12.5 inch 2007 VA Citation Shellcracker

Comment

Comment by Tom Hudson on February 5, 2009 at 10:28pm

IWG-

Man, you have come to the right place! I just realized my "dream" two years ago and bought 44 acres five miles outside of Lincoln. I just build four ponds - three "experimental" ponds and one multispecies trophy lake and am learning how to manage the waters everyday with the help of PONDBOSS and Dr. Bruce Condello. So you and I are a lot alike in that respect. The resource of Pondboss saved me literally tens of thousands of dollars with guidance and prudent advice. If you aren't already a member of Pondboss - seriously, stop reading this and go there now and join the forum [its absolutely free btw]. www.pondboss.com The guys there are all aquaculturists and fishery biologists and have been instrumental in helping me realize my dream [and they are downright friendly too!].

I would also encourage you to reach out to this website's owner - Dr. Bruce Condello. A more friendly, patient and learned man you're not likely to meet - and I stock my ponds with ONLY Condello strain BULLgills. He is able to attain 8" BG with relative weights of 130 in only 21 months! I know it's hard to believe, but we live in the same town and I often feed his babies and have witnessed this first hand on many occasions.

If you ever want to shoot the bull with another rookie pond owner - feel free to do so. I can tell you are passionate and fish psycho just like myself, Bruce and the forum members here and at PB - you'll fit right in!

Keep the photos coming - I've got a bad case of cabin fever.

TJ

Comment by IceWarriorGill on February 5, 2009 at 3:46pm

Hi Tom, I was "blessed" to be put on this local Virgina farm pond by a fellow fisherman I met and was lucky to catch some Big Bruiser Gills, Shellcrackers, and Slab Crappies. My fantasy which I'm working on at present is to purchase a piece of land either with an already existing pond (1-3 acres size pond) or put a pond in and start from scratch and manage it for trophy panfish. I have a BS degree in Biology and am fascinated with raising trophy fish (Bluegill are my favorite as the Big Bulls are so hard to catch on a regular basis!!!!)

Comment by Tom Hudson on February 4, 2009 at 6:43pm

Look at that massive gill tab - great fish! This looks like one heckuva farm pond - I'm jealous!

Comment by IceWarriorGill on February 4, 2009 at 6:28pm

Thanks Kiana for the nice comment! He sure put up a fight!! Caught him on a nightcrawler under a slip bobber rig in about 6 ft of water near the bottom while fishing a sunken brushpile in a local farm pond.

Comment by Kiana Fitzpatrick on February 3, 2009 at 6:32pm

nice one!!!!