2014 TROPHY BLUEGILL QUEST

[Slip Sinker]

My Master Angler quest for a 10 inch plus northern strain gill in Michigan continues in 2014... 

[Tony Livingston]

As a boy, I cut my teeth on an old 202. As I'm sure did many other people. They are functional and simple, but finesse, precision, and the ability to present delicate offerings are not their strong points. They are great for tossing on the bank, dragging across a sandbar, or casting anything with weight involved however. They just keep working.....sure they may sound like a stone crusher after the sandbar incident, but they still work.

I don't own any close faced reels these days, but I remember them well.

[Slip Sinker]

Thanks Jim!

When I moved up here four years ago and later got a small fishing rig searching for a few lakes to fish had to meet certain personal criteria. The lakes had to have comfortable easy in and out boat launches and they had to have above avg growth rates for the fish I wanted to target. Wixom Lake the closest lake to me is a gamefish factory… huge shiner populations supporting lm bass sm bass muskie, walleye and pike… also has huge populations of panfish of quality size. This is the lake I caught my master angler white bass and pumpkinseed and an 11.4 inch rock bass. There is a large community of fisherman that harvest huge quantities of gills. Number one target fish in that lake. There are a lot of hungry people in the area and bluegill takes the hit. I fished off the dock for awhile before I got my rig and saw an amazing amount of bluegill coming in. some of the same fisherman every day. This Lake is a reservoir about 1700 acres and tough to fish somedays. 10 percent of the lake holds 90 percent of the fish and that’s a lot of acres to cover
Another favorite lake is a sub 50 acre private lake is closed to the public and is private to land owners only and their guests. My daughter and fiancé are owners and im a guest. This lake is well managed and has aerators through out the lake. The lake does not thermocline and the fish use the whole BOW. One of the first crappies I caught out of the lake was just under 14 an ¼ inch off of master angler. Two days after catching a master angler pseed at wixom lake I catch one here .2 inches shorter. There were 20 master angler pseeds registered in the county the past 10 years and I caught 2 in two days. What luck! However the Amish have bought property to obtain fishing rights to the lake and harvest huge quantities of gills almost daily in the beginning of the season. I saw three boys haul 75 fish out and were back the next day. They see me catch quantities of fish and ive submitted to live well checks explaining im catch and release and trophy hunting only.
Same story with five lakes in clare many fisherman after the limit of panfish mainly gill. However there is Houghton Lake just north of me that is another fish factory… only fished it once and I was extremely impressed. Number one producer of gills over 10 in michigan. I may have to stay there a week or two next summer camping and fishing. But again huge fishing pressure.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I recently fixed and old Zebco 202 that was laying in my neighbors yard.
I hate to see anything like that neglected, so I rescued it from moor and mire. A little TLC is what it needed.
The reel was in fine shape after a good clean and lube, which is no great surprise. They're hard to kill. The one thing wrong, that which probably resulted in its being tossed aside, was the line pickup spinner head spring was gone.

I mean absent, flew the coop, missing in action.

It's a 50c part, for a $10 reel... So I grabbed and old guitar spring and made one. I improved it, too - I bent the spring ends so they act as keepers. Now the spring won't come loose and get away.

Now the reel is as good as new. They're built like tanks in the first place and i doubt there is a mechanical device as simple as the 202. For anything under 8 pounds, I'd just as soon have a 202 as anything.

[Slip Sinker]

David... i have (3) 100 series and (1) 200 series and (1) 300 series Lews Laser spins ... the bail springs have failed 3 times so far... the 100 and 200 series share the same spring and design for the main casting but larger spool on the 200. i really like these reals. but i think there is a design flaw with the spring. the last time i called Lews service they sent me multiple springs as spares. since then i have filled the bail spring cavity with reel grease thinking a shock absorber preventing micro fractures from occurring and disableing the spring. there is a neat little fix if this should happen out on the lake again is to remove the bail screw and add a small nylon washer , tighten and now you close the bail manually which i do anyway) and the bail stays in place while fishing.

carl ive had models in the 80s diawa and shimano that lasted forever... what happened with your models?

[Jim Gronaw]

Those are very impressive fish for northern waters, Ken. Or anywhere, for that matter!

I'll bet that your favorite lakes are somewhat overlooked for bluegills...am I correct?

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I sent a couple to a guy in ATL, when they needed serious parts.

Usually I make the little springs and small
Stuff myself.

[carl hendrix]

I have 2 reels to take to a mr. fix it.  my old ; 80;s model dawai 1000c  and a shimano 100. 

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

The last reel I had to take down couldn't be fixed. Glad you got it

[Slip Sinker]

this is the rig that has failed me the past two outings... first with a bail spring then a lock up. did a complete tear-down, cleaning, re-grease and oil and reassembly. found some debri between the reel arbor and reel body that may have been causing the lock up. it now spins fine and like new. this is the outfit i probably put the most miles on when fishing for trophy gills.

Lews Laser Spin 200 series reel
8# spider wire braid
7 ft Okuma Celilo graphite spinning rod ... perfect bend for gilling
1/8 oz drop shot with a #6 or #8 Eagle claw octopus hook
or
ultra light rocket bobber w bb shot and #6 or #8 octopus hook

[Slip Sinker]

It started out as a bad day… got to my fishing spot and just made a few casts with my Lew’s laser spin 200 and Okuma 7’ UL … my favorite deep drop shot and/or bobber rig… I just replaced the bail spring and the reel now started lagging or stiffening up when reeling. Uhggg! Took the bobber rigging off and switched out to a lighter shorter spin outfit. Not setting well with me! No fish in the area. This was the area I hooked a 10” + the other day and was quick released accidentally before I touched it. I moved on hitting remaining weed bed after weed bed. Tried small jigs tipped and untipped under bobbers as well as worms or gulp maggots. Studied my map for a bit and decided to hit the steep bank … worth a try. This bank drops off steeply to 6ft and channels to the main lake basin. A little fish highway. A couple casts produces BFOTD and then two more quality gills over 8.5. I catch a few more smaller gills and a medium perch, all CPR’ed. The cold drizzle and rain started coming in and I called it a day… a good day! ... short as it was.
David one of these days on my way down to florida I’ll stop by and show ya how to use them … lol… maybe its I just have so much confidence in them.
Dick… I can feel it… ice around the corner. Not looking forward to it ... can’t complain this has been the best season of my life and hate to see it end.