Trophy Bluegill stats...

[Jeff Soto]

Is there any kind of information gathered that will show what areas in the United States the true trophy-sized (2 lbs and up) Bluegill are caught? It would be interesting to see where the largest fish are caught, and what season and even what bait/lure was used. For serious fishermen like me that are out there trying to break the world record, this info would be highly regarded. We could possibly start something here like an "OVER 2lb. CLUB!", which would be for members to post their photos and information. What do you think? Comments?

[Jeff Soto]

Yes but those scales are still too large to carry around when you are shore fishing or like me, live in your float tube. In a boat it would be fine.

[shooter]

jeff check out chatillon IN series scales,they are IGFA certifiable scales,i use a 15 lb. chatillon ,it is calibrated in 1/4 oz. incerments.the scale is 3/4 of an inch in dia. and six inches long,i took the metal handle off and put a braided rope in it's place.they are not cheap but they last for ever and are very accurate,and adjustable , i set mine to certified weights.




gators have bad attitudes

[shooter]

i use a CHATILLON made in the good old USA mod# IN-15,it is a spring scale and reads up to 15 lbs. it reads in 4oz.increments,and is quite acurate.the scale is adjustable and made out of brass with a nickle plated spring, i use a friends scale weights to check it from time to time .it has held it's accuracy so far, this model sells for around sixty bucks,i picked it up on ebay in like new cond.for 15 dollars including shipping.



gators stink

[John Cachel]

Brain W.... good idea and we will figure out best fish scale that's small to fit in tacklebox! Maybe buy cook supply store scale and work on it until its become accuate! But I don't know.

I figure formula but I think its just general and not work very well because all bluegills have different shape!

8 inch bluegill

8 X 8 X 8 = 512 / 1200 = .43 little over 3/8 of lbs.

I figure that 1100 is better for 10 inch and over.

10.5 X 10.5 X 10.5 = 1158 /1100 = 1.05 lbs.
Problem is 12" would be 1.57 lbs. 12 " can be various from 1.5 and 2.5 lbs. Or even freak close to 3 lbs!


Illinois State Record Bluegill 3 lbs 8 oz is 13 3/4" while a 13" 2.02 lbs from a small lake in Kane Co, Illinois in 1993!

We need a good fish scale for bluegills and panfish!
Hope that someday Big Bluegill Club find or create good panfish scale that can read up to 6 lbs! Low weight scale that we able to read in ounce!

[steve b]

If the next bluegill I catch is bigger than the last bluegill I caught, its a trophy. Please don't turn this into more Bass fishing. I don't want tournements, awards, sponsers, etc.. this is what we do to get away from that. Bluegills are FUN. They need not be anything more. Don't figure this opinion will be popular, but here it is. steve b

[Loren W. Moseley]

The southern part of our fair country has longer warm growing seasons and that certainly can affect growth rates. Alabama has produced some big ones in an experimental pond at Auburn University. I think one was around 4 lbs, but, check the records for that state.

[David Krysiak]

In all my miles of fishing I"ve been lucky to catch a number of 10 inchers. My biggest was better than 11. Depends on the water you are fishing. An 8 incher is a giant in some spots. Anything even approaching 10 inches gets a free pass back into the water from me. If i am out for a supper, there are plenty of smaller ones usually to be had. What kind of experiences have people had regarding the seasons. Does it seem to matter ice to open water. Personally, it seems not to matter. A bluegill is a pretty fish on any day.

[steve b]

"A bluegills is a pretty fish on any day". YES ! Have never grown tired of catching 'gills. I've surf fished, night time snooked Tampa Bay, live on storied steelhead waters. What to I chase for fun ? Bluegills. Thank You for this web-site. steve b

[Jeff Soto]

Isn't that the truth! I can go to a famous bass lake, and I want to fish for the Bluegills!

[shooter]

A Poem About Bluegills
________________________________________________________

There are poems about bluegills. There are poems
about trout. The bluegill doesn’t care.
It’ll eat a bare hook but would rather not hear
about your childhood. The bluegill’s thick headed.
It hunkers down in the weeds, thinking. The trout’s like a young girl
in a wedding gown. Touch it and it dies.
You can pull a bluegill out a pike’@###, it might
still swim away. I’m not talking about pumpkinseeds,
those little flecks of tinsel. The bluegill’s
the stud of all panfish. People catch pumpkinseeds
thinking they’re bluegills. A pumpkinseed shivers;
it thinks it’s going to convince you it’s cold.
Bluegills are fatalists. A slab in your hand may jerk its head
twice. Once hooked it goes for the mud. By the time
it’s resting on a flotation device it’s willing to die.
It doesn’t grope like a rock bass, swallowing air,
the bluegill’s a realist. It knows it’s just a wedge of painted flesh,
heavy enough to pull you half out of the boat.
If you’ve got a big white bucket of panfish
sitting on top of the ice, the bluegill’s the one still living,
thinking, its head like a stapler, mulling things over.
DAVID DODD LEE


I did do some editing on this poem


gators stink

[Bruce Condello]

I can't stop laughing.

[gillhunter]

i have heard of some 2lb.+ bluegills caught in the ice fishing region, in michigan,i think i've gotten bluegills up to about a 1lb. and a half in kentucky, but i don't know of any other places for shure