Do you love big bluegill?

November 2008 Blog Posts (12)

BIG BLUEGILL RULES

I'd like to reiterate the rules on Big Bluegill blog posts and discussions.

1. No profanity

2. No commentary in regards to race or…

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Added by Bruce Condello on November 30, 2008 at 8:00am — 54 Comments

I was thinking the other day of all the reasons I love bluegill.

I love the way they bite.

I love the way they fight.

I love the way they taste.

I love the way they look. Oh, man, I think they look so cool. They kind of have an attitude. Sometimes a big bluegill will look at you, and his look says, "If I had a chance dude, I'd kick your butt."

All those bright colors turn even darker when you hold them--sometimes turning almost black with… Continue

Added by Bruce Condello on November 20, 2008 at 6:30pm — 8 Comments

Did it................won't do it again.

Well, I did it. I stepped out of my comfort zone and into uncharted waters..............literally.

I'm strapped for time, so I'll have to keep it brief................for now.

The weather forecast called for rain as I loaded the truck with chest waders, wading boots, and a tackle vest that was carefully packed with "first assault" gear. The destination was a local river for some exploritory bluegill angling.

The result was less then appealing, however not because of… Continue

Added by Zig on November 20, 2008 at 11:00am — 4 Comments

How to tie a 10-cent fly

I read with great interest Alex G's post about fly fishing and eventually fly tying. Seems like the logical progression.

You learn to cast a fly line, learn to fly fish and then you want to learn how to tie flies. And that's perfectly natural.

When I started fly fishing more years ago than I'd like to admit, I was determined to be a fly fisher and never a fly tier.

I don't want to be one of those guys, I told myself.

But a funny thing happened at the… Continue

Added by SteveGibson on November 16, 2008 at 11:00am — 12 Comments

Wishing or fishing?

Some people fish. Others wish.

What do you do?

I suspect if you're into bluegill, you fish.

The difference between wishing and fishing is clear. Those who catch fish are fishing. And then there are those who simply make a wish to catch fish.

This scenario is played out daily on lakes and streams throughout the country. One angler goes out with an intimate knowlege of the lake and the species he is seeking. He's knows the lake, its bottom and its… Continue

Added by SteveGibson on November 16, 2008 at 10:42am — 2 Comments

Mighty Myakka Minnow

The Mighty Myakka Minnow was born out of frustration. I’m sure you’ve been there.

Imagine a day on the water with fish busting minnows throughout the morning. But after several hours, you still have nothing to show for your efforts. You cast into the spray of minnows, but your offering is ignored repeatedly. The fish are so keyed into the tiny minnows that they ignore everything else.

Although the scenery is nice and weather gorgeous, it sure would be nice to feel the tug… Continue

Added by SteveGibson on November 14, 2008 at 3:00pm — 5 Comments

Bluegill Observations

I'm heading out in the morning with a friend and surely bluegill will be a target. We'll put the kayaks in at the Nine Mile Canal at North Port, Fla. Haven't fished that body of water in years, but I know it's good.

I'm not a purist by any means, but I find I can catch more bluegill and other freshwater fish on fly rod than I can other tackle. Of course, I use fly tackle all the time. Tomorrow I'll take a 1-weight, 2-weight and maybe something just a little bigger with a bass… Continue

Added by SteveGibson on November 13, 2008 at 5:37pm — 6 Comments

Fly fishing, the next step, fly tying

I began fly fishing about a month and a half ago, and with colder weather that I am not a fan of upon us here in Nebraska, I took the next step and began wanting to tie my own flies. This is natural I'm told, not only because flies are not cheap for the most part, but it also gives you a greater sense of accomplishment when you hook a fish on a fly that you tied. I've also found out that fly tying isn't exactly cheap either, I did the math and figured that to buy the materials to tie one single… Continue

Added by Alex G. on November 11, 2008 at 7:30am — 9 Comments

Back to Bluegill

I began my fishing when I was 5 years old with my grandfather. There was just something about watching that red and white bobber. I was literally mesmerized by it.

Of course, I fished live bait at the time. At first, I just wanted to catch a fish and I didn't care what it was. I was as thrilled by a catfish as I was anything.

Still, bluegill won a place in my heart -- especially big bluegill.

Fast forward to 1971. I moved to Florida and really began learning how to fish. Spent… Continue

Added by SteveGibson on November 10, 2008 at 10:30pm — 8 Comments

Just a little bit of fun

My oldest wanted to do some bluegilling.

I wanted to actually find a few decent fish in this water hole we call Lake Redman.

Ever since I met this Dr. Bruce Condello guy and his blasted Relative Weight chart, I can't seem to look at bluegills, or any other local fishery the same any more.

It's a the mixed feelings of desire, restlessness, desire to learn, and sheer determination that guided me to hook the boat up again this morning.

Besides, I had something new I wanted to… Continue

Added by Zig on November 9, 2008 at 12:32am — 10 Comments

Float tube modifications for bluegill fishing

The float tube is a versitle tool for bluegill fishing as it comes from the factory. To make it more usefull for my use I have done some modifying. Having had a few of my valued spinning… Continue

Added by Michael J. Searl on November 7, 2008 at 1:00pm — 7 Comments

Making orange juice from a lemon

The beginning of November greeted us with a crisp wind, and seasonal air temperatures. GZ's last soccer game was Saturday morning, making Saturday afternoon open game for a little panfishing. The plan was to launch the boat just after lunch and fish for bluegill till dark.

Plans never quite seem to work out for myself.

After an hour of waiting in our local Red Lobster, we were informed our lunch orders had been "lost".

That little fiasco took a 2hr. chunk of time out of our… Continue

Added by Zig on November 4, 2008 at 6:30am — 6 Comments