Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Michael J. Searl
  • Male
  • Colona, IL
  • United States
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What type of animal is a bluegill?
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Michael J. Searl's Blog

Yesterday's big girl gill

I was fishing a western Illinois public strip pit and caught a big-for-me girl bluegill from the Fish Cat tube. l. I used a BPS 71/2 UL 4piece rod. (I think it is now discontinued). A 1/80 oz chart. / dk blue kiptail jig on a simple #8 jig hook I tied was tipped with a wax worm or salted shrimp. The reel is spooled with Cabela's Pro Line #4 mono.  I have grown fond of this reasonable priced quality line . I had forgotten the camera so had to wait till I returned to the van for a picture. I…

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Posted on June 21, 2014 at 5:00am — 5 Comments

Iowa scouting trip

I and the wife took a trip into south Iowa in search of some new Bluegill waters. We were carefull to stay on track and not get hung up on a single good lake for the entire trip, but keep moving. The second lake we checked out turned out to be the best of the trip, and we plan to return at some point. We also found some… Continue

Posted on April 26, 2009 at 5:50am — 2 Comments

Float tube modifications for bluegill fishing

The float tube is a versitle tool for bluegill fishing as it comes from the factory. To make it more usefull for my use I have done some modifying. Having had a few of my valued spinning… Continue

Posted on November 7, 2008 at 1:00pm — 7 Comments

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At 3:01am on June 29, 2013, David Dillman said…

Micheal Searl

Hello from Colona Il.  My name is David Dillman.  I live on 924 State Street, over by the Rock River Arms facility.  My float tube was not a fish cat, but it was a Kennebac from Classic Assessories. The nylon ripped apart, but not at the seams so I don't think it can be repaired effectively.  I hope to get back into my fishing hole between Colona and Geneseo.  The son is supposed to try to get me back fishing in this awesome bluegill and crappie fishery. 

I am hoping to purchase a creek company odc 420 float tube soon.  I can't afford a fish cat.  I would need a fat cat since I am a fat guy around 300 lbs.  The fat cats are way out of my price range.  I hope to meet you some time. 

Dilly 

At 8:08am on October 26, 2012, DAVID L EITUTIS said…

HEY OLE MIKE, 

  THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS on my bugs and actually they aren't jigs so to speak. THe bead on the front of all of em is a hollow metal bead and they fall really slowly , similar to something dying in the water and falling naturally. Been making em for years.
    I hear you on the pay lakes and won't do it either, as there are too many lakes to catch llllllllllots of big gills in our state and neighboring Iowa!!!! DId you ever fish Sugema, or Geode in Iowa? Looks to me you catch lots of nice gills were ever you go !!!!

  TIght lines and glad to be on your friends list now and maybe one day we can get together for some gill action!!!!!!!!!!!

   With the drought this year all the ponds I fish are down but had fairly good luck anyway and look forward next year to going back to Iowa and get some of the red ears there.
 TOOTY

At 4:53pm on September 29, 2010, Nick Holt said…
Hey Michael, I sure do remember you. It's great to hear from you again. How did those orange and chartreuse curl-tails work out? Yes, unfortunatly, I've been sick since July first with pancreatitis. I've been in and out of the ospital so much, they have a room ready for me with a brass placard on the door with my name on it. The doc was finally able to do a procedure that would clear out the pancreatic bile ducts and take care of the problem. Enough about that. Plan on going fishing within a week or so and get caught up on lost time. I'll stay in touch through the site. Take care all Nick.
At 6:36am on May 29, 2010, thomas j swank said…
The Swanks are a scattered bunch.I think Bat Masterson broke them up years ago. After reading a lot of chatter, I feel fortunate to live In NE Indiana. We have lots of lakes that hold large gills. Lots of pounders if you know where to fish. Our state properties can be super fishing!
At 3:02am on October 10, 2009, Dale Fortin said…
what lure works best for catching sunfish?
At 3:06pm on March 27, 2009, Anthony AkA THE BRIM REAPER said…
if only i knew were though i fish alot but have never caught any close to the gills i c on here
At 5:29pm on February 6, 2009, Frank said…
Hey thanks for the info. I'll check it out. Went fishing yesterday, fished 8 hrs and only got 3 small ones/
At 2:36pm on November 22, 2008, kip noblitt said…
thanks guys for the warm welcome, ole mike searle brought me into the fold. I do have a few poloroid photos. ya'll arent going to believe this, but I just started messin with a computer, and I'm not very good at it at all. so bear with me, I still need to get my own digital camara. used my wifes camara a few weeks back to post a couple photos on crappie.com and it took me all nite to get that done. lol
At 2:44pm on November 6, 2008, LedHed said…
Hey Mike
Like your pontoon inovations. Looks like you have a lock on some good gill fishing. We throw alot of jigs out here, will try to post up some pics...
 
 
 

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