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how to improve fish quality/quantity

5K views 81 replies 17 participants last post by  TK81 
#1 ·
I just bought a house on just under 200 acres of water in Hillsdale county. I hear that the fishing isn't great. It is private and all sports, but without a public launch I would guess the pressure isn't terrible. Average size gills and decent crappie are plentiful. small large mouth and pike. Is there anything I can do to improve the pan fish quantity and quality? Should I contact the DNR to see if there is anything that can be done, or if there is anything I might be able to do? any advice at all would be appreciated.

Nick
 
#54 ·
I have a question and am hoping someone can help. We took our second boat ride tonight after getting the boat in yesterday. We passed by many areas where there were bluegill creators (as my 7 year old calls them) everywhere. But they seemed to be filled with silt. I didn't see any that looked fresh and I didn't see any fish on the beds. Why is this? Old beds? Did we spook the fish off with the Boat?
Thanks all.
 
#56 ·
I have a question and am hoping someone can help. We took our second boat ride tonight after getting the boat in yesterday. We passed by many areas where there were bluegill creators (as my 7 year old calls them) everywhere. But they seemed to be filled with silt. I didn't see any that looked fresh and I didn't see any fish on the beds. Why is this? Old beds? Did we spook the fish off with the Boat?
Thanks all.
Temps factor in spawning time. Without knowing your lake...I don' t know. Once fry are mobile , beds go stale.
Bass spawn before most gills ,then bushwhack gills on the gill beds.
Bass beds are usually deeper ,but temps again factor. Seeing bass beds before gills is " normal" for multiple waters.
Your gills you have been catching should show spawn ,or no spawn in them ......though some will run late.
 
#60 ·
Lake isn't private. It is connected to another lake that gets planted with rainbows and has a reputation for big panfish. In any case, go back in this thread and read the linked studies. Bluegill are easily overfished on small lakes and are self regulating for size.

I still wonder if the bigger fish in his lake will move to the deeper lake in high summer. Big 'gills tend to go deep. Looking forward to his July reports.
 
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#62 ·
Just to cler
Lake isn't private. It is connected to another lake that gets planted with rainbows and has a reputation for big panfish. In any case, go back in this thread and read the linked studies. Bluegill are easily overfished on small lakes and are self regulating for size.

I still wonder if the bigger fish in his lake will move to the deeper lake in high summer. Big 'gills tend to go deep. Looking forward to his July reports.[/QU

Just to clarify... It is a private lake. is is connected to a public lake, but its by a water way that is impassable. The only way to fish this lake is to know someone who owns property. I fished most of the weekend and only saw only 1 other serious fisherman.
 
#69 ·
They will often strike a small fish looking lure ..trying to keep it away from eggs and fry. Hitting it lightly,not feeding type strikes.
That deep water after spawning looks tempting to troll crawler harnesses with stinger hooks for big gills. Or small single hook harnesses with partial crawlers or smaller worms.
 
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#77 ·
Interesting site. There are some pictures on there on page 3 I think that they are calling green gills. The are not called that here. There is one lake in Yankee Springs that is full of them and they average 8 to 9 inches. They are built like a mud bass but are green. I asked the DNR about them years ago and was told they were an invasive fish and they don't know how they got started there. These fish are very aggresive and put up a good fight. I never tried eating them but use to know a guy who did and said they were not all that great. This lake has no inlet or outlet so they are trapped there
 
#81 ·
I wanted to report, for anyone who may be followi g my first summer at the lake.
First, the majority of the fish I have caught have been right off the dock, mostly with my fly rod. I wish I had pics of some of the gills in full breach coming after my fly. They love poppers.
There are a ton of bass, I have not seen one over 2 pounds. There are so many small ones it's hard to stay away from them. I catch at East 3 or 4 12 to 14 inches each time I go out. I have caught large gills (largest being 11.75") nice perch ( largest being 12" but tons of 9 and 10s) and a few crappie.
There is this point in the evening, about 20 minutes after sun set that the fish just light up. It only lasts about 20 minutes. They surface everywhere. It's a beautiful sight.
 
#82 ·
Interesting site. There are some pictures on there on page 3 I think that they are calling green gills. The are not called that here. There is one lake in Yankee Springs that is full of them and they average 8 to 9 inches. They are built like a mud bass but are green. I asked the DNR about them years ago and was told they were an invasive fish and they don't know how they got started there. These fish are very aggresive and put up a good fight. I never tried eating them but use to know a guy who did and said they were not all that great. This lake has no inlet or outlet so they are trapped there
Green Sunfish.

Organism Fish Fin Ray-finned fish Electric blue


Green Sunfish / Bluegill Hybrid:

Fin Organism Fish Tail Ray-finned fish


They are prolific. The ones you were seeing were probably hybrids. Thicker than a gill, but in my opinion, they are not as good to eat, not as easy to clean. Lake associations have been known to stock them, just as they did on the Yankee Springs lake I grew up on. I've been catching fish for the last few years that appear to be green sunfish / bluegill hybrids. An 8 incher has some pretty stout shoulders. PM me which lake you are referring to. They are fun to catch, but I am not a fan. I want regular gills and perch. I only eat specks caught late fall or winter.

To the OP---Check the rules on your lake...if it is totally private and legal, I would eat every cool season 10 to 13 inch bass you catch. Believe it or not, the little guys are delicious. If the DNR has never stocked the lake and it doesn't have public access, it may be legal. May not apply, please check the rules. Bass are prolific as well and if all are small there may be too much competition for a limited forage base.

Based on your pictures, there are plenty of big gills, but as Kazoo hinted, they may just head for the deeper lake once the temps get too high. Does your lake develop a thermocline? The big gills may hang out in the middle of the lake and suspend above if so. Try slow trolling or wind drifting with multiple rods and bobbers over the deeper sections of your lake. Set bobber depths from 6 to 12 feet down. Crickets are great for the hot summer months.

7 to 8.5 inch gills are the best eaters in my opinion. Easy to clean and taste great. Any rib bones left in the fillet tend to fry up and not be a bother. Gills over 9 are fun to catch, but I'll take a bucket of 8 inchers first.
 
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