Hello all. New guy here, and I'm a trophy Bluegill wannabee :-)

[Fish Chris]

I'm a fishing fool, who will fish for anything that will bite my hook, but like many anglers, my first fish was a Bluegill (42 years ago... I'm 44) caught on my late Uncle Elton's private pond.

Anyway, my claim to fishing fame (if you want to call it that ;-) is big Largemouth's. I've caught 88 over 10 lbs, with a PB of 18.4lbs ...... but for all different reasons, I'm getting a little burnt out on them (at least until I get into another good big bass bite ;-)
Some of my other PB's are an 8.5 lb Smallmouth.
A 300+ lb Sturgeon.... Oh, and a 90 lb'er on my micro-light Bluegill rod :-) That was fun. 2hr and 10 minute fight.
110 lb Bat Ray
31.2 lb Striper
30.2 lb Channel Cat.
2.7 lb Crappie
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But what I'd REALLY love to catch someday, is a straight up, legitimate, 2.0 lb Bluegill, or better !

My best big Bluegill fishing in the last few years, has been at Clear Lk. CA. I catch lots of 8" to 10" pure Bluegill. But I also catch a bunch of even heavier Sunfish of some sort of Hybrid. They look a lot like Green Sunfish, but are often too wide... too big... and sometimes have the verticle barring of a Bluegill. I suspect they are Bluegill x Green Sunfish hybrids.... but without DNA testing, who really knows ? Gorgeous though, and REALLY strong !

I posted some photos of these fish in the photos section.... Can you guys find these from here ? Or should I attach them directly to this post ? Let me know.

Anyway, I'm planning a Clear Lk. sunfish trip (or a few) in the next few weeks. Will post photos if I get some. {I'm into photography pretty heavy too... and my photography has come quite a ways, since the sunfish photos I posted here}
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Anybody here ever heard of, or fished Lake Pillsbury CA ? It's supposed to be awesome for giant Bluegill..... but a long, horrendous, unpaved drive :-(
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Sorry for being so long winded..... but finding this site has opened the floodgate for all of my Sunfish thoughts ;-) LOL

So, finally, has anyone here ever seen, or fished for, Sacramento Perch ? They are the only species of Sunfish that are actually native to the West coast. They were pretty much decimated with the introduction of Largemouth's Bluegill, and other non-natives..... but they still thrive in just a couple places... most notably, Crowley Lake in Bishop CA. I'm trying to make a trip there this year too. 5 hours one way though......

Anyway, please forgive my rambling. Hope somebody is interested....

Peace,
Fish Chris

[steve b]

Finding this site re-awakened my love of 'gills too ! Now that you've admitted to your "problem", its time for the therapy ! steve b