Big Bluegill Members...Who Do You Want to Fish With, and Why?

[Jim Gronaw]

Okay guys and girls...let's do this! There are a lot of great anglers on this site, and for more species than bluegills. And there are people on this site that just seem like 'family'. So...given that, who would you like to fish with, and why? It can be as many folks as you want...and it doesn't JUST have to be about the fishin'!

I'll start it off, and in no particular order. I would like to fish with...

Jeffrey D. Abney...He's from Elizabeth City, NC, my grand parents are from Elizabeth City, NC, and he fishes 8 days a week from one of the premier public bluegill regions on the planet. His food photos look sooo good, his fish photos look good and the NC blackwaters are a classic Dixie trademark.

Tony Livingston..The Hybrid Sunfish King, this man can raise 'em! Plus, he is innovative, thoughtful, funny, considerate and appears to be the perfect gentleman. But I'd be willing to put up with all of that just to spend a few days fishing his ponds.

Derrick Bustle...I like this guy...bluecollar, fishes close to home, catches lots of big bass without all the fancy tournament gear. And...he is from North Carolina, another plus!

Bruce Condello...I've had the great pleasure to fish with this guy and he is an absolute, on-point angler when persuing ANY specie of fish! He may be the only man alive to have caught two, three pound bluegills, in one day! Always seeking to perfect his craft.

Jeffrey D. Abney...Did I mention him? OK, never mind.

John Sheehan...Fishing pressured, local waters in New Jersey is tough, and this guy puts 'em in the boat, year round. I need to sit down with this man an have him show me some licks on the guitar!

Bill 'Musky' Mod...Great angler, expert in the deep/cold water and tough conditions plus it looks like he can really cook! A multi-species man, check out his Road and Snake productions on youtube for giant channel cats and more!

So...get the idea? Who do you want to fish with? And why?

[John Sheehan]

Dick -I certainly hope you find the time to enjoy writing down your experiences in blogs and posting here at Bigbluegill.com .You could reach a lot of folks that way with your tales and probably be very satisfied doing so.

[Brian Saeger]

If I had to limit it to just one it would be Bill Modica.  First, he's close to where I live and second, his spoon methods are a radically departure from traditional forms of bluegill fishing.

[JBplusThuy]

Well, all the people you listed, and I'll add Jeff Soto and Leo to the list, a couple fellow gillers in SoCal.

[John Sheehan]

 

Yellow Perch and of course Gills and other species Ice Fishing with Jim Gronaw , Howard Webster  and Patrick 'Bullworm' Olsen

Flyrod Tubing with Greg Mc Williams, Jen  and Leo

Spoonin' for Deepwater gills and multi species with Bill 'Musky' Mod

Bluegill fishing with everyone here but especially Bruce 'the man' Condello

Float/Long Pole fishin' with Johnny Wilkins

Carp Fishin' with Jim Gronaw and Bruce Condello

Catfishing  and Gillin' with Jeffrey Abner

Hybrid Gill fishing using  floats with Tony Livingston

Bank Fishin' with Jim Gronaw and Dwayne  Denison, and David Hutton

Blue Cats on the James River with Jim Gronaw and Jeffrey Abner

Multi Species in North East New Jersey ,Lakes ,Ponds and Rivers  with Art Cole (I already do this)

Multi Species River fishing with Allen Morgan

Crabbing with Jeffrey Abner

White Perch  and Pickerel Fishin with Chris from Connecticut

Smallmouth Fishin' and Trout Fishing with Jacob Hill and his father

Largemouth Bass fishing using classic lures with Dick Tabbert ,and Tooty ,that ol' geezer

Largemouth Bass Fishing with Derrick Bustle and Jim Gronaw

Crappie Fishin' with Wade Jones Vic Tankersley and Chris Salmon

Red Eared Sunfish ,Weeds and Sticks fishing with10.5 RES Sharon from Texas oh and Piranha too!

Fly rodding Lunker weeds ,who else but  Greg Mc Williams?

 

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Plenty of knowledgeable members at BBG.com and a fantastic variety of preferred fishing techniques.....The members here fish some of the best waters available to the public as well as the top managed private ponds in America.....Almost every state in the union is represented as well.....

 As much Gill fishing as I do I would still very much enjoy a day or two on the water with almost every angler here but I have narrowed it down a bit for the purpose of this discussion.....I have stated previously that I picked the location to build my family home because of the great bluegill fishing in that area, so I do live it 24/7........

 In no particular order....here's my little tour of America......

I would go to the west coast and take in some of the big Coppernose action with the "SOCAL" gang, Ledhead catches some awesome gills and has a great time sharing his trade with friends and family. Jeff Soto has been doing the Gill thing for awhile and fishes some beautiful and peaceful locations. I could Float Tube with Leo as I wouldn't fear the lizards from below.......And I would have to take a day out chasing those giant Redear with Fish Chris.

 A stop in Texas would be a must.....I already have great memories forged on Toledo Bend Reservoir fishing both the Louisiana and Texas sides but Federico has reminded me so often of the fun we had back in the 80s and 90s......He has consistently caught the biggest Redbreast Sunfish I've ever seen and the Gillcrackers this year have been amazing....

 From there I'm heading straight to Nebraska after a phone call to make sure Bruce Condello is not out of town fishing Bluegill in his favorite place...Richmond Mill.....So many of us have dreams but I'm really thankful that Bruce put things into motion and created the best fishing site on the web....I would beg to fish some of the Condello strain gills during my cornhusker visit.....

 From there I'm heading to the midwest to meet up and do the best spoon fishing  an angler can do.....I'm going to have to take Bill "Musky" Modica up on a Bluegill lesson fishing the abyss for the best looking Seeds I've ever seen...Bill catches mutiple species but I would be the most intrigued by the giant Lake Geneva seeds....Hopefully Jacob Hill is got a few days off from school so we can visit some of his honey holes, especially the ones that hold the big smallmouth and Rockies.....that would be a must. Most people would say they have learned from an older angler but I bet Jacob could teach me a few things as well.....By now it would be late at night so I would head over to Troy Grove to see if Tooty has left the light on for me! We would have to fish some of the newest creations and shoot the breeze and discuss some of our fishing memories......I would certainly enjoy sitting on the bank waiting on a Slow Fall gill......

 From here it's down to Freedom to catch my first big Hybrid Gill.......And one man consistently displays his work and is passionate about it, and that's Tony Livingston.  I would fish what he recommends but I would sneak a few pink jigs in my sock so I could test my theory  on the yellow fins of Indiana.....

 Now I'm heading for the 10,000 lakes region to take in some beautiful scenery and great multi species fishing with a man called Bullworm.....I would have to bring my books and take lots of cold water notes on this trip.......Hopefully it would be hard water season and I could learn from an avid ice fishing angler......

Now I'm working my way back to the Carolinas so I head east and take a pit stop in Ohio to catch up with Dick Tabbert to sit and talk all things bluegill......We could spend plenty time talking about the days back in North Carolina and head out to his pond and see what's biting.....

 Jump over to the turnpike and call John Sheehan and tell him to have things ready, I want a day on the water catching whatever we can find....White Perch, Yellow Perch, Bass, Gills, Trout....and of course Crappie.....I just like Blue collar fishing and John puts in the time......

  I punch Westminster in the GPS and I find the man with the biggest key ring in the world.....With access to many great locations....that's Jim Gronaw and I have to go catch whatever Jim's fishing that day......hopefully those big Northern Bluegill are on the docket but if not....maybe  Hybrids, Carp, Largemouth, Crappie, Channel Cats....just don't matter.......It would be a good time and I know we would catch something.

 Finally before making it back home to feed some hungry gills, I call Derrick Bustle and him and I go down and meet David in South Carolina for a few days on Lake Murray or Santee Cooper and we have a great time blue collar fishing....whether in the boat or on the bank.....we're catching fish and having a good time...... 

 If any of you find yourself down in Northeast North Carolina and you have a free day to wet a line....just let me know and maybe I can show you a day Fishing the black water rivers North Carolina Style.......I don't fish very often......about 200 days a year! I most often target and catch pound class Coppernose but I often catch world class Fliers, Seeds, Warmouth, Shellcracker, Black Crappie, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Largemouth and multiple species of catfish.......

  

[John Sheehan]

Great read ...I forgot to include you in some Flier Fishin'!!

 

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Sounds good John....the only big ones I didn't release have gone to the taxidermist......They'll start spawning down here in March......I can't wait...I'm still looking for that 22 ounce world record.....LOL

[Tony Livingston]

Jeffrey, I'll gladly trade you some big hybrids for a shot at those fliers........!!!!

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Sounds good to me Tony.......