Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

This fish clocked in at just 1 oz. shy of 6 lb. and it fell for 1/2 a crawler on 4 lb. line with a size 12 hook. Ultralight indeed scored the biggest bass I have seen on our Annual August trip. I downsized my hook and followed this up with a 4 lb. fish that looked tiny... Small hooks equal big reward. She was released so we could catch her young in a couple of seasons.

Rating:
  • Currently 5/5 stars.

Views: 105

Albums: Ultralight Fishing
Favorite of 1 person

Comment

You need to be a member of Bluegill - Big Bluegill to add comments!

Join Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Comment by Johnny wilkins on October 7, 2010 at 5:26pm
That would be size 12 hook - not size 1.... Why can't we edit our own posts any longer?
Comment by Johnny wilkins on October 7, 2010 at 5:25pm
Well - not only did I see it, I switched hooks and rigs and put a size 1s on my rod with a single tiny split shot and I stuck a 4 lb. smallie off the same structure. I can appreciate the skepticism, but if you strike at the right moment, you can hit every fish in the lip (well... not every fish but you - er the fish gets the point)...

If you knew my brother-in-law he is one of the most honest persons on the planet and I stake my reputation on it - no stories from me - ever.

Lastly- is it better to get your hook back at the end of the day without a bite? Is it better to use a large fish hook but not hook fish or to use a small hook and have to cut the line on a few fish when they swallow it?

Most of the time, I use a float so I see when the tiniest of movements occurs. In this case, we were straight-lining the baits on the side of the crib. As soon as these bass sucked in our leeches we were setting the hook.

Also note that we had at least 4 fish each break us off when they rushed back into the crib... in order to make an omelette - you have to loose some hooks. : )

I have time coming up from my crazy-crazy schedule where I will be working on some content. I will show you a rig that you can fish gills where you can see 90% of gill strikes in front of you - AS they happen. I also have the ultimate hook-remover tool for gills where you can also retrieve 95% of the swallowed hooks on your gills and return the fish unharmed!

I am not super smart - I just have been taught by the best Gill Angler on the Planet in my humble opinion - he is a master - Mick Thill (Thill Floats in every tackle store across North America).
Comment by John Sheehan on March 6, 2010 at 8:43am
What a great Smallie!
Comment by Johnny wilkins on March 5, 2010 at 8:12pm
I am adding a comment. I fished this crib every August for the past 7 years and because we used just a hook and a 1/2 crawler falling slowly through the water the fish came out of the crib boards and were hammering our slow-falling bait.
We have fished it with jigs even small jigs and this was by far our most productive session going with size 12 & size 14 hooks. The hooks are so light, the bait has just enough weight added to sink it slowly- 15x slower than a jig so the falling bait is spotted faster and in the tea-stained water, I believe they pick the bait up on their lateral line as it moves and falls.
Our offering best-respresented food for them I guess. Bottom-line, we have fished it and had such little success in the past. I know now- when the fishing is slow I will go to a finesse hook and taunt them with live food.

Latest Activity

John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Stunning Colors on This Redbreast Sunfish…….5/16/2024

"The Shenendoah River has some beautiful turquoise finned RBS!"
4 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Stunning Colors on This Redbreast Sunfish…….5/16/2024

"Excellent Jeff. I usually catch them in the Wanaque River Headwaters from the Greenwood Lake Dam.…"
4 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Stunning Colors on This Redbreast Sunfish…….5/16/2024

"Thanks John….I appreciate every RBS I catch…….Growing up in Louisiana I only…"
5 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Stunning Colors on This Redbreast Sunfish…….5/16/2024

"View full size to appreciate this fish….."
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Stunning Colors on This Redbreast Sunfish…….5/16/2024

With so many Coppernose on the Albemarle…..it’s a pleasant sight to catch the growing RBS ……love…
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

The Highly Desired “Whales” or Jumbo Soft Shells…..5/15/2024

"Love them……friends and family love when I cook soft shells……. This is a…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Murray Bridges Watches Over His Salt Water Tanks a Few Years Back…

"Thanks John….one of my first jobs growing up in Louisiana was at a seafood market working…"
yesterday
Bruce Tomaselli commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

bbod3.3

"Thanks Jeff.! Greg and I had a good time ."
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

MIDMAYCATCHERS

"Yea Jeff , a little prism tape never hurts. One of my best spinnerbaits. "
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

The Highly Desired “Whales” or Jumbo Soft Shells…..5/15/2024

"I’ve fished for blue crabs my entire life…….the only type of fishing that my…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"It’s soft shell crab season in coastal North Carolina and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Mr. Murray Bridges, a legendary water-man"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"After heavy rain overnight and no thunderstorms north of the sound, I decided to go to a Creek by my house to fish a couple hours late today"
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Another Quality Pair of Gills……5/14/2024

"We have a month going for sure……Mother Nature is threatening us now with…"
Wednesday

© 2024   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service