Sunfish 2016 by The Numbers.........Six Species Breakdown

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Closed out 2016 yesterday with a total of 5,921 sunfish for 2016 with six total species caught on the Albemarle. Here is the breakdown by species during another great year.....

Coming in at Number Six for the year is the REDBREAST Sunfish:  Not as abundant on the Albemarle as other species but still doing well in several locations..........I release the ones I catch here hoping they will increase in numbers because they are very fun to catch.

I managed to catch and release 61 of these guys in 2016............

[Mike Cooper]

Sounds like you have a nice variety of fish to choose from. Those coppernose look like a lot of fun!

[Kelly Peterson]

WOW!

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Appreciate it Dick.......couple thousand fish were caught on Jellie Jigs so thanks again for allowing me to use your creations..........

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Thanks Carl........rested a few locations the entire year that have been really good to me over the years........anything is possible in Rebellion Creek and it was incredible in 2016..........Wood Duck Pass is back this year along with both legs of  Fork Creek........which are all three trophy Coppernose waters................

[dick tabbert]

Very interesting break down Jeffrey CONGRAT on a stellar year.

[carl hendrix]

WOW JEFF !!  2016 WAS DEFINITLY ANOTHER GREAT YEAR FOR YOU !  MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS MADE AND ITS BY NO ACCIDENT;; YOU HAVE CAUGHT THIS MANY !   MANY CONGRATS TO YOU ON ANOTHER FANTASTIC SEASON !   WHAT WILL;; 2017 BRING ??

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Got to sneak up on the fish in this DARK water.....LOL

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Thanks John.....I've never caught a Rock Bass ever...........Fished these waters for 22 years and I've never seen or heard of anyone catching them.......

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

An honorable mention goes to the Black Crappie.........probably doing better in recent years than I've ever read or seen here.........I ended up with 2,304 in 2016.............several hundred 13 to 15 inch class fish which aren't the largest you can catch but a lot of fun to pluck from river structure and much different than chasing it's cousin in area lakes.....the White Crappie........

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

But the returning champion for more than 20 years and my absolute FAVORITE species is the Coppernose..........I'm in one of the top public regions for Coppernose and simply love these waters and patterns..........

Some people can relate.......my passion for Coppernose bluegill pushed me to build our home just south of Elizabeth City, North Carolina so I could be neighbors with the twelve rivers and hundreds of creeks that I visit year round in pursuit of panfish.......That means I make a round trip of 124 miles to work sometimes seven days a week.......but I don't care as long as I can fish the fertile waters of the Albemarle........Out of 5,921 total sunfish in 2016......4,419 were Coppernose gills including 2,078 fish of 10" or larger................