Is This A Record Number of Bluegill

[roadwarriorsvt]

Went out on the lake today and me and Lrry93 caught 25 bluegills (and one small peacock). I've never heard of anyone catching so many. I wonder if this is some type of unofficial record?

[Ken]

For you guys' sake, I hope the bluegill come back in good number. Primo food for largemouth, smallmouth and the peacock bass. Not to mention a lot of fun to catch on the ultralight.

[Stan Wright]

Well, if it wasn't a record... it is now.

[tkki1230]

There were days back in the 80's where we would catch them in the 100's when they were sitting in their nests. I hope this is all catch and release?

[roadwarriorsvt]

I hope this is all catch and release?

We're working on ways to increase the bluegill population as we speak.

[Stan Wright]

The hatchery has been raising and shipping bluegill over to Kauai.
One of the High Schools is working on stocking them into Sloggett Res..
We're working on releasing some into Lake Wilson too.
It's kind of a matter of geting them up to a larger size and aclimated to the lake befor something eats them.
At the moment only the bass are being raised and stocked.

[tkki1230]

I hope this is all catch and release?

We're working on ways to increase the bluegill population as we speak.

Sent you a PM

[JChen]

Pics or it didnt happen.

[Ken]

Pics or it didnt happen.

You really want to see all 25 bluegills?

[roadwarriorsvt]

I was thinking the same thing! Not like we caught any big ones. Almost all can fit in the palm or your hand. Still, at least we're catching fish,.... very small fish, but fish!

[JChen]

meh, why not? I'm fishing deprived here in Oki right now...

[tuctastic]

What you folks using for bait to catch all those blue gills?

[roadwarriorsvt]

Bluegills can be caught on a fly.

A friend stopped counting after catching 30 bluegill, so I guess that is now the unofficial record! They are all quite small. That tells me either that there isn't much for them to eat or they are starting a comeback and are a new, plentiful generation.

[djverve05]

Bluegill love nightcrawlers(worms) or crickets. When I was little we would catch 100's a day on the mainland using worms and crickets.

[fishtricity]

What type of fly and retrieve technique are people using?

I'm actually in California now, but am originally from Hawaii and will be at Lake Wilson in a couple of weeks.

In the SF Bay area, my son caught 30 panfish this weekend on a bead head nymph pheasant tail, size 14 or 16. The panfish were primarily bluegill with some redear sunfish, which is basically the same as a bluegill with slightly different coloration. I've also had success with a black gnat and black ant dry flies.

One of the sunfish he caught was eaten by a huge largemouth bass right in front of us. He was fighting the bass, we estimate at 6 to 7 pounds, for about 30 seconds, including several aerial jumps before it snapped the line, 5x tippet.

I'm thinking that a mosquito might be good in Hawaii. Does the time of day matter that much? Also, can I catch from shore or do I really need a boat to catch bluegill?