Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

My "pa in law''has three beautiful ponds. You can catch bluegills all day long .but they're all the same size,small! How can I manage the ponds to get some nice gills ? I am sure this has been brought up before but I am new here .Thanks

Views: 489

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

can you get on chat so I can talk to you?
Never done the chat thing, but I could try. Honestly though, you probably want to ask a person who is more knowledgeable about these things than I, like Bruce. How would I get on chat?
click on chat instead of forums
You need more predators. You can stock more bass, though it will hurt the average size of the bass; another method, which will not hurt the bass size, is to stock a few northern pike or tiger muskie, two to four per acre. If you live in the North tiger muskie would be better because they're sterile and can't spawn; in the South the pike won't be able to spawn either. I've used this method more than once to thin out overcrowded sunfish populations. Don't stock flathead catfish though unless the lake is very large, thirty or forty acres or more, because they get much bigger even than muskie and have a larger gape and will eat down the bluegill and bass both.

Feeding per the Pond Boss thread will also make a big difference, though population correction is job number one right now for you.
how many bass do you have in there and other types of fish?
Dale, she told me in our chat that she stocked 8 channel cats in there up to 16". Am I remembering correctly Sharon? No bass. I suggested more cats and that her 1/4 acre pond would sustain a few bass as well.
Catfish won't thin out an overpopulated bluegill population. Bass won't unless stocked in large numbers.
I'm not sure about the CF, that is just what I've seen during feedings. There are only a few 5" BG in there that I have caught. Don't know where any bigger ones would be if there are any. I put in 150 fry in myself. Doesn't seem overpopulated with BG at the present time, but I do wonder what happened to all the big BG. As far as I have been told, no one has put any new fish (except the 150) in there for 10 years, and they only catch CF to eat. In such a small pond, wouldn't bass eat every BG in there?

RSS

Latest Activity

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

Quality Gills…Caught and Released….7/9/2025

"Thanks Bruce…..I think they’re here for the Buck moon tomorrow and a week from now…"
21 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Beautiful Crappie Replica Mounts…..7/9/2025

"I thought they tuned out great…..the tuxedo crappie looks real…."
21 hours ago
Bruce Tomaselli commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
23 hours ago
Bruce Tomaselli commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
23 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"We’re in another heat wave so I got to my first spot ten minutes before sunrise….left the ramp at 5:30 and back on the trailer at 8:30…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Nesting Pair of Ospreys......

"Yeah most nests are not this close to the water and this river is remote with alligators and large…"
Monday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Nesting Pair of Ospreys......

"Guess the Osprey knew it was a great spot too. The Cormorants up here are murder on the stocked…"
Monday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Nesting Pair of Ospreys......

"This was a great fishing spot for me until the osprey nested……I’ve seen chicks…"
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

So many spots to place your bait...

"These cypress trees are now in the water….still producing great fishing…"
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

The big Cypress downed by a Hurricane.....

"This is a good example John…..I posted this picture in 2012 and a couple weeks ago I caught…"
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

"Thanks John…..being in the south we’re always drawn to cypress trees and the…"
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

"Nice info, Jeffrey! Up here my main Crappie habits have been wood cover near deep water and willow…"
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

My Dad Doesn't know Where to Cast Next.......

"This is my dad who loved fishing…..this cove is similar to the one with all cattails but in…"
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Found a Few Hibiscus not Quite Bloomed…..7/5/2025

"I think all fresh water fish like to relate to cattails…..the most cattails I’ve ever…"
Sunday

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service