Richmond Mill Lake on O'Neill Outside

[Matt Lewis]

Was watching O'Neill outside this morning and to my surprise Richmond Mill Lake was the featured body of water with the "Pond Boss" as a guide. It was a good show. So how do you go about fishing in this lake? Do you join a club or just pay a fee?

[Jim Morgan]

Hey Matt,

 

Go here:   www.kingfishersociety.com  That is the website for King Fisher Society, which is the only fishing resort on Richmond Mill Lake.  You can click around and see the Bluegill Gallery and all the pages and get an idea about pricing.  Then email or call the numbers provided.

[WildernessWomen]

ouch!!!

[Stan Wright]

Bring 3 friends and split the cost.  If I'm flying in all the way from Hawaii,  I'll have to fish at least 3 days.  LOL

[Matt Lewis]

I agree. They have a good thing going, but if I'm going to pay $600 to fish somewhere, it will be the beach for redfish. You can catch big bluegill A LOT of places for free. Not knocking Richmond Mill (Make sure you understand that), because they have an excellent operation. I have a M.S. in Fisheries and know what it takes to intensively manage their lake as they do (a lot of feeding). Just for me personally, I would NEVER pay $600 to catch bass or bluegill.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I guess it's how you reckon value. Some people may spend years of fishing to catch only a few gargantuan bluegill. How much did they spend in fuel, equipment, boats, "bait and beer," etc., to make that happen? Probably more than $600.

 

So to spend that much and catch them all day, that could be considered the value of a lifetime by some. That is certainly their pitch, from what I can determine. The whole thing at Kingfisher is really a large scale, private pay lake. To call it a 'farm' operation wouldn't be a stretch... "catching fish in a barrel" might also apply.

A lot of profitable enterprise went in to what they have there.

That's really okay, too - it's the way the world goes round, after all. I tip my hat to them for their efforts and more importantly - their results.

 

I feel you Matt - $600 to fish for brim is a little much for my budget.

$600 to fish for fed and pampered "Kobe Brim," well... that's another matter.

[Vic Tankersley]

Some of the biggest bluegill in the south are found in Alabamas' state lakes and you can get an out of state license for around $15 American for a three day and then $3 to buy a permit to fish per day..Try www,outdoorsalabama.com and look at the pics....You can fish the Million Dollar Lakes at Livingston, Al for half that and Hank Parker fishes and makes his shows there . LOL

[Matt Lewis]

Yea. I am originally from Geneva, AL and we caught A LOT of big bluegill on the rivers and creeks there. While in grad school at Auburn, us Fisheries students could fish in 3 different sportfishing ponds that were only open to fisheries students. One of the ponds had 3 feeders and consequently had HUGE bluegill. However, they were still very hard to catch. I caught only a few during my time there. But if I had more time to fish it, No doubt there are quite a few 2 lb-ers or more in there, and it was FREE!!! Now  I fish mainly in a state lake (Madison County Lake) and it has some bruisers in it too!

[Vic Tankersley]

Matt, they say that Maison county lake is also a great lake for bass. My brother lives in Fayetteville and he has fished it and says it is a good lake. good luck and tight lines

 

[Matt Lewis]

Yea, I've heard that too. I actually witnessed someone catch a 5 lb-er right next to me (I had only bluegill on the mind) and they have shocked up some 9 lb-ers. I'm just not a big bass person. Its fun every now and then, and I still would like to catch one on the fly. However, crappie and bluegill are my main freshwater targets. Otherwise, I'm all saltwater!

[Jim Gronaw]

Hey Vic...I have been following that site for a while and indeed there are some very impressive catches from several of those public lakes.

I will be doing a 'where-to' article for big bluegills and shellcrackers for the 2012 InFisherman Panfish InSider and will include some of those waters that have seemed to stay under the radar.

Many smaller, public waters have boating and entrance limitations that keep overfishing from happening. I do not plan on exposing any vulnerable waters in this article.

[Matt Lewis]

What month in 2012 would this come out Jim? Has the 2011 version already been out? I don't get to the magazine rack often......

[Vic Tankersley]

Jim, these are mostly State County lakes, but others such as Guntersville on the Tennessee river are well known for big Bluegills and also Big Shellcracker. Yates lake near Tallasee Al is another great lake for redear and bluegills. Probably some of the best state county lakes in Alabama are Escambia, Lee, And Chambers. The state have stocked these lakes with sunfish for years. In fact Chambers county lake has recieved a total of over 5 million Bluegill in the past 7 years..these are some of the exceptions. Good luck with that article and if I can be of any help let me know.