Featured Blog Posts (184)

I went out on the kayak the other day and found a bunch of agressive gills in deep water (25'-30') off a weed edge. Took several 8 inchers for a meal but also got this beauty that was just shy of 11". Released it to swim again.

Kyle VerMaas with a monster hybrid sunfish, and a pretty girl on each arm.

I was on the 25-minute ride home from Branched Oak Lake, and I was miserable beyond words. My battle with a big walleye had ended badly. An inexplicable unbuttoning that left me tearful and maybe even a…

Jim Gronaw must surely be accustomed to wearing many hats.....husband, father, grandfather, talented outdoor writer, angler extraordinaire, and last but certainly not least, one of our very own moderators, right here at http://bigbluegill.com/ !

Residing in Westminster, MD., You're liable to find Jim Gronaw either casting a line at one of several local hotspots, or busily putting the finishing touches on his latest outdoor themed article. Jim's…

I would like to extend a sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all of the members of BigBluegill.com.

I know I've been lacking in posts and pictures lately, but the demands of my family and my business render me an observer most of the time.  I read every post and enjoy every picture.  Every big bluegill caught feels like I landed it myself.

I hope that all of you have an amazing Christmas, and a great new year.  2016 will surely be full of great catches, great…

 Bluegills and Botanicals if you read the fine print. It seemed appropriate, as those two subjects definitely hold a special place in my family's hearts.

I thought I would share a little bit of the maple syrup process, for those who might be curious as to how it's done. I may add additional photos as time permits.

Disclaimer: No Bluegills were harmed during the making of this maple syrup.

My wife and our oldest son, tapping some trees during an unseasonably warm spell…

I'd like to just reiterate a couple of my thoughts about bluegill.

Many of us started with bluegill.  When we caught bluegill as kids, we were proud and excited.  They were willing participants in the angling game, and were scrappy fighters for their size.  Bluegill were also beautiful by any standards, and were curiously varied and original.

Many of us drifted away from bluegill as we aged.  We became jaded, and influenced by those around us.  We were told that…

     I have been asked a few times on this site what tactics I use to catch crappie and blue gill through the ice. So I thought the best way to answer would be to put a post together with some…

September 20, 2014

Took the Mad River Adventure 14 'yakkanoe' out again. As I mentioned before, it takes 21 days to make a habit stick. That said, more trips are definitely needed!

EQUIPMENT NOTES

My Secret Fishing Trousers - Try cotton sleep pants for fair…

Since I'm unable to fish,  I thought I would post a few photos showing what I'm up to with my floats. This first photo shows the materials I'm using: Cans of primer and topcoat, 3/16" rigid aquarium tubing, glass beads from the craft store, some 5/32" hardened drill rod used for a turning mandrel, 1" square balsa blocks, and some split, flat washers and O-rings, used for float weighting.…

Slide the tube back into the foam body and secure it with a drop of glue. I recommend  leaving about 3/4" of the tube sticking out of the top of the float body.

Now, take those metal flat washers, clamp em' in a vise, and use a hacksaw to cut through one side. Like thus:

Slide an appropriate amount of washers, ( I usually use 6-7), onto the plastic shaft, right…

Okay, so maybe I usually call em' floats, not bobbers. Whichever you prefer, chances are there are a handful in your tackle box. Many of us cut our angling teeth drifting a worm below a float, and indeed that is surely a fine way to catch a Bluegill. I still reach for a float of some sort on many occasions, although these days I'm more more apt to suspend an artificial jig beneath it than I am a hapless garden worm.

But no matter the bait, the float still has to do it's part to put…

This year (2013) ,in June and then again in October and November  , I've tried tandem jig rigs a few times . With and without added spinners, they've  worked on Crappies ,Gills, Yellow and White Perch . With dropping temps in Fall,fish food is perhaps more scarce and yet the feeding activity level of the predators is still in high gear .This makes for a competitive feed and prime time for tandem rigs. Indeed, the only time I ever caught two fish at the same time on one lure was in October .…