Kid caught some giant sunfish

[Wild Heethen]

I did some research on bluegills back when I was completing my Masters in college. Unless the situation is a small pond, fishing pressure doesn't have much effect on bluegill population structure. They are just to prolific of spawners. What makes them grow is the presence of the right types of zooplankton in the food chain. The best lakes have a ring of vegetation but deep open water also with a large predator. The vegetation supports the young fish but the open water allows the biggest fish to get bigger because there is usually a large Daphnia species in the open water that they can pick off. The Daphnia needs the deep water to move up and down in day/night so they don't get depleted. This system doesn't work down south because the water is too warm and the Daphnia population crashes when the algae species change with water temp.

Anyways, those are some nice panfish! I can't wait to go to west-central Minnesota in July and wail on some fish!

Thanks. Real interesting. Personally, I would much rather load the livewell up with Bream than any other fish. Great fighters, and in my opinion, the finest tasting fish that swims.

[yanknbass]

[mikeky]

Couldn't find him any yards to mow?

[hatcreek]

Y'all had a great day...

Have a buddy with a good 'gill pond... As BC21 said, a blast on fly fishing gear.

[Igore67]

[wildturkey]

Hooked now if not before.

[Boatseller]

Great memories. Thanks for passing the tradition on.

[TDobb]

Hooked now if not before.

Wildturkey, he's been hooked for quite a while. We get out in the boat just about every weekend in the summer, have a couple weekends of yard work in the spring and fall when ice conditions aren't good, but then we ice fish most weekends thru the winter too. He has his own one man fish house and vexilar, and of course we have a big two man house we use often as well. The old Lund boat that I just finished remodeling this spring is his when he turns 16, its been in the family since new in 1976.

He caught his first fish when he was 18 months old, a crappie thru the ice. Probably my favorite picture of all time. We were fishing with grandpa and he hooked it and reeled it up all by himself. He carried that fish around for 20 minutes showing everyone around us his fish. Lucky it was warm that day or his hands woulda been in rough shape. His smile says it all.


And his biggest fish ever also came thru the ice, anytime we are talking fishing with someone he always tells me to show the picture of his big northern pike. Was using my brand new rod, first time fish on it, watching the vexilar and saw the big red mark and the the shiner started kicking, told him to watch the rod cause it was gonna bend over and he'd need to set the hook. One of my absolute favorite memories, when we pulled it out of the hole, he laughed so hard that he kinda growled at the fish, we have it on video somewhere.


We fished our first crappie tourney earlier this year and caught a bunch of accidental bass, some biggins too. He asked if they fish bass tourneys, I told him yeah. Then he asked if we could fish a bass tournament. I told him I have been waiting to hear those words since he was conceived. He is gonna be 11 at the end of the month, and we are gonna spend this year and next honing his skills a bit more and then give it a go. He's a pretty good kid.

Take care,
Tom

[Yakalong]

[Matt E.]

Yup, he's hooked for life. Great job Dad!

[Quillback]

[fr8dog]

Those things never get old. I got into another bunch with the 3 wt fly pole again today. (not that big) Had lots of fun for a couple hours. Kept a few to eat. Not much better than a plate full of bluegill fillets. Coleslaw, fries, lemon and tartar sauce. For a little while I'm as young as he is when I'm catching the little monsters.

[Big Bass Man]

[Quillback]

[Top Water Huff]

[hatcreek]

Not much better than a plate full of bluegill fillets. Coleslaw, fries, lemon and tartar sauce...

Didn't have any bluegill at the time (I substituted redfish), but agree wholeheartedly.