A few random thoughts about bluegill

[Bruce Condello]

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 other fish, maybe because they were bigger or rarer, were more important.  Maybe if we fished for bluegill we felt like we were less of an angler.

All of us found at some point in our life that bluegill were really the most important sport fish in America.  Bluegill form the backbone and foundation of the aquatic food web.  Bluegill tie together generations of anglers in a sport that is embedded in our souls.  And bluegill are a guilt free source of delicious and bountiful God-given delectable tastebud-loving protein that we can all enjoy.  With the scientific knowledge that we have, we can selectively harvest bluegill for the table, and still leave the individual fish with the most potential for trophy angling, and everybody wins!!

Thank God for bluegill.

...and thank you to all of my enthusiastic buddies on this site.  Most of the time I just sit back and enjoy the ride...

[Kelly Peterson]

When I'm using a plain hook these days it is either gold or red. Don't even carry any bronze hooks in the tackle box any more.

[carl hendrix]

our man Greg McWilliams;; a most thoughtful gentleman;; also happens to be a very excellent fly tier;; master fly fisherman to !!  and  very ; humble !!   keep in touch with us more often Greg !!

[Greg McWilliams]

I have been CATCHING BLUEGILL and their COUSINS since I was 5 , I never strayed from them!!!! There are such a VARIETY of them and so many I haven't CAUGHT YET!!!! While my methods have changed from worms on a cane pole, to jigs on a spinning rod, to my current METHOD FLY RODDING!!!! The PRIZE has never CHANGED!!!! BIGBLUEGILL ROCK!!!!!

[Chad Hood]

How true. bluegills rock for all of those reasons but I do try to catch some walleyes as well. Those days I have to fish more so I can fish for both.LOL

[Jim Gronaw]

I think there's a scripture that says...

'When I was a child, I fished like a child. But when I became a man I put away childish things"

...or, something like that. When it comes to bluegills, some kids never grow up! Count me in that group!

[Gerome Hilliard]

Well said Bruce!

[Leo Nguyen]

Those who caught smaller fishes want to chase after bigger games. However, bigger species doesn't mean better. We just use bigger gears and more endurance to catch them. We tend to forget the simplicity in catching smaller species (bigger body), that can put up an incredible fight, by utilizing lighter gears. We don't catch a bluegill with bass gears meant for 8lbs and up. We don't use bluegill gears to catch sharks, although, that sounds like quite a fun thing.

I rather catch a hundred small fighters on ultralight gears that feel like a shark on the other line, than to fight one massive fish and wore out before I might be able to pull it in. I've done that too. It was fun, but after a huge marlin, I couldn't haul in another one. What's the purpose in spending a 12 hours day on the sea, or on the lake, when your arms were like noodles after casting and catching bigger species for a few hours? Bluegills, hah! Toss the bait on the line, sit back, relax, pop a beer/wine bottle, and let them do the work for us, then let the fun begins.

[Jim Gronaw]

Bluegills make up about 70% of my total fish catch, year after year. I caught my first bluegill when I was five...and I haven't been the same since!

And you know...if it weren't for bluegills I'd probably do golf...sheeeesh!

[Mark Stine]

Bruce, you expressed that so well and I couldn't agree with you more!  

Wow Jim, a book? that's so cool I will be looking for a copy when they become available. 

[carl hendrix]

excellent comment Bruce!!  following the bass fishing craze of the 70;s and 80;s i found that i prefer blue gills to those things!!  just as scrappy fighting as a bass; maybe even better than a bass;;  and how many times as kids  did you have shore lunch from a good day of fishing!       the way i look at it--if you dont like to fish for bluegill;; you need to quit fishing!!