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Most productive bluegill lake in USA?

3K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  pmflyfisher 
#1 ·
Hi guys.

Sometimes we need a change from trying to match wits with the wily brown trout. Sunfish/bream (bluegills, shellcrackers, etc.) are a fun little fish for kids to catch (big kids too, on a fly rod!)

My question is: nationwide, what’s the very best lake/pond for sunfish fishing, in your opinion?

Let’s limit this discussion to waterways with either “normal-sized” or "larger sunfish," and not ones with only “real tiny stunted sunfish."

Thanks!

Dale D.
 
#2 ·
Don't think any body could say with any confidence which specific body of water this would be, as far as I know I have never seen these written up, since Blue gill are so pervasive in all of the states.

It would have to be some wheres in the southern US where they can feed year round.

They are a lot of fun on a light fly rod and surface poppers when you find a lake with big ones though. Have some good boy hood memories on them from back in NYS and NJ waters.
 
#3 ·
Pickwick Lake, Alabama. There's plenty of predators to keep the population from getting stunted, and while it's a big lake it has very good access to the large bluegills.

Contrary to what has been stated above, there have been articles written about this (albiet not recently).
 
#4 ·
The magazine InFisherman does those sorts of lists for most freshwater species on a regular basis. I can't remember when bluegills & sunfish were last done.

My own experience is that often it is the location in a lake or river that determines whether you get a stunted or large panfish. For example 1 lake (~90 acres) I fish on a regular basis has a public swimming area and no other development. If I fish near the swiming area stunted fish are all I'll get but if I go to the dropoff by the dam nice sized gills are the catch of the day. On another river I stop off at times 1 spot will give up nice 9" sunfish with regularity, while other spots are lucky to give up a 4" fish.

Oh and the 9" fish are picky like trout!!!
 
#7 ·
fyi

A world renowned big bass and bluegill fishery. This is the Florida lake I was thinking of , I am sure there are more. Check out the size of these.


http://www.lake-okeechobee-fishing.com/bluegill-fishing-reports.htm


P.S. Some sleeper big bluegill locations are the many private farm ponds across america. If you can get access to them and the ones where the farmer manages them for big bluegills you have a real find. Good luck hunting.
 
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