Bluegill - Big Bluegill

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A network for Bluegill fans and people who love big bluegill (Lepomis Macrochirus). Bluegill photos, videos, discussion, blogs & more.

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TJ Hudson
Bluegill Online

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Resources

If you'd like to grow huge bluegills in Illinois or surrounding states contact Herman Brothers Pond Management
Visit our friends at Pond Boss forums. The world's best discussion forum on ponds and small lakes.
Donate to Jesse West Foundation
Bluegill on Wikipedia
Bluegill on fishbase

Photos

5-4-24-9 Rotund PumpkinGill!

by Jim Gronaw

Fatso GillCracker!

by Jim Gronaw

2lb7oz., 1lb14oz., and 1lb10oz.

by Troy Dorman

Nice and Dark…..5/8/2024

by Jeffrey D. Abney

More Than a Dozen Ten Inch Class Coppernose Today…..5/8/2024

by Jeffrey D. Abney

Videos

Lake Decker "Crappie Day"

Added by kent meadows

Yo Zuri Snap Bean

Added by Greg Clusiau

Monster bluegill feeding

Added by Walt Foreman

Crappie Ice Fishing - Marcum LX9

Added by Todd Huffman

State Bluegill Resources

Iowa DNR - bluegill
Texas Parks & Wildlife
North Carolina Bluegill
Wisconsin DNR Bluegill
Minnesota DNR Bluegill
Illinois State Symbol - Bluegill
Missouri Bluegill
Michigan Bluegill
Kansas Bluegill

WELCOME TO BIG BLUEGILL!!

This website has been created for all of us who love BIG BLUEGILL and FISHING FOR BIG BLUEGILL! Create an account, post blogs about bluegill and redear sunfish and talk about bluegill fishing, research bluegill history, view photos, and post photos of our favorite fish. Your bluegill, redear or pumpkinseed picture doesn't have to be of a gigantic fish. A nice fish with a happy angler or pretty background will do just fine. Photos of redear sunfish, pumpkinseed, hybrid sunfish, or other lepomids (sunfish) are also strongly encouraged. Bluegill fishing methodology is discussed here. Big shellcrackers and pumpkinseed sunfish rock! This website has tons of great information on bluegill fishing. We especially like bluegill and/or redear sunfish videos.

Forum

Why Everything You Know About Bluegill Management is Wrong---INTERESTING ARTICLE BRINGS UP MANY GOOD POINTS 54 Replies

Why Everything You Know About Bluegill Management is WrongBY MATT MILLEROCTOBER 15, 2015 Follow MattBluegills are prone to overpopulation. This is accepted knowledge among many anglers.If you don’t catch and keep a lot of bluegills out of a pond, you’ll often hear a fisherman say, the bluegills will overrun the place. You’ll soon have a pond full of runty, stunted fish.This is why the bag limits for bluegills are typically very liberal – it is not unusual to be able to keep 25 fish a day. It’s the angler’s duty to catch and eat as many as possible – keep the herd in check, if you will.It sounds good, but current research suggests it’s wrong.In fact, research conducted by Andrew Rypel, research biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, suggests the opposite: that liberal harvest limits on bluegills actually decreases the size of fish.“Fish Here Aren’t As Big As They Used to Be”Bluegills are often the first fish many anglers encounter (including me). They are common in farm and urban ponds. They’re the fish kids catch with a Mickey Mouse rod, a bobber and worms.In the spring, many anglers target them on their spawning beds, where the biggest males are often easy to catch (see yesterday’s blog for the full details on this spectacle).Bluegills are also popular because they’re tasty. Anglers call them and similar-sized species – crappies, perch, other sunfish – panfish. They’re the perfect size to fit in a frying pan.Rypel and his colleagues in Wisconsin noticed something over the years: Anglers reported decreasing size of bluegills and other panfish. Of course, conventional angling wisdom would suggest the solution to this would be to harvest even more bluegills. After all, decreasing size is a sign of overpopulation.Research tells a different story.Rypel analyzed size trends going back to the 1940’s, and found that bluegills (and other panfish species) steadily declined in size over a 70-year period.Researcher Andre Rypel (right) first…Continue

Started by Slip Sinker in Basic Discussion. Last reply by Bruce Tomaselli Jan 3, 2019.

Sexing redear sunfish. 9 Replies

Here at BBG, I like to believe we are always ready to learn something new and broaden our knowledge base. Sure, we have lots of photos, but what's wrong with a little how-to to go along with the entertainment?BBG member Steve Brinkerhoff has been documenting his efforts over at PondBoss to try and accurately determine gender, where redear sunfish are concerned. I have followed his progress with much excitement, and I believe all that work(?) is beginning to pay off. He has done an excellent job of explaining what he's seeing, as well as posted many photographs that illustrate just what to look for.I would like to point out that this technique, to my knowledge, is not regarded as absolute.....but, every discovery starts somewhere, and I'm excited to be able to share Steve's work here on the pages of BBG. Most of us can probably sex these fish when they are spawning, or on the nests, but what about other times of the year? Take a look at what Steve is seeing, and tell us what you think, and what you see.Top photo, male.Bottom photo, female.See the difference in the urogenital opening??Thanks for sharing with us, Steve!If you would like to see more photos, and read more about Steve's work, you can do so right here:http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=415371&page=1 Continue

Started by Tony Livingston in Basic Discussion. Last reply by Slip Sinker Jul 27, 2018.

65 years is a long time for this record not to have been broken... what gives? especially with all this bio engineering and genetics in play...why is this a northern strain instead of the Coppernose? 29 Replies

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Started by Slip Sinker in Basic Discussion. Last reply by James Micheal Landrum Jan 30, 2022.

REINDEER LIKE BLUEGILL TOO , A CHRISTMAS POEM 2014 6 Replies

T'was the night after Christmas, and on his way back,Santa's Reindeer were hungry, they needed a snack.He ask what they wanted and he heard their reply,They wanted to eat more bluegill with Lord of the Fly, RodsThe secret was out, It was no longer news,Reindeer like bluegill, Yes this is true.They ate all the hushpuppies, and on the gills did they fill,That included all the one's I had poached from Richman Mill.Santa's appetite was enormous, and he showed no refrane,He said "Pass me some more of that Condello Strain ".As all the fish disappeared and went out of sight,Santa yelled "Merry Christmas to All, and to All a good night! "That's when it happened, a problem of sorts,Santa's belt had snapped , and he was standing there in his shorts.The Reindeer were laughing, and shouting with glee, So much that Rudolph could not hold on to his pee.Santa was in trouble, and I knew I had to help,So I gave him a rope that He could use as a belt.I tied a knot Carl taught me at the first Rendezvous,Santa said ," This is embarrassing, Let's keep this between Me and You ".You can buy my silence, but it comes at a price,To see you at our next " Get Together" sure would be niceI know the Duncans' and Tootie, and Johnny will be surprised,When they see who comes with the Lord of the Fly...Rods.This is the end of my story of Christmas this year,How Santa stopped by, with eight hungry Reindeer.Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night,May you all have tight lines and get lots of bites.MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR !to all the members of Bluegill Big BluegillLORD OF THE FLY RODS 2014 Continue

Started by Lord of the Fly , Rods in Basic Discussion. Last reply by Jeffrey D. Abney Dec 24, 2014.

MY Xmas experience 2014 7 Replies

MY Xmas experience 2014It’s that time of year it’s upon on us once againwe know when where a shopping it seem to never end.There is no way to win there is so much that I wantI’m looking through the store in all of my favorite haunts.I hunt for the things on my list that I know I needto make fishing more exciting or is it only greed.My tackle boxes are full no room for anything moreso I’ll just buy another box or two or three or even four.I know I’ve herd of things I need here on this awesome siteof things I want of things I tie and cinch them nice and tight.I seen on here yesterday that buying’s stuffs a mustIf you don’t believe me now my friends just ask the man call McScruff.He sending me off my friends to an awesome placeTo buy beads by the hundreds and maybe even lace.Then there is Tooty with lots of rods I knowYou’ll never have enough he says there’s some that even glow.So another rod I’ll have there’s never ever enoughI can put it in the barns where I store all my other stuff.Then there’s the reel a new reel to match with my new rodThe rods I need I’m told just ask that mighty spoon chucker Musky Mod.Then there is LOFR who knows how to cook and eatI know I’ll just love them everyone them awesome cuts of meat.Now lets not forget Leo my friend with his wisdom and whitwho helps me out quite often with a swipe and just one click.Then there is this man called John a man here I knowwho loves all kinds music even loud and sweet and low.He’s a picker of great music that’s a pleasure to my earA musician with music that’s so great and an honor for me to hear. But now lets not leave just yet my friend it goes without sayingthis site left me full and a place for me to do my playing.The playing came true with all these great people here I knowthe friends that I friended and a place for me and you to go.Now there is one more I know I need indeed to tellhis name is Bruce the man you know who rang this mighty bell.His goals they were set and met on this great, great…Continue

Started by dick tabbert in Basic Discussion. Last reply by David, aka, "McScruff" Dec 26, 2014.

DOWNSIZING BAITS AS THE WATERS COOL 75 Replies

One thing I have noticed, season after season, is that once the water temperatures drop below 55 F the bluegills show a marked preference for smaller jigs and baits. Yesterday, 11-11-14, I had two rods rigged with small jigs...one was the Pink Shrimp Auto at 1/32 oz and a # 6 hook and the other was a 1/64th oz shad dart head with a #8 hook. Both jigs were spiked with very small worm segments and as the evening wore on the baits just got smaller as the gill wanted just a hint of bait on the jig. Both were fished on 4 lb mono with 5 ft drops below small sensitive bobbers. Worm segments were approximately 1/4 inch or slightly smaller.The PSA caught some fish, but was clearly outfished by the SD head, likely because of it smaller size. Got just as many bites on the Auto, but missed many more fish. The bite was soft with the small plastic oval bobber just 'tilting' at times or slowly going under.Mostly hen gills but a few males in the mix along with some pretty p-seeds. Best fish of the day was a 9.5 inch P-gill hybrid. Most fish were 8 to 9 inches, some larger.More than likely, I will go to 100th and even 1/200th oz Trout Magnet Heads as the water temps continue to drop and tip with a couple maggots or perhaps a wax worm. And, will likely have to switch to more sensitive bobbers as well.Yesterdays totals were 50 gills/seeds and 2 bass. Fish were stacked up against the dam face as the wind blew in heavily from the south west on this 6 acre public lake in southern PA. Five ft down, suspended over 8 ft of water.Continue

Started by Jim Gronaw in Basic Discussion. Last reply by Jim Gronaw Dec 5, 2016.

BAIT TIPPING CHALLENGE...WORMS vs GULP! 90 Replies

Well, I had never done it before, but today I decided to try tipping my 1/64th oz shad dart jighead with two different baits to see if it would make a difference. I fished a small public lake in Adams County, PA from 3 to 5 pm. Weather was splendid...68 degrees and partly sunny skies and calm and the fish were biting.Last week I had to go to the drop-shot/live worm rig to catch fish that had settled near the bottom of 6-8 feet of water after a cold front. Not today, as I found fish 5 ft from the surface over a submerged creek bed. Using the jig with a small piece of garden worm, I caught fish steadily until I reached a count of 19 fish, then decided to try the Gulp! minnows as a tipping bait. Since the entire 1 inch minnow would make a bulky, oversized offering for the gills, I decided to use the back half of the minnow as a tipping option, suspended just like the jig/worm option. Here are the results...The first three fish I caught on the Gulp minnow tipped jig were the three largest of the day at 10 to 10.5 inches. I don't know why this is, maybe a small group of bigger fish just cruised in at this particular time, but the top three were on successive casts. Maybe the jig and Gulp presented a slightly larger offering that only the bigger fish would approach...just a guess.I caught the same amount...19 apiece...on each tipping option for a total of 38 released fish. Most of the fish on the Gulp tipping were 9 inches or better, and the worm offering fish were just slightly smaller. I fished each option for one hour.Worm fish tended to take the bobber under with more gusto, and would make the bobber dissapeer. The fish that took the Gulp tipped jig tended to 'trail off' with the jig, not always pulling the bobber below the surface. Sometimes, they would just 'tilt' the bobber and you had to be able to recognize the strike. Most fish were caught over the creek…Continue

Started by Jim Gronaw in Basic Discussion. Last reply by Kelly Peterson May 17, 2017.

A Big Thank You !!! 11 Replies

To all the People that came to the Bluegill Rendezvous I want to say " Thank You for making it a big success ! We knew that fishing would be tough but getting to meet the other members that we visit with on Bluegill Big Bluegill was the real Trophy, could not ask to meet a finer bunch of people. We got to visit while looking in each others tackle and techniques, we ate good and had a big time with lots of laughs and giggles, overall I hope everyone had as big of a time as I did, and if you get a chance to attend another Rendezvous I will highly recommend it, it was one of the best times I have had in a while. Once again THANKS for big time , I see you at our next one . LOFR Continue

Started by Lord of the Fly , Rods in Basic Discussion. Last reply by carl hendrix Sep 5, 2015.

Blog Posts

Nice Magnum

I went out on the kayak the other day and found a bunch of agressive gills in deep water (25'-30') off a weed edge. Took several 8 inchers for a meal but also got this beauty that was just shy of 11". Released it to swim again.

Posted by Stephen Ermak on August 20, 2016 at 7:16am — 7 Comments

The Short Life of Kyle VerMaas, and why I'll be forever better for knowing him.

Kyle VerMaas with a monster hybrid sunfish, and a pretty girl on each arm.

I was on the 25-minute ride home from Branched Oak Lake, and I was miserable beyond words. My battle with a big walleye had ended badly. An inexplicable unbuttoning that left me tearful and maybe even a…

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Posted by Bruce Condello on March 22, 2014 at 4:00pm — 15 Comments

Jim Gronaw....A brief profile.

Jim Gronaw must surely be accustomed to wearing many hats.....husband, father, grandfather, talented outdoor writer, angler extraordinaire, and last but certainly not least, one of our very own moderators, right here at http://bigbluegill.com/ !

Residing in Westminster, MD., You're liable to find Jim Gronaw either casting a line at one of several local hotspots, or busily putting the finishing touches on his latest outdoor themed article. Jim's…

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Posted by Tony Livingston on January 17, 2014 at 8:32am — 16 Comments

Christmas Bluegill Wishes

I would like to extend a sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all of the members of BigBluegill.com.

I know I've been lacking in posts and pictures lately, but the demands of my family and my business render me an observer most of the time. I read every post and enjoy every picture. Every big bluegill caught feels like I landed it myself.

I hope that all of you have an amazing Christmas, and a great new year. 2016 will surely be full of great catches, great…

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Posted by Bruce Condello on December 24, 2015 at 1:51pm — 3 Comments

What do the "B's" in B&B Farms, Maple Syrup stand for?

Bluegills and Botanicals if you read the fine print. It seemed appropriate, as those two subjects definitely hold a special place in my family's hearts.

I thought I would share a little bit of the maple syrup process, for those who might be curious as to how it's done. I may add additional photos as time permits.

Disclaimer: No Bluegills were harmed during the making of this maple syrup.

My wife and our oldest son, tapping some trees during an unseasonably warm spell…

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Posted by Tony Livingston on June 26, 2015 at 7:30am — 15 Comments

A few random thoughts about bluegill

I'd like to just reiterate a couple of my thoughts about bluegill.

Many of us started with bluegill. When we caught bluegill as kids, we were proud and excited. They were willing participants in the angling game, and were scrappy fighters for their size. Bluegill were also beautiful by any standards, and were curiously varied and original.

Many of us drifted away from bluegill as we aged. We became jaded, and influenced by those around us. We were told that…

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Posted by Bruce Condello on April 7, 2015 at 9:33pm — 13 Comments

Top Discussions

1	Why Everything You Know About Bluegill Management is Wrong---INTERESTING ARTICLE BRINGS UP MANY GOOD POINTS Posted by Slip Sinker on December 31, 2015