Featured Blog Posts (184)

My friends, I don't make a habit of asking for favors, but I would like to make a humble request of each and every one of you.

On Monday evening, Memorial Day, at 10 pm central time, there is going to be a very special show on television.  Two of my best friends ever, and www.bigbluegill.com members, Nate and Justin Herman are going to have their very own reality show!!!

On DIY network, which is channel 111 on…

I can actually participate again in BBG.  I've been going through withdrawal.

The Beginning:

There are only two types of fish here; the overly praised bass and the belittled Blue Gill. There are no other fish, the ocean is 3 hours drive away and the trout and yellowfish are many hours away(I couldn't afford that anyway)

No one knows for sure how BG got here, but they are here now and I am grateful. It is not even…

Last week I lost my life time fishing partner and friend, my father, after a long but brave battle with pancreatic cancer, and just yesterday I lost my awesome Navy Veteran grandfather on my mothers side, also after a brave battle with cancer. Such a rough week, I need to go fishing.

Next time you BBG Friends go out, catch some fish for a couple of fallen brethren. Thank you guys.

WELL DON'T KNOW WERE TO START A TRIBUTE TO LEO , and his family , for his efforts on here but I'll try in my own fashion:

   When I first came to this site it was my pleasure to become friends with Dick Tabbert , Leo , and so many others on here just too numerous to mention.

    BUT LETS' PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE : WHO IS LEO ? VERY COMPLEX QUESTION with a short and simple answer. He's one of the most giving of time, knowledge , and expert advise , on the site period. If I am…

                                              A Humble Christmas Fish Poem  2013

       Come gather around my fire and a tale I will tell,

        Listen real close because I don't want to yell,

        T'was the night before Christmas, and the roof was a clatter,

        Santa and his Reindeer had landed, that's what was a matter.

        He said " I know you have been extra good this year,

        so I…

I was LUCKY enough to get a BIGBLUEGILL CAP when a company had them on LINE several years ago!!!!!!!  

For some Reason they do not have these items there now!!!! I went for the CAP and not a shirt at the time!!!!!! I went back to get a SHIRT and they were a discontinued ITEM!!!!! Now WE can make the SHIRTS…

Ok y'all, this will be a quick hit opener on the stats I have on quality bluegill waters in my region, as I am still reviewing the numbers as this blog will progress. But for now, here are some interesting statistics I have accumilated over the past 12 years concerning bluegills in my regional, or 'home' waters.

Of the 112 lakes/ponds that I have fished over the past 12 years, the number of lakes that have produced 8 inch or better sized bluegill ( my personal minimum for 'quality'…

Please attempt to rejoin!  I accidentally deleted your new account.  Sorry! :(

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

"I have a friend who's a dentist in Lincoln....

growing bigger Bluegills is what he's a'thinkin'.

He'll practice genetic selection...

in search of Lepomis perfection,

Or maybe, he'll cross em' with a Chinquapin.......

Happy 50th Birthday Bruce!!!!!! Hope you have a great day, and thanks for all that you do for us here at BBG!!

As president of www.bigbluegill.com, I'd like to post some photos of high quality taxidermy involving bluegill, redear sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, and other related lepomids.  I will accept submission of taxidermy efforts from taxidermists and anglers who own high quality bluegill or other sunfish mounts.  Please have patience with me.  If you send me a photo on this page, it could take me a week or two to post the photo.  Because of the high value…

I had the good fortune to trick a really nice Bluegill / Green Sunfish Hybrid over the weekend here in Nebraska at a certain private body of water. 

The water was clear enough that I spotted the fish, and thought, "that guy looks pretty big." 

I cast my fly near him and he inspected it but then refused it. I worked him for a while before a small…

First a little history and then I'll tell you what worked so well for us. I've been looking for a trophy redear fishery to take my family to for quite some time and Barkley Lake's fairly close to where we live at 190 miles. I booked the trip way back in January and have been chomping at the bit to get down there. As the day approached for us to leave, I was wondering if the high water they were having would ruin our trip, not to mention weather being on the cool side. I knew monster redear…

This news flash just in!



Bruce Condello holds his fish out in front of him for photos! Now I know this may come as a shock to many of you, but my secret is finally out. :-)

If you would like to know some of the secrets to this technique, read on!



Rule #1. Catch a big fish. No matter how hard you try, you're not going to make a 9 inch bluegill look like a 12 inch bluegill, nor will you be able to make a 15 inch bass look like a 22 incher. There…

If you don't know what a Meanmouth bass is, you need to read the article "Return of the Meanmouth" by Bruce Condello in April's "North American Fisherman".

Bruce, who is the guy holding the monster?  Good article!

Jim