Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

This made the rounds over at PondBoss, thought it might serve us as well over here. Beware the one handed grip! Broken jaws may not be apparent to the angler, but the damage to the bass can be terminal.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=4...

Views: 5179

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I do the same thing. But, laying that fish on a surface other than water will surely rub off some of its slime coat, which may leave it open to infection or fungus. In the winter, I may fish with gloves and that's bound to rub off the slime. If I'm keeping that fish for the table, then who cares. But If I intend to release it unharmed, I guess my best hope is to support the entire fish with wet hands, photo opp or not.

I do have a lot of photos wherein I'm holding the fish draped across one hand, while grabbing a pic with the other. Someone once told me they knew a photo was one of mine because my wristwatch was usually visible in the pic....

That's a tasty looking fish right there; just about the perfect size.

me too david.either in the wet mud or wet grass.i like to post a fish pic now and then but i am not out there to take pictures and i know what i caught cont need pics or mounts to verify it.most of my fish pics are taken by someone else with me

It'd be nice to see that smiling mug more often Jim
The only problem then is actually dropping the fish. Myself I've been holding bass with the lip grip since I was 10... I think the real problem is the angle I see pros holding them up at a 45 or so. Being the conscientious angler I am I believe there may be a benefit of horizontal especially with big northern and musky.... that's why I'm evolving into an automatic camera type of angler... go pro etc and tripod for the phone.
I do have two pics of the same bass caught 20 mind apart and a sunfish two hours a part After each being released and caught again.
I gotta feel Ken Is on to something here.....

There is some truth to that; if you fish at all you will likely harm some fish and sometimes they will not recover. You try to limit it but it does happen.

I think when we get right down to the root of the thing, fish aren't designed to be held, period. We all do it, me included, and I certainly never considered that every fish I've ever held died from me doing so. But, really, how do we know? Bluegills have physically smaller jaws than bass, are they correspondingly weaker?

Is a "thumb in mouth" hold on a bluegill actually harming that fish?

I think this is the root of the problem. They were intended to be thrown from the water into the fire.

GOOD ONE SCRUFFY !!!!!!!!

Over and over again, we always see pros and rookies hold the fishes improperly. Great recap Tony. Keep pushing the awareness.

the most popular repeat catch and release LMB of all time... Dottie

i am horrified the way these pro on the circuit treat their  catch once out of the water... there is absolutely no need to grab your fish and slam dance them on the deck of their boats then pick them up by their jaws at a 45 deg angle and snap them in front of the camera. i refuse to watch or support any of those "programs" til more respect is shown for their fish..

RSS

Latest Activity

Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
3 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Some quality Warmouth I caught in my early years on the Albemarle….."
5 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
5 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
5 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
8 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Thanks for sharing John……you have patterned your available species pretty good over…"
9 hours ago
John Sheehan replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Only caught five of these Species up here in New Jersey. Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Red Breasted…"
9 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Crackers Saved This Morning Behind A Cold Front…..7/23/2025

If I get out the remainder of July it will probably be a crappie stalk on the coastal marsh……
9 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
9 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
9 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Slow Moving Cold Front Went Through Overnight and Shifted the Wind to the North so our rivers were dumped, but we wanted to go anyway…."
9 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"There’s multiple variations in the Spotted Sunfish….in Louisiana the Red Spotted…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"Growing up in Louisiana into a fishing family I got many introductions to the Sportsman’s…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney replied to Jeffrey D. Abney's discussion Panfish Species of North America- Which Ones Have You Caught?
"I have personally caught 11 of the 12 panfish featured in this discussion. I have never lived in…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a discussion
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Monday
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Yup blue and white is an essential with my oldest son......."
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"My glass boat is going to the shop tomorrow, need an ignition system tune up, figured I would give it up during this extended heat wave.."
Sunday

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service