All Blog Posts (1,103)

Using poppers with a fly rod is pretty much a standard, but casting these flies can be awkward. The popper is light, relatively bulky, and usually festooned with feathers. This combination catches air and causes drag on the popper on the cast. The net effect is to hinder both control and distance. To remedy this, try this trick:



Drill a small hole in the belly of the popper, right at the center of gravity. Insert a small BB, or buckshot. Drilling the hole just undersize ensures the…

Excellent article in the new Panfish guide by In-Fisherman

"Micro-Jigging" early season panfish covers micro jigs and methods for gills.

Very informative and good ideas.

thanks, Jim

Also has another article about "Bulls across America". Very good also.

Seven years ago, in May 2009, I started managing a handful of ponds just north of my hometown on my own dime, with the goal of creating a trophy bluegill guide service.  There are five ponds on the property that I worked with: 1.1 acre, 1 acre, .9 acre, .5 acre, and .25 acre, a total of 3.75 acres of water.  When I started with that property, all but one of the ponds was choked with watermeal or duckweed or both; one pond had no fish left due to the duckweed, another had only stunted black…

I thought I would share with you guys an image of my 10 ft. Pelican pontoon style boat, which is perfect to fish small waters. I posted a few images of my 8 ft. Pelican boat here on Big Bluegill some years ago, which I sold in 2014. At that time I decided to purchase a bigger boat in the same style which is the…

As a lifelong landlubber, there will be a learning curve to my on the water yakking adventures beginning this Spring. A video I saw on YouTube the other day got me thinking. It was titled, "Don't fish in front of my dock." (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6jNA78oGZQ )  The short version...old guy stops cutting his lawn to hop into his boat to ride out and harass two yakkers fishing near his dock on a public lake. He doesn't want…

Greetings to all,  I have loved all things out of doors since childhood Primary activity has been hunting(in fact, I just returned from good Quail hunt this AM). Have fished a bit, mostly with a cane pole, bobber, split-shot and hook with a worm!  Consider myself a 'young 80' years of age and am looking to try something new, specifically Ultra Lite fishing. We're talking Kindergarten level here! I need help about everything from equipment suggestions to techniques , and I'm certain this…

I am getting my gear ready for Spring. Any opinions on what the best line to use is. I've been reading on line about mono, fluoro and braid and see advantages to each. Up to now I've stuck with Berkley's Trilene, both XL Smooth Casting (6 lb.) and their TransOptic (8 lb.) brand. A salesman at Dick's Sporting Goods got me to buy a spool of 15 lb. Power Pro Moss Green braided line. I have not put it on my reel yet. Opinions and recommendations would be welcome. I use a Shimano Stradic CI4+…

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…

I need to get off the banks and get out where the fish are. I've been looking at kayaks. Does anyone have any good advice or opinions about kayak fishing? I'd love some feedback. Thanks.

Has there been any 4 pounders reported lately?

Took my two grandsons fishing the other day.  Second time for the six year old, Jacob and the first time for the nearly 4 year old, Alexander.  It was their first time to catch anything. Alexander caught a small soft shell turtle and one bluegill and Jacob caught two bluegills.  They were very happy little boys.  We spent about two hours at a small city pond here in Austin, best of times.…

The bite was really slow this morning at Canyon lake. I hit a few known spots, but the fish were really finicky. I had to size down to a 7x tippet which educated on knot types. I lost two big gills (not even sure they were gills!) when my knots slipped using a Davy knot on that 7x Rio powerflex. Ive used it on thicker line and it's always held???

  (Even when a 3lb carp picked up my 'Magic bluegill bug'. The knot held, but my 5x tippet was a different story)

I did…

I bought an inflatable boat the other day to try to get out after some of the bigger fish that I'm guessing are away from the shoreline here in August. (really shallow pond, maybe 4 acres, a couple of 7 foot holes, but mostly about 3-5 feet. Been catching a TON of tiny 'gills, redear and yellow perch on the shoreline).

I spent a whole day out on the pond in my little boat. Fished downed limbs, submerged points, and the deepest holes I could find with ice jigs tipped with worm and…

Fishin' Goals

X 1)Catch fish every month of the year and archive with photos and calendars.

Bluegill ,Yellow Perch, Crappie and Largemouth Bass are achieved.

 X 2)Catch Pickerel  in December( x achieved Dec. 2014 Shepherds lake) , February (Acheived) and (March)* acheived March31 2016, 17" Pickerel still need February to complete the Pickerel …

I live in Iowa and hate the cold and no way I am going out on ice so I get about 7 months of good fishing targeting dif species at dif times of course. But once the gilling is hot it is hard to not go twice or thrice a day. Forgot how many things gillers have in common and want to say thanks those of you that never stop posting blogs and discussions. I had to read quite a bit just so I knew where to toss my 2 cents at. Always some new or remindful info almost any where you look. Always seems…