Jim Gronaw's Comments

There are blue cats in some of the rivers down here, but I don't really spend much time going after catfish. You are right about Flatheads eating a lot of sunfish. The lake those two were caught in has very vew decent sized bluegill.

http://www.alabamagameandfish.com/fishing/crappies-panfish-fishing/AL_0507_02/index.html

Thought you might like a good read on my areas fishing. Its an old artical but it still holds true. Check it out when you get a chance. Yea focus on the acreage of water that I have to fish to find gills! haha. MIND BOGGLIN!

I agree with Mr. Torres. I was comming to comment back but I got stuck at the pictures slide show! haha. Fishing has kinda slacked off. They keep letting the water loose from up north and its got everything messed up right now. Believe it or not. from mid may till almost June is our dead months. All the fishies are in the woods from the rivers flooding our creeks. Its pretty dangerous on the creek with all the timber floating in and out so ive been takin my time. A poor man like me cant afford a new lower unit every year. Tops are floating and constantly shifting so the fish have moved off to points and stump structure. I blew up my electronics a few weeks ago so now its super hard to find the underwater structure that I like to fish. Ive been dropping 1 ounce weights on rod and reels and draggin for snags to fish. We have caught some nice fish but just not nice numbers. Well not for me any how. 30 gills 8" is a good day for 4 or 5 hours and were doin about 15. July is rite around the corner though so be ready for some big stringer pics. Rite now Im focusin on the last of the tomatoes and gettin ready for my pea patch.

Take a kid fishin!
Mayo

Thanks. Really nice group of people here. Happy Memorial day. God bless all you vets!!

Thanks Jim. This site has made it fun to bring the camera and attempt photography.

Hey thanks man

Jim
Last night I did finally catch some white pearch. But that is not the story or question. I had hooked a small fish and was reeling it in with a ultra light outfit when all of the sudden i thought ihad snagged bottom. To make a long story short a good pike had grabbed that fish it held it for about 2-3 minutes Ihat fish was in control of the whole situtation I could do nothing but apply a little pressure. It finally let go of the small white pearch. When I landed that fish you would not believe the damage that pike had done. Ok now I know where to catch some impressive goldenshiners, I have an idea where impressive pike may be how do rigg a 10inch shiner to use for bait.
I am starting by digging out my old 300 mitchel useing 15lbs line steel leader ok now what?
Also after catching the whitepearch I would not trade them for the fight of a good gill.

Nope Jim, sure didn't weight them. We released them while on the water. The one she is holding and not smiling(Laugh) was caught last summer, late summer. The plan is to find her on a bed and she if she touches the Mn record. I think she will! I have hunted big bass and gills up here since I was a kid and have become somewhat sucessful. Thanks for the comments!

The Bream, Hybrid bluegills and shellcrackers are on, my son has been having good luck catching fish, he's nine so he's almost to the point where he doesn't need to much help.
Still waiting on redhead/black jigs? The sample package all I got to keep was a couple of the bluegill hair jigs. My son put the rest in his box, so I'll keep you posted.

Hey Jim, I've had some real nice mounts done for me by Advanced Taxidermy out of Ontario, Canada. They can be pricey at times (but well worth the money) and if anyone would have that size replica for Perch, it would probably be them! I don't think you'd be disappointed as they do some of the finest work I've seen!!

Jim- Glad to see the new issue of In Fisherman with your welcomed article on Bass fishing with Gills and Shiners and North East shore fishing...being from New Jersey I was interested to say the least.You write very well and I will be sharing this article with my closest fishing buds! Ya know I've only caught three 5 LB plus Bass in my life and one was from shore with a Bass Pro floating worm ..but it was in October not the spring which is interesting!

Jim
These shiners that I thought were white pearch are in a huge swamp which was created by a rail bed that has been given up and made into a walking path. There is a bridge with a dam under it on the lake side of the bridge I catch seeds, gills small pearch, Bullpout and Crappies on the swamp side of the bridge all I have caught are these huge golden shiners. I have got to take my fly rod these shines will bite any thing thate is thrown out there. They run from 6inches to 11 inches.

Gotta love those forgotten farm ponds.

Forgot to mention that the bass is "only" about 5 pounds, but it's a hulk-like specimen. The redear was over 2, and the bluegill was 1.5....soon to be two-pounder. Probably by October.

I just now saw your message. I'm laughing my you-know-what off! :-)

Your idea is more plausible than you'd think. It could fit right in to the two pound bluegill story.

The master angler award was from 2005. Yes we are catching tons of fish this year. We haven't had too many slobs, but most of my limits are 8+ inches im able to throw back the 7 inchers and the 9 inchers and still end up with 25 fish. Here the fish are filling in the rivers by the thousands but not to spawn. The lake winnebago system in the past couple years has had new type of weed bed growing in 10+ feet of water reaching all the way to the surface. I think this is impacting the bluegill in a good way plenty of cover for the small fish to grow and big fish to feed, but now that the weeds died off in the winter I think these fish are just looking for a place to hide and feed.

I sure do Mr. Gronaw. Me and my ole lady was talking about it just the other day! Its great Its great Its great! With all this opportunity I wanna do something with it. Im getting better at this fishing thing and starting to wonder what I can do with it? I know I can do something that both people, the delta, and all the fish can benifit from but i just dont know what yet. It wouldnt hurt if I could make a living from it! Being the way the economy is headed and people cant afford those big ole bass boats and $1000s in rods reals fancy sunglasses and tackle Im seeing alot more people getting back to there roots and bring out the cane poles and cricket buckets and diggin worms outta the yard. More people need to be educated and theres got to be more ways to reach them. Who knows this could be a new path im standing at the sign trying to decide to walk down or pass up! HAHA I may even be as cool as Bruce and get my picture in in-fisherman one day or even get a chance to fish big bluegill and shellcracka with Roland Martin and Bill Dance. Now wouldn't that be a great show!

Hey Jim I was just going through the list of master angler awards and I seen your name and a family members just wondering if you have any photos of the 11.25 and 11.5 inchers? Mountain Man

Hey Jim,
Happy Easter!!! I know you're absolutely right on how finicky the Tidal Crappie can be!!! They can get lockjaw as soon as you look at one crooked (ha! ha!) Seriously, the presentation has to be absolutely perfect (just like you said) especially in cold water conditions because in many cases, they just aren't goin to spend the extra energy to chase anything down--they're too sluggish and they know that the current will carry them another tasty morsel if they just wait long enough for it!! Way to go and I'll keep you posted on things here--slow right now. My kayak came yesterday so now I'm workin on gettin it rigged the right way for fishing...I think it will work as long as I don't flip it!!! Take care and tight lines!!!! Keep postin photos so I can see all your Monsters!!!!