What a start!!

[William Allen]

We are hitting nice 7-9inch bluegill on the allegheny river in the backwaters. Our water is still pretty cold. My brother "Big Rod" ( a forum member) caught a PA big fish citation 1 pound 2 oz(10 1/2inch length and girth!) bruiser this morning on a tipped feather jig under a float. A true trophy here in Pennsylvania. It was the first fish of our day. This river holds giants and they are truly ignored. A picture coming soon! Tight lines!

[Bruce Condello]

I can't wait to see the picture! That's awesome!

[Eric White]

I like to keep my bluegill secrets to myself but cold water brings in nice gills, when everyone is crappie crazy i fish for gills usually taking home a limit and sticking around trying for the big ones.

[William Allen]

Thanks Bruce! Hey mountain you hit it on the head. Guys are on the crappie bite and we're wrestling monster gills. you should see the guy's jaws dropping when we emerge from the woods with a sagging basket of beautiful gills. Word will leak out and we'll have company soon. Our river panfish have amazing average size. Its a fun bite right now.

[John McKean]

Hi Bill, Where abouts are you on the Allegheny? I'm in Glenshaw,about 10 minutes from the river, and also have some exclusive dock area to fish at Tarentum. I thought the bluegills I was jigging up beside the docks last summer were accidents,perhaps more attention this year devoted to them!! Could you elaborate on your jig n float technique? Maybe see ya out there sometime! JOHN

[William Allen]

Hi John, we fish from Harmar down to the stadiums depending on what we're after (crappies or gills). we are tipping mini foos with a waxie or gulp maggot at 3-4 feet below a lead stem. we can connect and fish if you need more specifics. Big bluegill spots are like state secrets you know. I'm off to chuck e cheese. I'll check back in a few hours.

[John McKean]

Thanks Bill, for getting back so quickly -heck, you're fishing practically in my back yard!! If ya get a chance, give me a phone call (I'm in the book!) or a PM, because I'd love to talk bluegills & jig fishing, or just go fishing!After Chuck E Cheese you'll need some good fishing talk anyway to get your nerves back (my 3 yr old grandson hasn't discovered that place yet!!).

[rodney c. allen Sr.]

This is William Allen 's brother Rodney, it was a thrill to catch that big gill. The rivers have amazing fishing that lots of people ignore. there are a lot of dropping jaws when we come out with these big gills. My first thought was he looks like some of those fish I see on big bluegill.com. good fishing everyone its time.

[Jim Gronaw]

I think the key word here is 'overlooked'. If you told me the Alleghenny holds tanker gills like that I woul have likely thought not. But there you have it...big gills in river backwaters that just about everybody ignores. With the glitz on bass, pike and others, it usually means one specie or another is going to miss the boat.

Be careful who you tell...but take a kid there!