One of My Best Bluegill Fishing Days...Ever!

[Jim Gronaw]

Wow! I just got back from fishing and as I speak we have a 'cool' front roaring through that is dropping temps from the upper 80's down to the low 50's tonight. But just a few hours ago it was warm and sunny and the previous 2 days had been record high low 90's. This pushed fish shallow and pre-spawn gills were just a cast away, staging out away from bedding sites. But they were quick to hit crystal braid jigs and hair jigs. Great, non-stop action for at least 2 hours!

I stopped counting at 50 fish, but feel certain that I caught and released somewhere around 100 bluegills. Would have to rate this outing as one of my best all-time panfish trips, based on the average size of the gills ( 9 inches + ), the tremendous action, the weather, 80 and sunny with nice wind for comfort, and the fact that it all took place about 15 minutes from my house!

Throw in a couple of bonus slab crappie ( they shut down with the front, BTW ) a surprise red ear and my personal best green sunfish of 10.5 inches. Cool!
Almost all of these fish took a 1/64 oz chartreuse crystal braided hair jig with a marabou tail fished on 2 lb test SOS mono. Caught 2 crappie right off the bat in the shade of the dock, but then they quit. Fish of the day was clearly my personal best green sunfish that measured 10.5 inches. Yes, I am proud of that fish!

Many nine to ten inch gills and several over ten. Crappie went 12 and 13 inches. And I never had to tip with bait! These gills were NOT on bed, but rather they were staging just in slightly deeper water. Caught males and females and the color patterns on the males varied greatly, with brilliant coloration and hues.

And what fun it was to have those fish just whistle off on drag-peeling runs with the 2 lb mono! The weatherman is calling for back to normal temperatures by the week end so it might shut the bite down a little. Don't matter though, I'll be in Delaware for crappie and shad! But this was a special day!

[Greg McWilliams]

Retirement agrees with Jim!! Did you ever think about being a Writer for fishing articles, you are really good at it. (insert smilie face here) Great job!!!!

[Magnolia Rick]

nice fish Jim look like your taking retirement to a full time fishing job.
Good bunch of pictures

[John Sheehan]

Great day Jim !-Had a good day myself even closer to home .Not as many or as big as you but Slip Floating anchored or backtrolled in a tough wind was productive 'tween 2:30- 5:30 today.Got some nice gills on one of your "Critter" Jigs tipped with mealworm .Mostly stuck with plain #8 hook/Mealworm as it was the most productive .Some untipped spoons and jigs finally came into use today . Wind from the Sw positioned fish on the NE shore around brush .Blue Gill ,PSeed as well as Bass ,Crappie, YPerch.

[Tim Overbaugh]

Great report Jim. You hit it just right that day.
It's always nice to catch a variety of fish especially with the quality that you got.
I'm working on an American Shad, 5.5 pounds that I traded for 2 smaller ones I caught in the Delaware River a few years ago. If you catch one take a good photo. I need a good color photo for reference :)
If you kept the greeny, it's good for a free replica!

[Bill "Musky" Modica]

What better way to welcome in the spring with such great action!