Big Gill Question

[Santiago]

Here's one for discussion. What is your ideal monster bluegill situation? Do you like to see lakes with deep or shallow water? Large lakes or small? Weeds or deserts?

Obviously, a private lake with no access is ideal, but let's talk real world angling. I've taken all my big gills (larger than 9.5 inches when measured on a ruler) shallower than 10 feet. How about you?

[jigworm]

Small spring fed lake with 40-50' of water and good spawning flats. Weeds are a plus, but fast breaks and points are my favorites. In the winter most of my best gills (over 10") have come from 15 to 20', close to deeper water.

[WDGibby]

Small deep water lakes for me for quality! No weeds. The shallower lakes for quantity, weeds, I have found the fish tend to be darker in color and some with grubs shallow water lakes. Largest gill this year was in a small shallow lake. An that was 10 and quarter. I fish both types of lakes.

Gibby:)

[HuRon]

Ideal for who? The fish or the fisherman? :D HaHa. My backyard lake is just like what was described, small, deep & super clear, with few weeds. HUGE bluegills & super tough to ice fish. Rarely fish it in winter because it's just so much easier catching them out of a shallower lake with a little less clarity.

[Santiago]

You all agree on small lakes. But why do you think smaller is better. Is this simply a pressure issue?

But maybe the last post has made a crucial point, without really saying so. Clear lakes are generally tougher, because fish can better discriminate what they're eating. In that case, maybe the clearer lakes allow larger growth because it reduces angler efficiency and impact. What do you think?

[Cobra]

Small, deep and clear. Fishing pressure? Think the quantity of large fish will be small and scattered due to the size of the water and it's forage base. Have found that the largest gills I've caught on these bodies were taken on a small jigging rap or the like. Believe that these bigger fish are up in the food chain a bit, almost act like a big crappie. Been out where most were going ultra small and light and catching one every now and then while I'm moving around alot, going up and down the water column with a rap and sticking good perch, gills and crappie. Not a sure thing, cure all but it's saved many a trip over the years for me and worth a try. Finally had a good day, yesterday afternoon, 7 gills over 9", 2 perch over 11" (females, went back in) and 3 crappie, one was 12.25". Not bad on a 27 acre, fairly heavily fished, public, 45' deep clear lake with the bucket setters doing nothing until the mini-flurry just before dark and they were smallish fish. Gills were caught about 10-12' down in ~30' of water on a rap.

[tommy-n]

I catch them on big lakes, small lakes, deep lakes, shallow lakes , weedy and no weeds. You just have to put alot of time in and find which lakes produce big gills, because they all don't. Try and fish the shallower lakes early and late ice and the larger lakes mid-winter. There are always exceptions like small lakes with inlets and outlets sometimes produce all winter and so do most lakes if the weeds stay green.

[funebonz880]

Our best lake is one with drop off's. IT drops off from about 5-10ft to 15-20 ft. There are some weeds and some desert. It is a small public lake and catch bluegills there all the time.

[sfw1960]

My best Gill ever (11.25") came from 40 FOW up in Irons on about a 120 Acre lake....
Plenty of 10's from Wabasis Lk. usually from 14-16FOW
:D Robert :D

[Ed Stringer]

LSC is my fav. but anywhere they swim is good for me. :cool: