Back to my roots - Jumbo bluegill

[Fishbreath]

At seventy-five I know that I have many more fishing days behind me than ahead of me, so I made a goal to get at least one new personal best this year. Most of my fishing time up until about twenty years ago was spent panfishing, and I have caught a ton (literally) of bluegill and most of them were not weighed. But I was pretty sure I had never caught any over 2 lbs. As for redear, I had never fished much where there were large ones, 1 1/2 lbs would do it for a new PB. I live in Fallbrook, so even though it is a hundred mile round trip, San Vicente seemed to be the best bet for me. I may have been a little late to the party for redear. I saw pictures of four over 3 lbs that were caught in the two weeks before my first trip down on April 23rd. On that first trip I caught several bluegill and redear over 1 1/2 lbs, but none over two. That changed on my second trip a week later when I caught two redear over 2 lbs with the larger going 2lb 3oz. The 2lb 1oz bluegill came two weeks later on May 24th.
51135

Both of these redear over two pounds.
51136

This bluegill is a true dinner plate size fish (2lb 1oz.)
51137

Compare redear and bluegill, both over 2 lbs.
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And just so I am not completely anonymous.
51139

Thanks for your indulgence. I haven't posted on here for a long time and thought maybe it was time to try it again.
The best of Fishbreath. (http://s202.photobucket.com/user/Fishbreath92028/The%20Best%20of%20Fishbreath/story)

[TUNAVIC]

Awesome! That’s what I love about fishing,I’m 65 and I too can still enjoy it,I do more S/W than F/W but I do them both.
Unlike other activities I enjoyed,dirt bike riding,football,and other not so senior friendly activities,I also have two knee replacements.
I started fishing when I was about 7yrs old,and look forward to continuing as long as our creator allows,hey I love that one pic of that Gill on the plate,awesome outing thanks!

Cya Tuna Vic

[jdogg661420]

those are lunk bluegills... i wish i could catch some that big at castaic and the lagoon. im sure there is some there though, even though i havent got em. ive got some decent ones though. im just on shore and targeting em on like rocks or single bushes.. never really found a big school or beds. i think that one pic is two big bluegills. just diff colors. which depends on diet i think though im not sure.. could be hybrids also. the red ears i catch here are longer and skinnier then bluegills for sure those look similiar.. i just catch and release though. maybe some i release can turn into bigs in the future. but i know bass will eat the small ones so i just release em to help the bass get bigger too.

[Ifishtoolittle]

Amazing Redears and Bluegills you got there. I hope you can release a few more giants in the near future. Those guys are really the backbone of a trophy Panfish fishery. The more big males in a lake the better because it forces the smaller fish to focus more on growth over reproduction.

[Ifishtoolittle]

those are lunk bluegills... i wish i could catch some that big at castaic and the lagoon. im sure there is some there though, even though i havent got em. ive got some decent ones though. im just on shore and targeting em on like rocks or single bushes.. never really found a big school or beds. i think that one pic is two big bluegills. just diff colors. which depends on diet i think though im not sure.. could be hybrids also. the red ears i catch here are longer and skinnier then bluegills for sure those look similiar.. i just catch and release though. maybe some i release can turn into bigs in the future. but i know bass will eat the small ones so i just release em to help the bass get bigger too.

Castaic has northern strain bluegill from what I can tell. Those fish tend to be longer whereas the coppernose bluegills in the above picture tend to grow long and thick.

[Fishbreath]

Yes, now I remember why I stopped posting on FNN. If you post here, you better come prepared to defend yourself.


i think that one pic is two big bluegills. just diff colors.
@jdogg661420, I know you mean no disrespect, but I do know the difference between a redear and a bluegill.


I hope you can release a few more giants in the near future. Those guys are really the backbone of a trophy Panfish fishery. The more big males in a lake the better because it forces the smaller fish to focus more on growth over reproduction.
@Ifishtoolittle, thanks for the reminder about the role of the big males in creating a trophy panfish fishery. I am aware of that, and what you had no way of knowing is just how many fish between 1 1/2 and 2lbs that I did release, which was about 10 to 1 of the ones I did keep. Irrelevant I'm sure, but you also probably noted that the only bluegill shown in the post was female. I'm not sure just how deep they will spawn in a clear lake like San V., but I don't think any of these were bed fish since all were caught over 22ft deep. The redear may have been past most of their spawn by the time I got out there.

My dear wife of 55 years never got into bass fishing, but she loved to fish for "bream" (our Southern background showing there.) She is no longer able to get out and enjoy that now. On my first trip I called from the lake to check on her and told her that I was catching some of the biggest bream I had ever seen. She was excited and wanted me to bring some home to show her. What was I going to do, bring her the smaller ones? I know that in a perfect world I would have released all the trophy-size fish, but I am not perfect. I could not deny myself the pleasure of watching her eyes light up as she saw those beauties. Rest assured, none went to waste.

[Ifishtoolittle]

H
Yes, now I remember why I stopped posting on FNN. If you post here, you better come prepared to defend yourself.


@jdogg661420, I know you mean no disrespect, but I do know the difference between a redear and a bluegill.


@Ifishtoolittle, thanks for the reminder about the role of the big males in creating a trophy panfish fishery. I am aware of that, and what you had no way of knowing is just how many fish between 1 1/2 and 2lbs that I did release, which was about 10 to 1 of the ones I did keep. Irrelevant I'm sure, but you also probably noted that the only bluegill shown in the post was female. I'm not sure just how deep they will spawn in a clear lake like San V., but I don't think any of these were bed fish since all were caught over 22ft deep. The redear may have been past most of their spawn by the time I got out there.

My dear wife of 55 years never got into bass fishing, but she loved to fish for "bream" (our Southern background showing there.) She is no longer able to get out and enjoy that now. On my first trip I called from the lake to check on her and told her that I was catching some of the biggest bream I had ever seen. She was excited and wanted me to bring some home to show her. What was I going to do, bring her the smaller ones? I know that in a perfect world I would have released all the trophy-size fish, but I am not perfect. I could not deny myself the pleasure of watching her eyes light up as she saw those beauties. Rest assured, none went to waste.

All good to know. I didn't know that from the original post. There wasn't an intent on attacking your successful day. I was being observant with the condition of the fish which led me to think that some were kept. There's nothing wrong with that, it's your decision. Again, very nice work on getting on those big fish.

[etucker1959]

Since I spend more time on here then anybody else, telling people it's not the GD section that drives people away from posting fish reports on here. This a perfect example of what just happened. A great fishermen just posted an awesome fish report with pictures.

The correct response should be, "that's a great report " thank you for sharing!!!!

Not let me critique your fish report and look for errors that the OP just reported!!!! Or let me give my personal opinion on the ethics of anything about fishing. People keep doing those same 2 things over and over again and it just pizzs people off to the point where???? The OP gives those famous last words. That's why I stopped posting on FNN!!!

I'm sorry Fishbreath this happened to you on FNN. I see your posts on that other website, so I know how much knowledge you have on fishing.

It going to get to the point, where I'm going to be the last man standing on here when it comes to writing fish reports!!! I'm going to close on this note by quoting the Bible.

Forgive them father, they no not what they do!!!!!!!

[Fishbreath]

No forgiveness required and of course no malice was intended, but somehow it just seems ingrained in the culture of FNN to take every opportunity to call people out. I decided to dip my toe back in the water by intentionally not making this a report in the reports section where more details would be expected. I thought I could just post a few pictures, keep the narrative brief, and everything would go swimmingly. Then I got overly defensive when they didn't, didn't I?

[crappiemike]

Thnx for the report and
Pics ....

Nice job- we did well on the crappies
The other day’


Cm

[Fishbreath]

Thnx for the report and
Pics ....

Nice job- we did well on the crappies
The other day’


Cm

Thanks, Mike. Is there ever a day you don't do well on the crappie? Now that I have gone back over to the dark side and started doing a little panfishing, I might have to give crappie fishing a serious try again. I miss that easy crappie fishing we had at Vail.

Edit: I understand you post better now. I just got a message from Roy telling me about your great day, and what an awesome picture of the two of you together. To think, I was complaining about how long the trip was for me to go to San Vicente.

[AleidaWilla]

ncie catch, i've never fished for bluegill, what was your biggest bluegill in pounds?