong in holding out for a 2lb one from public waters. The quest is still on, and who knows 2014 may be the year. The only photo I had of it was lost back in 2001. It was a great memory that I was able to share with my fishing buddies that saw me catch it that day.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on December 26, 2013 at 4:06pm

But Robbie gets to do it everyday - he don't count! (sorry, Robbie)
No, what has to happen is one of us "regular guys" must blast that record out of the water.
Who's up for the challenge?

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