Fish Chris Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Well first off, you knew I had to go back and try for those giant Sunfish again this week, of course.... But honestly, my experience with bedding sunfish has often been, "here today, gone the next".... let alone a full week later. I was giving myself maybe a 25% chance that they would still be there. None the less, I bought myself four 15 packs of mini-crawlers, and went for it. I pulled up to my spot at about 11am, and made my first cast. About 15 seconds later, there goes my line... Stick ! I catch a drag ripping 1 lb'ish Bluegill. Can't get too excited on the first cast / first fish, as we have all done that, then never stuck another one all day, right ? Second cast.... 30 seconds later... tick... there goes my line... stick ! Another nice 1 lb'ish Bluegill. Well, by about the 5th fish, it was pretty obvious they were still here.... Except for 1 thing; They were all nice Bluegills, but no big Red Ears ? Anyway, I think it was about my 6th or 7th fish, when I stuck one that felt really heavy, but not as fast. Just dogging for the bottom. Finally got it up to the boat, and it was a monster Bluegill ! Really thick across the back..... but hollow in the belly {it didn't look spawned out, but rather, like an OLD beat up, male}. Lumpy... pretty poor looking... but none the less, it went 2.0 lbs ! My new PB Bluegill. Yes, of course I took some photos, but they just don't show the size.... and beside the next trophy sized PB I would later catch, just not worth posting. After that, I found that the Red Ears were still in the area, they had just moved farther out. Once I figured that out, I started sticking a bunch of nice legit 2 lb Red Ears Geeez, these things fight SOO hard ! Finally, at about 3:30, I stick one that literally rips off 40 feet of line, then just starts hugging the bottom. Honestly, I was thinking it might be a Bass, as it didn't do the short rapid little head shakes like most sunfish. But anyway, with 4 lb mono leader, I just babied the heck out of it. Finally, as I got it close to the boat, it rolled to one side, and I was like, "holy $%#$ ! Look at that belly" ! Of course I didn't even attempt to pick it up by the line, as I have with some of the others pushing 2 lbs. Instead, I put my hand under it's gut, and gently held the line to keep it stable. As I brought it over the rail, I was already thinking this was probably my new PB Redear..... So, I have this 2 gallon pale, which conveniently weighs 1.0 lb. I placed the fish in the bucket, then hooked the handle.... and, yea' buddies ! Minus the 1 lb bucket, she went 3.2 lbs ! Measured her at 14 1/2". Finally got my 3 lb+ Redear Only took 46 years ! Of course I had to get some good photos of her...... But their is only one messed up part to all of this.... > This was the one fish I caught today, which I would have most wanted to have released, but after a hard fight, and photos, she was just too worn out, and didn't make it Oh well. I did actually end up keeping 16 of them though, which weighed a total of 32.7 lbs ! A straight up 2 lb average.... and I weighed, and released 3 more after the BIG one, that were 2.0, 2.1, and 2.3 lbs. If I had to guess, for the whole trip, I probably caught 40 Sunfish, for a total of 65 lbs ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Okay..... So, photo's, or it didn't happen, right ? I thought they came out really good.... Tomorrow I'm going to play around with print sizes, until I can make this shot print to actual size.... then have Costco put it on a 12" x 18" And I think this one is just begging for a larger print, too Ya' know guys, I've taken just a few fish photos in the last 40 years, but honestly, I think this has to rank right up next to my very best, all species included. What do you think ? Geeez, that was just an absolute kick Peace, Fish PS, I just got done eating a plate of Redear fillets, and Strawberry / Blackberry oatmeal for desert (sugar free, of course Absolutely screaming good !!!! Quote
Super User 00 mod Posted June 28, 2011 Super User Posted June 28, 2011 WOW!!!! Great story, congrats on the new PB, good eats and GREAT photos! Jeff Quote
Super User Bankbeater Posted June 28, 2011 Super User Posted June 28, 2011 WTG!! What have they been eating to get so big?? Quote
MaineBassMan Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Holly Cow man! Those things are huge! What the heck are you all feeding those things? They are a beautiful fish and yes that is one of the best fish pictures, the colors are amazing. Quote
ICU812 Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Good God man where'd you get the miniature tape measure? Those are the biggest sunfish I had ever seen I had no idea they got so big. I mean r u kidding me??? lol Quote
hookingem Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 WOW! Now all you need is that nine pound smallie! Quote
1234567 Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Awesome fish! I don't know if I'd bass fish anymore with those bigguns swimming around. Well, I still would! Quote
Brent1 Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Awesome fish! Did someone take the pictures for you or did you use a tripod? Quote
Fish Chris Posted June 28, 2011 Author Posted June 28, 2011 Much thanks guys Brent, I took this shot, of myself, by myself, as is usually the case. I really feel like I can take better fish photos this way, without having somebody in my way. Peace, Fish Quote
endless Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Besides those great fishes how that weight loss going. You look in tremendous shape. WTG and congrats on both achievements. Quote
Fish Chris Posted June 28, 2011 Author Posted June 28, 2011 Hey Endless, well the weight loss per say is kind of old news now, as I was down to my lightest weight, of 192 almost exactly 1 year ago > but I was still in pretty lousy shape {what they call, skinny-fat... 23% body fat}. Since then, I've bulked up (purposely) twice, and I'm just about at the end of my second cut now. And while I'm weighing about 10 lbs more than I did 1 year ago, my body fat % is now down to about 13.5% (the lowest in my life). So, I feel like I'm doing great > But I have a LONG ways to go. My 50 year old goal (38 months from now) is to be 225 @ 9% BF. I know that's pretty crazy, but I'm the type of guy that has to be pushing as hard as he can for the top.... or else I'm falling quickly to the bottom. No in-betweens for me. Not saying this is "good".... It's just me. Peace, Fish Besides those great fishes how that weight loss going. You look in tremendous shape. WTG and congrats on both achievements. Quote
endless Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Hey Endless, well the weight loss per say is kind of old news now, as I was down to my lightest weight, of 192 almost exactly 1 year ago > but I was still in pretty lousy shape {what they call, skinny-fat... 23% body fat}. Since then, I've bulked up (purposely) twice, and I'm just about at the end of my second cut now. And while I'm weighing about 10 lbs more than I did 1 year ago, my body fat % is now down to about 13.5% (the lowest in my life). So, I feel like I'm doing great > But I have a LONG ways to go. My 50 year old goal (38 months from now) is to be 225 @ 9% BF. I know that's pretty crazy, but I'm the type of guy that has to be pushing as hard as he can for the top.... or else I'm falling quickly to the bottom. No in-betweens for me. Not saying this is "good".... It's just me. Peace, Fish Yea I remember the post just never knew been that long. I remeber also you was to post some pics but I never seen known but man seeing these it's just amazing. Quote
Mattlures Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 FC those are big PB's. I wish I rememberd what mine were exactly. I think my PB gill is right around 2lbs and I think my PB red ear was about 2.5lbs. A 3lber is a giant! congrats on those. If you have a little money saved up you should get some reproductions for them. Those ARE trophy fish. Quote
Big-O Posted June 29, 2011 Posted June 29, 2011 Excellent outing for sure and Congrats Chris on those awesome Catches! Big O www.ragetail.com Quote
hookingem Posted June 29, 2011 Posted June 29, 2011 Chris I want to see that 2 pound Gill. I think big Gills are downright gorgeous! Quote
Fish Chris Posted June 29, 2011 Author Posted June 29, 2011 Well.... most are.... but this one was pretty old and wore out. I don't think the photo shows the size well at all... but if you insist.... Peace, Fish Chris I want to see that 2 pound Gill. I think big Gills are downright gorgeous! Quote
Fat-G Posted June 29, 2011 Posted June 29, 2011 God if gills got to 10+ pounds we would never bass fish. It would be so easy, too. They're just not the brightest fish. Unreal fish man! Quote
Super User J Francho Posted June 29, 2011 Super User Posted June 29, 2011 Congrats Chris - hard work rewarded! Quote
Super User CWB Posted June 29, 2011 Super User Posted June 29, 2011 WTG Chris! The DNR stocked redear in my lake 6-7 years ago to help control zebra mussels. Seems to helping a little but it has provided fantastic fishing, especially if you can find a bedding area. I have a small spot that some big ones use every year and if you hit it at the right time, you can get 30-40 that are all around a pound. Sidenote- 2 weeks ago I caught the biggest bluegill of my life 13" well over a pound, on a wacky rigged senko. My dad almost fell out of the boat when I swung it aboard. It was almost round in shape. Seems when they reach a certain length, they grow up and down, not so much longer. 'Gill size seems to be increasing yearly since introduction of readear. Do redear out compete gills for food? Used to be more gills but mostly 4-5" My son got one fathers day off the shore that was 12". Biggest he has ever caught. I told him I'd try to find a replica of it. Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted June 29, 2011 Super User Posted June 29, 2011 Chris is back to posting Monsters again ! Catching trophies smack dab in the middle of what looks like a gorgeous sunny day - Good Times. Congratulations A-Jay Quote
bassman31783 Posted June 29, 2011 Posted June 29, 2011 Good gosh that thing is huge. Big congrats on the new PB. Quote
Mrs. Matstone Posted June 29, 2011 Posted June 29, 2011 Great fish, pics and report as usual. Congrats and thanks for sharin. Quote
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