Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

I stumbled across this site thanks to Dave Merical. I live in Sarasota, FL where I'm a professional outdoor writer and kayak fishing guide. Most of my guiding takes place on saltwater, although I do a few freshwater trips per year.

When I get a chance to go alone or with friends, I like to go to Lake Manatee, which is a 2,500-acre lake about 30 minutes from the house. There's never very many boats on the lake and I often feel as if it's my private lake.

I always fly fish and I catch lots of bluegill, bass, shellcracker, speckled perch, stumpknocker and channel catfish.

My flies of choice include No. 10 poppers, No. 10 or No. 12 gold beadhead nymphs and my Myakka Minnow. I like using poppers, but when that bites slows I just go subsurface and find it more productive on most days.

Another think I like to do is drive to the Everglades and fish for oscars, Mayan cichlids and peacock bass.

Hope I can learn from this site and contribute.

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Thanks for joining the site, Steve. My favorite thing in the world to do (outside of fishing) is writing about fishing. I think ultimately this site is going to be a great scientific reference, but also a place to sit down and have a good read. Can't wait to get further acquainted. :)

Bruce

P.S. I love doing things with my wife and girls, but that's on a different "favorite thing to do" list.
Hello, Steve!
I give Scott Kershaw credit for directing me here! The world keeps getting smaller! Hopefully, the bluegills will just be getting BIGGER!
I was talking to David Merical earlier and I am very interested in taking one of these guided fishing trips for oscars, mayan cichlids and peacock bass. I think this is an amazing combo of fish and would be a blast of a fishing trip. Thank you for joining the site. Feel free asking question and posting pictures, we love pictures. Happy fishing partner.
Welcome Steve, I go to several fishing sites, but wehn it comes to gills, there isn't a site out there that can beat this one!!!
Welcome Steve

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