Beautiful Shores along the "tank"

Comment

Comment by Vince Fusco on August 29, 2012 at 11:14am

That looks like a dream fishing area, Jeffrey!

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on August 29, 2012 at 9:07am

Totally Tony....like you, I have never seen pictures of the Kentucky fish.....Taxidermy wasn't the science it is today where the fish looks releasable....The North Carolina fish has only been seen in black and white but does resemble many bluegill traits......however I still have older members of my family that call a Crappie a "Sacalait", a Largemouth a "Green Trout" and everything else is a "Bream" too include....Red spotted, Redear, Bluegill, Warmouth, Flier, Lake Runner and the list goes on and on.....I wish we knew more than we do on the larger Bluegill....recent success of anglers catching giant Redears has clearly set that species apart for growth/potential......I'm always interested when these fish are talked about.......Certainly makes you put your hand on your chin......

Comment by Tony Livingston on August 29, 2012 at 8:53am

You ever wonder if any of those four pound fish were in fact, misidentified? The Alabama fish was caught over 60 years ago, and suspicions exist regarding its lineage. The NC fish was caught back in 67', it LOOKS like a BG, but after mounting who knows? The Kentucky fish came from 1980, but I haven't seen any photos of it.

In my own state, the record stands at 3.25 lbs, and after researching the catch I have been unable to find any documentation stating that it was in fact, a Bluegill ,and  not a hybrid of some sort. Back in the day, I would be willing to guess that not a whole lot of science was applied to authenticating a catch, rather appearance  might have formed the basis of identification.

When I located the photo of the supposed 2 lb BG caught recently in my area, it appears to be a BG x RES hybrid... And it was caught in the same general  place where the state record came from. And, I caught many such hybrids myself down there, including some from the exact BOW that produced the record fish.

After all this time, there is no definitive way to tell for sure. But I wonder if the earlier, less technical time period, combined with a general penchant to lump sunfish, especially Lepomids, together under the heading of Bluegill, might have played a role here?

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on August 29, 2012 at 8:24am

Only three states have ever recorded a Bluegill over four pounds Federico and North Carolina is one of them.....but more important than that is having a sportsmen friendly delegation and resources spent on the outdoors....I follow these things closely and believe our departments here in North Carolina are engaged in education and conservation....I truly believe I have experienced their success on the waters of Carolina....

Comment by federico del toro on August 29, 2012 at 5:04am

Man, north carolina got to make my bucket list for places to fish

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on August 29, 2012 at 4:14am

Nice flooded timber flats.

As some of you know, I recently moved near Lake Murray, SC. I'm within 10 miles of half a dozen nice 'gill fishing spots. This was a move of choice, too. My one condition was that we move near a good fishing area.

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on August 29, 2012 at 3:18am

I had a pretty good idea when I asked my wife to go house hunting in Elizabeth City....One of the best days of my life is when she called me at work to put down earnest money on the property where our home sits today......That was almost nine years ago and we haven't looked back.......

Comment by DAVID L EITUTIS on August 28, 2012 at 7:04pm

Jeffrey you don't know how lucky you are to have an abundance of water to fish like you do down there!!!  I'm too old and fixed in my ways now to move now , but would have loved to grown up down there .  Great looking water ............

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on August 28, 2012 at 6:57pm

You can catch sunfish against this structure.....flooded cypress trees and stumps.....old piers and existing piers.........The bug would get tossed around in these rough waters but the gills would locate and crush......