bluegill on Priest

[Headhunter]

took 2 guys out who said they would convert me to magnets for bluegill. We went to Priest. ended up cleaning 153 big bluegill and 10 shellcrackers. Could have kept double that number but I did not want to clean anymore and we quit bluegill fishing after about 3 hours. I gave them most all the fillets. We made a friendly wager of 5 dollars as to who would catch the most, I fished with a flyrod and also crickets on light spinning rod and they used the magnets. When I was using the flyrod, we were dead even. When I got the crickets out they cried "uncle" and switched to crickets. I caught 2 to their combined one when I used crickets and they used magnets. We had a blast and I ended up converting two who swore by the magnets to crickets and told them they could keep their money. Great day and we even found one school of bass in about 18' deep water and caught somewhere between 35-40 on crankbaits and worms, nothing big but lots of bass.

[Travis C.]

Heck of an outing Headhunter.

Congrats to you guys. Those kind of days make sipping coffee next morning a challenge better alternate sipping hands.

[Headhunter]

it was a good day. so glad I found them on priest so I do not have to make the run to Kentucky Lake, although I truly miss going to Kentucky Lake.

[Travis C.]

it was a good day. so glad I found them on priest so I do not have to make the run to Kentucky Lake, although I truly miss going to Kentucky Lake.

I came across some good 8-8.25" gills recently on Percy. They seem to be just moving up where I was because these fish were not on beds and weren't full of eggs. Caught them trolling crankbaits bunch under few that size one real good one over.

[XxthejuicexX]

I know my grandfather has been killing it on priest. He uses crickets, always has. I got him some trout magnets to try this year.

[Headhunter]

we had several 9 to 9-1/2". They were all nice gills, especially for Priest.

[MNfisher]

we had several 9 to 9-1/2". They were all nice gills, especially for Priest.

Those are huge for priest



Mike

[MNfisher]

we had several 9 to 9-1/2". They were all nice gills, especially for Priest.


Take me to that spot with 9 inch gills on priest and I'll show you how to catch them on a trout magnet. Haha


Mike

[SAMBOLIE]

Take me to that spot with 9 inch gills on priest and I'll show you how to catch them on a trout magnet. Haha


Mike

I would bet him $10 just to get to fish there.

[Headhunter]

I am more protective of big bluegill spots than I am bass spots. I have no interest in learning anything about magnets, been there, done that, many have tried to show me how much better they are only to never succeed. Even when fishing for hatchery trout in the winter, and magnets are the "only" thing they will hit, I have always caught more and caught them faster than the guys with the magnets. When it comes to river wading, I use either live crawfish or an irish whiskey slider, it is hard to beat the irish whiskey slider, I have seen it catch more than live crawfish.

[XxthejuicexX]

I am more protective of big bluegill spots than I am bass spots. I have no interest in learning anything about magnets, been there, done that, many have tried to show me how much better they are only to never succeed. Even when fishing for hatchery trout in the winter, and magnets are the "only" thing they will hit, I have always caught more and caught them faster than the guys with the magnets. When it comes to river wading, I use either live crawfish or an irish whiskey slider, it is hard to beat the irish whiskey slider, I have seen it catch more than live crawfish.


I prefer Bulleit bourbon over an Irish whiskey slider.

[chaseasl]

Cool

[Headhunter]

I prefer Bulleit bourbon over an Irish whiskey slider.

I thought it was crazy and told my friend he was an idiot until we went fishing on the stones one day. He helped me catch crawfish (I love to watch a float, one reason I prefer crickets for bluegill) and then we started fishing. I could drift a live crawfish through a hole, normally a no doubter, a smallmouth or a rock bass is all over it. He was catching more smallmouth and rock bass on the irish whiskey slider than I was with live crawfish. I would have lost that bet and have seen it happen a couple times since.

[browntrout]

took 2 guys out who said they would convert me to magnets for bluegill. We went to Priest. ended up cleaning 153 big bluegill and 10 shellcrackers. Could have kept double that number but I did not want to clean anymore and we quit bluegill fishing after about 3 hours. I gave them most all the fillets. We made a friendly wager of 5 dollars as to who would catch the most, I fished with a flyrod and also crickets on light spinning rod and they used the magnets. When I was using the flyrod, we were dead even. When I got the crickets out they cried "uncle" and switched to crickets. I caught 2 to their combined one when I used crickets and they used magnets. We had a blast and I ended up converting two who swore by the magnets to crickets and told them they could keep their money. Great day and we even found one school of bass in about 18' deep water and caught somewhere between 35-40 on crankbaits and worms, nothing big but lots of bass.

Dang and I had just stocked up on white curly tailed grubs. Now I need to go get some crickets.

Roy

[jaycee]

Crickets are KILLER trout bait.

[MNfisher]

I am more protective of big bluegill spots than I am bass spots. I have no interest in learning anything about magnets, been there, done that, many have tried to show me how much better they are only to never succeed. Even when fishing for hatchery trout in the winter, and magnets are the "only" thing they will hit, I have always caught more and caught them faster than the guys with the magnets. When it comes to river wading, I use either live crawfish or an irish whiskey slider, it is hard to beat the irish whiskey slider, I have seen it catch more than live crawfish.


I know how you feel about trout mags. . Just joking about getting your spot!


Mike

[Travis C.]

Crickets are KILLER trout bait.

Trout dont eat bugs. :)

[Headhunter]

I know how you feel about trout mags. . Just joking about getting your spot!


Mike

If you find it you are more than welcome. There are hundreds, if not thousands of bluegill in that part of the lake.

[Alphahawk]

How about posting several pics of those 9.5 inch Gills.....always like looking at fish pics.

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tkwalker]

How about posting several pics of those 9.5 inch Gills.....always like looking at fish pics.

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

X two .... <'TK><:)

[MNfisher]

If you find it you are more than welcome. There are hundreds, if not thousands of bluegill in that part of the lake.


What part of the lake?? Ha


Mike

[XxthejuicexX]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/14/04819fc82c182b5eb2afb3bd058e55d4.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Headhunter]

pics? what are those? I have never posted any pics of any fish, have I?

[Farley]

You could post a pic of a 9.5 gill with Hong Kong Island in the background and I would still have a hard time believing. I fish ponds with hybrid gills and a 9.5 is hard to come by.

[Headhunter]

Many have told me the same thing about the bass I catch in priest. One thing is for sure, there won't be a background in any pic I post, well the floor of my boat.

[MNfisher]

A true 9.5" gill is a very big gill. Most people way overestimate gills. I'm not referring to you personally Headhunter. I'm just saying in general. I heard of so many 10" or "pounders" that were in reality 9" 10 ouncers.


Mike

[SAMBOLIE]

This one is 9 in. I thought I had hung on a rock. It came from Old Hickory today. Had one almost this size on JPP also.

7164

[Headhunter]

Nice fish. In the last 4 to 5 years, I have caught 4 or 5 that I was sure would make 10" but those few have been right at 9-3/4" on Priest. The biggest this year has been 9-1/2". Not a ton of them for sure, but out of several hundered I catch each year, I will catch 8 or 9 that are 9" or better each year. After the first year I found what I call Kentucky Lake bluegill in Priest, I just knew I would catch a 10" bluegill, but I have caught well over a thousand and have not caught a 10" bluegill yet, but maybe one day.

[Travis C.]

I seen a fiberglass remake of the old world record gill. It was truly amazing to put your hand up next to it for perspective on size. Out of all the replica fish in the hall of records I walked in for gamefish that was one of the most impressive. The walleye was something else too.

The thing I would really love to know is where to catch all these bigger gills in the lake once they leave spawning grounds. Especially the big shellcrackers.

[MNfisher]

A 10" gill is so big.


Mike

[Headhunter]

A 10" gill is so big.


Mike

Yep, I have caught more than you can count of them, out of private lakes.

We caught a few about 20 years ago, didn't measure length then, but caught some that weighed 1 lb to 1-1/4 lbs on ceritified scales out of Kentucky Lake. Don't know if those bluegills are still there, but I do know where they bedded at, and have not fished for them in many, many years.

I know exactly how big they are and one of the main reasons I got so excited when I caught the ones that were 9" and just over that in Priest.