2-Man Limit [pics]
 

Well, we had a big Low Pressure system move through yesterday and fishing was terrible. Today, the system moved out and fishing was unreal. My buddy and I seemed to be the only ones catching them today, and we generally keep the secrets to ourselves. Here are some pictures.

50 Bluegill, 2-Man Limit.


Some Thickness on the Bluegills.


Last pictures for today.

BH 14... You done GOOD, young feller...!!!..

Great catch...I'm just DROOLING thinking of those bluegill filets...

Nuthin' better than bluegills from cold water....:cool2:....

Nice catch BH14. The day was unreal here too and I went after deep water perch on new ice. I didn't sell them yet but have about 125 pounds or a little more in the garage. Back tomorrow and I'll take the wheeler. I had to drag my sled with all those fish for about a mile in deep snow and it was a killer.

Thanks guys.


Can't beat Bluegill fillets. Alot of people fish for them in the summer, but I fish HARD in the winter. I don't think there is a better combination that Bluegill fillets and 35 degree water.

With this last batch, my total is 407 Bluegills caught and kept this winter thus far. That is only a month and a half of fishing. I am seeing 814 fillets in my dreams, these fillets have to last me all summer and fall!

CI, Do you catch that many fish with hook and line, or are you commercially fishing them with a net or other sorts?

I couldn't imagine catching that many fish through hook and line. With this limit of 50 today I bet we only had 40 pounds of fish total.

I would love to see a picture of them too if you have one around.

buckhunter14, are you fishing commercially? Not to be that guy, but I checked the MI fishing "guide" and it says possession limit on sunfishes, including bluegill and crappie, is 25, which means 25 in the freezer and no more fishing 'til you eat em. It's one thing to have some fish over the limit, but it sounds like you've got at least 16 limits in your freezer, and unless I'm mistaken that's 15 too many, and it wouldn't exactly be a smart idea to be bragging about it on the internet, because a game warden only needs probably cause to check your house, and a post like this could be cause enough. I hope I'm wrong, and please feel free to correct me if that's the case; I'm thick skinned.

Actually, the actual limit is 25 and the possesion limit is 50. I have fish in the freezer, but I also have an unreal number of people that I supply. The 30+ landowners that I hunt/fish there property get Bluegill fillets. Some get smoked Steelhead. Others like me to rake their yards or mow the lawn. I'm the guy that everyone else is jealous of because I have so many properties to hunt/fish. Not to mention family anf friends that love Bluegill. Also, I'm a college kid, I eat fish all the time. Saves a lot on the bills.

I have actually had some problems with this law. Due to the fact that I like to have large parties "fish fry" with family and friends, and I do not fish for Bluegill after ice-out, the DNR is telling me I cannot stock my freezer for the summer when I do not fish for Bluegill to let them spawn and reproduce? I could go up on their beds and tear them off easier than ever, but I would much rather fish them in the winter; they taste better and fight better plus they are sure to reproduce.

I clean alot of fish a year, and I am by no mean perfect. I know the laws and I try to abide by them. If the DNR don't have better things to do than check a fisherman for possesion limit and a few over, heck MI needs the money in fines so it wouldn't surprise me. But that is a different topic. I think there are much better things for them to do with their time. I bet rght now I don't even have over the possesion limit in my freezer. All them fish wouldn't fit :wink:.

No, I'm not fishing commercially.

I believe this is a case where the SPIRIT of the law and the LETTER of the law are two different things...

I think posession limits are designed to deter lawbreakers and poachers, not to discourage honest fishermen from stocking a few extra filets in the freezer.. I doubt that Officer Ferndip is going to come poking around in your freezer unless you are a known or suspected poacher/violator.. At least I would HOPE not... Many ethical sportsman would be subject to arrest and fines if this type of regulation was zealously enforced...

:happy0001:

Stated very well Pygmy.

Yup it is all hook and line fishing. Believe it or not days of over 100 pounds for either yellow perch or gills aren't that uncommon. I call it commercial fishing because I sell all the fish I catch to a fish market whole. One of these days I'll snap a picture and post it.

So what do they give you per pound? I'm sure it changes with species.

Pretty sweet CI.

Fish are sold whole just right out of the bucket. No cleaning, no hassle. Prices change dependent on the market but right now they are the following:
Crappie 9" and up $2.00 per pound limit 25
all other species no limits
Sunnies/ gills 6" and up $.70 per pound
White perch 8"-9" $.30 per pound
White perch 9" and up $.60 per pound
Yellow perch 7"-8" $.40 per pound
Yellow perch 8" and up $1.25 per pound

Kind of a fun way to spend the winter and pay for your gas and equipment.

Ok. I give up. How do you fish for bluegill with this kind of success through the ice. What kind of bait and tackle, etc. I'm really curious.

Wildbill51

Very light tackle, very light rod, light line, very small jigs, live maggots, live wigglers, artificial flies as bait.

Umm, if you would like to know it might be a good subject to Google, or read about in Sport Fishing Magazines.

If you would like me to get more in depth, I can through a PM.