Monster Brim

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10-30-2010, 08:16 AM
puddle jumper

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Monster Brim

I love Big Blue Gills

One thing about fishing that I have learned "and hunting to" if you want to land a true monster you have to fish where they are...

Ive been trying to do that the last couple of years with brim, up on the Tn river,,,no luck so far,, so now im wondering,,Does my old saying hold true, Im not in the right place:rolleyes: So im asking this,, If you wanted really big fish where would you go to catch them?? What River ,,,Lake,,, or Swamp,, holds the biggest fish, and I mean really big +2lbs or better...
Where is Blue Gill Heaven???

Thanks Guys...
:D
PJ
all of these are in the 8-10" range...
10-30-2010, 08:29 AM
T.C.

Florida! i have caught some monsters down here. Im at work now and cant post pics but i have caught several that were 11 inches or better down here this past year. I know there are bigger ones but big bull bluegill are harder to catch that big bass in my opinion. I watched a show on tv a few years ago with underwater cams that proved how spooky they are. They had a underwater camera by this old cypress that showed a gill that was prob 13-15 inches. as soon as they dropped the line down the fish darted off. guess its gotta be pretty natural to fool old fish like that. Prob no hook showing or weights visible. I think fly fisherman would have the best shot at catching monsters, they dont cause alot of disturbance in the water as most poeple do (including me)
10-30-2010, 03:34 PM
Locator79

Biggest bluegill #'s I have ever caught were out of Reelfoot. You can catch some real knot heads down there, don't know about 2lbers., but real good fish.
10-30-2010, 03:51 PM
shipahoy41

I know this lake in Alabama who'se name sounds like Hogan Partin. Anyway over by the bait shop on the lake is a flashing sign that stated " Monster Bluegills live here.". You have to put your tongue into your cheek, be smart about how you have your hat on your head, and throw a #10 hook tipped with maggots out into the water about six feet deep. Hold on to your rod though. Some of those 'Gills are just mean and will not only steal your bait but they will try and yank you into the water too. Especially those pound and three quarter ones. Why I even heard tales of how they were always moving the sign so they could not be found. Two of them showed up on crappie.com also. I almost did not recognize those 'Gills. They were wearing Ray Charles's sunglasses.
10-30-2010, 04:02 PM
puddle jumper

1 Attachment(s)

Thanks for the replies, Guys,,
Might have to make a run to that lake over in AL, and see if I can find that sighn...:D THANKS...

Over the rest of the day "im stuck at work" and looking around some, I also came across this pic from a lake ouside of Tallahassee FL. "Lake Talquin Lodge" . Just so happens to be a crappie forum gathering there next weekend "Hate I cant make it this time" but looks like a good reason for a road trip...also found some monsters in Cali but dont think I can make that far of a road trip right now...

Not sure if the big one is a cracker or a gill but looks like a ton of fun..."ok maybee just a couple of pounds..."

Keep them comming,, How about KY lake, Do they get that big up there??? Also never heard anything about big brim there but Lake Wess??
PJ
10-30-2010, 05:03 PM
Fatman

I think everyone wants to catch the big ones but man 8-10"'s I'd take those anyday!!!! Besides if you ran into a school of 2+ lbs you'd have to throw most of them back to keep the big fish genes going but they'd be fun to catch.

Fatman
10-30-2010, 09:28 PM
Big Ridge Brewer

Nice catch. I fish below the dam for gills too. When they are on there, they are on. I fished there last weekend and caught nothing but small ones.

I usually fish near the bottom with crickets. If you don't mind me asking, how were you catching them?

Here is a shot from earlier this year. About 3 hours of fishing.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...DSCF2418-1.jpg
10-30-2010, 09:52 PM
chaunc

How about KY lake, Do they get that big up there???

Sure they do. Didn't make it there this spring but here's some pics from last year.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...IMG_0011-2.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...MG_0005-17.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...IMG_0013-3.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2..._getem_n/3.jpg

Definetly headed back next spring, even if i have to make the 1,280 mile trip by myself.
10-31-2010, 06:15 AM
puddle jumper

5 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Ridge Brewer

Nice catch. I fish below the dam for gills too. When they are on there, they are on. I fished there last weekend and caught nothing but small ones.

I usually fish near the bottom with crickets. If you don't mind me asking, how were you catching them?

Here is a shot from earlier this year. About 3 hours of fishing.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...DSCF2418-1.jpg

1/16-1/8 oz jig heads with wax worms,,, cast out ,let it sink,then a slow retrieve back to the boat...
but with all the work on the dam down there I have not been able to find them like I did before, lots of small ones,, but the bigger ones seem to be missing this year,,, the water flow has moved a lot down there with all the changes so it has them moving around maybee,, or the work has the bigger fish run out of there?? Not sure but I still love the fishing down there always somethings biting...
PJ
10-31-2010, 10:51 AM
jimeisaac

Big Bluegills

First thing I would do is sign up for an account on Bluegill - Big Bluegill - Do you love big bluegill?

The next thing I would do is read the article at this link:
http://www.jimeisaac.com/2lbbluegill.PDF
(please excuse the sloppy scanning job)

On the water, I would go to:

Lake Skinner - Lake Skinner | RiversideCountyParks.org

Lake Parris - Lake Perris SRA

Good Luck!
10-31-2010, 02:56 PM
Speckanator

1 Attachment(s)

Shellie

Biggest shellie I ever caught was mid summer 12"
10-31-2010, 03:28 PM
puddle jumper

1 Attachment(s)

Nice Cracker Speckanator,,,

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimeisaac

First thing I would do is sign up for an account on Bluegill - Big Bluegill - Do you love big bluegill?

Ive been a lurker on that site for about a year now,,,

The next thing I would do is read the article at this link:
http://www.jimeisaac.com/2lbbluegill.PDF
(please excuse the sloppy scanning job)

It would down load but not open for some reason

On the water, I would go to:

Lake Skinner - Lake Skinner | RiversideCountyParks.org

Lake Parris - Lake Perris SRA

Good Luck!

Thanks for the info...
Im also getting this book,I belive I learned about it from your site
Its from the fly fishing comunity but is supopsed to be one of the best books writen on brim fishing ever put out...
PJ
Oh and I will give you guys a review after I read it and let you know what i think of it,,, Should be here next week..
10-31-2010, 04:35 PM
jimeisaac

It is a pdf file so you need Adobe Reader which you can download for free at:
Adobe - Reader 9
10-31-2010, 04:40 PM
redearhoosier

From what I understand, the Savanah River in Georgia/South Carolina has HUGE shellcrackers. Two pounders are common, and three pounders are not uncommon. I've been thinking about taking the trip to this river but I need to do some research before I commit a bunch of money to it.

One things for sure, I'll be going to Kentucky Lake next spring because it has some legit 1.5-2lb redears in it. It's becoming quite the shellcracker lake...also has big bluegill. It's known for it's crappie/bass fishing but the ears have made a strong presence.
10-31-2010, 05:21 PM
puddle jumper

Great article Jim
Thats what im talking about..
Did not know that about the Savanna river,
I was stationed down there "Tybee" with the Coast Guard for a few years but only salt water fished ...
Thanks...
PJ
10-31-2010, 07:20 PM
jimeisaac

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddle jumper

Did not know that about the Savanna river,
I was stationed down there "Tybee" with the Coast Guard for a few years but only salt water fished ...
Thanks...
PJ

I left the East Coast the last time in 1971. I spent 69-71 at the Receiver Site for Naval Communication Station Norfolk at Northwest VA. (out in the middle of the Great Dismal Swamp. Half the base in Va and half in North Carolina.) That is where I learned to wade through the swamp fishing for Bass with fly rods and poppers and float the Northwest River spyder rig fishing for Crappie.
10-31-2010, 08:38 PM
deathb4disco

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddle jumper

Im also getting this book,I belive I learned about it from your site
Its from the fly fishing comunity but is supopsed to be one of the best books writen on brim fishing ever put out...
PJ
Oh and I will give you guys a review after I read it and let you know what i think of it,,, Should be here next week..

I have that book but have never understood the fuss about it. IMO, the average bluegill article in In-Fisherman has better info. The Wilson book is just a basic "fly fishing for bluegills" book. Maybe you'll like it better than I did, though.
10-31-2010, 08:55 PM
gabowman

It's always impressive to me seeing those hugh messes of crackers and gills some folks catch. I dont target the brim so dont get to see what some of you guys do. I know a few that fishes below the dam in the Savannah River in Augusta, Ga. so I need to talk with them some more about it obviously.:rolleyes::)
11-14-2010, 09:08 AM
skeetbum

When I lived in Central FL I targeted big copperhead bluegill and had good success. Dark blue bodies and a splash of copper across the forehead. I let the river supply the forward motion and the TM to stay off the bank. I used small Beetle Spins, sometimes with a curly tail body, and cast into all the eddies and slack water as I went by. The spinner helped the bait stay off the bottom on a slow retrieve. I also noticed that the catch rate was much better if you had a half a turn on the reel before the bait hit the water so that it instantly went to work. If it fell on slack and then began the interest was much less. The hits were fierce and a 4'6" UL rod had a tough time with a few of em, and the occasional bass was icing on the cake. My favorite drift took about 2 hrs and I always had between 6 and 18 that I couldn't get my hand around. If I could they got to go free. Baked fillets were always popular at my house. I had to get em on my plate quick or the girls had em gone. Good luck putting it all together, tons of fun.
12-15-2010, 06:30 PM
Kentucky Lake

Lake Barkley has some great Redear, Bass, and Crappie.

I live 20 miles from the 160,000 acre KY Lake, and if you know where to go the fishing can be world class.

Lake Guntersville, in Alabama is really good right now for Bass.
12-15-2010, 06:32 PM
Kentucky Lake

Quote:

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

From what I understand, the Savanah River in Georgia/South Carolina has HUGE shellcrackers. Two pounders are common, and three pounders are not uncommon. I've been thinking about taking the trip to this river but I need to do some research before I commit a bunch of money to it.

One things for sure, I'll be going to Kentucky Lake next spring because it has some legit 1.5-2lb redears in it. It's becoming quite the shellcracker lake...also has big bluegill. It's known for it's crappie/bass fishing but the ears have made a strong presence.

Try Prior Bay, or Neville Bay on lake Barkely.
12-15-2010, 08:22 PM
Kentucky Lake

YouTube - Catching Redear on Barkley Here watch this video

YouTube - Redear and Bluegill on Lake Barkley

Barkley Lake is 58,000 acres of water, it is connected to Kentucky Lake which is 160,000 acres of water.
12-15-2010, 09:07 PM
shipahoy41

Like I stated in an earlier post, you have to be fishing in the south. The bull shellcrackers and bluegills down here are bigger than the dink crappies you would catch in Ohio. As far as size is concerned both 'Gills and crappies are twice as big down here in fishing paradise.