Holy Grail of Producing Big Bluegill

[Lord of the Fly , Rods]

Did you all pay attention, Bruce found the Holy Grail in growing big bluegill, First you need your own private lake, not public so you can control the access and the harvest, second you need a world class pond manager to make everything work properly, and lots of bass, big bass to prey on the fry to keep the Bass/Bluegill Ratio in balance, so as the bass grow so does the bluegill. I assume you also have to have a feeding program to suppliment the food supply to maximize the population the pond can carry.
I'm not trying to rain on anyone parade but this sounds an awful lot like fish farming, Aquaculture, and if it is you should be able to grow fish as big as you want to, so I ask the question should any fish grown in this fashion that becomes a record have an asterisk beside it because it was farmed instead of being a natural free range trophy ? Can you buy a record fish?

[Bill "Musky" Modica]

I've discussed the asterik issue on a few other websites.....("growing fish as big as you want")....is really not an accurate statement.....Pond management is a science....there is a considerably high failure rate....and although raising fish to state record potential isn't out of the question, it is highly unlikely.

[bluegillboogieman]

If a record Gill comes out of there, it should count. They were aiming for bass. The gills just took over, AGAIN. Besides, they always C&R the big ones anyway, so we've all got a shot at it. Don't we? Surely they'd let his genetic prowess live on and let him go! Wouldn't they?

When I saw the pics of those bad boys, I went to Google Earth and found that lake! I like North Carolina. I may move. I got no problem with paying for a good time. I've been to Vegas and Disney World. I was sure impressed with their attempt at engineering!

I do still believe Roger Maris Is the World Record holder for legitimate baseball home runs though. I was pulling for Mickey Mantle that year. I was young and didn't know about his drug of choice. Mickey was the "Golden Boy" and a natural to boot. I didn't know much about Maris except what I've read years later. Seems like all he was was a stand up guy who did it right and then lived the rest of his life the same way. His record has been broken more than once since. So they say. I think they bought the record, so it don't count with me. But who am I to have a say.


I'm with you on the arterisk thing for record fish engineered to be that way. If I do move to NC and catch the big boy, I may ride my asterisk all the way to the bank. With my head down, wouldn't want Roger Maris to notice me. Hank Aaron either. I would wet a line in that lake though.

Boogieman

[Jim Gronaw]

It should be pointed out that the North Carolina state-record bluegill is 4 pounds and 5 ounces and was caught by Danny Chase in July of 1967. Only two other bluegills ever recorded, and caught on hook and line, surpassed that fish... a 4-10 and a 4-12, which is the current world record, both coming from Ketona Lake in Alabama in the 1950's. That's 60 years ago! I have serious doubts as to whether or not bluegills even approaching that size will ever be caught and accurately recorded again. But there is hope....

The folks at Richmond Mills are certainly not targeting any records, rather, they are trying to create world-class hunting and fishing opportunities. The 'by-product' of those huge bluegills just 'happened'. Despite their tremendous growth, I don't think I will live long enough to ever see another 4 pound bluegill in my lifetime. Anywhere.

It should also be noted that the state of Pennsylvania does not allow record class fish of any specie, caught in private water within the commonwealth, to be eligible for state record considerations. All state record fish must be taken from public water in that state. I view that as a very fair and legitimate rule. Despite this, some public waters in PA are specifically managed to produce trophy game fish of various species. All this to the publics benefit. Additionally, many state-record bass, crappies and bluegills are currently listed as being caught in ponds and pits. Not all states aliegn with Pennsylvania in their ruling.

But in reality, I don't think one can 'buy' a record fish. I have caught trophy fish in private water and trophy fish in public water, and all of them make me smile!