Beautiful bull

Took this picture today of a fish my son caught, thought it was cool. Was weird to catch a bunch of big bulls in 3’ of water and no females…

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Forgot picture

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Nice!!! that is a dandy!

Nice one ,its been awhile but these are best I ever caught . 8to 11 inches

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Freaking dandy of a fish, and I bet a real fun time for the kiddo. Well done.

Now that I’m getting into panfishing a bit more honestly you give me two lures and that’s all I need, 1/32 jig and gulp minnows, and that right there of a good ol flu flu. Fish just love those things all year long. Pop out fair share of walleyes w them as well

Congratulations to your son!

NICE! What part of the state? Are those buggars still spawning?

Faribault area

Nice fish. Nothing will destroy a lake’s large bluegill genetics than keeping the big bull gills. They are essential in maintaining a healthy population. Minnesota has put 5 fish limits on selected lakes to enable the big bluegills to thrive.
Practicing Catch and release and selected harvest is the way to ensure your little boy will have fish to enjoy catching through out his lifetime.

Congrats Craig to your son and I know I always loved catching big gills when I was younger.

Don that had to be a fun day. those are some good eats right there. Can’t wait for a couple weeks I can finally wet a line this summer.

Thanks Craig
Good point Mark, talked to a guide who mainly guides for pannies he thinks those 5 fish limits encourage people to keep larger fish.

Great to see kids fishing. As hunting and fishing gets more commercialized. Kids often end up the odd ones out. Adults get more worried about their own success, and new technology. I’ve been taking the neighbor boy and his dad out. Watching him fall in love with fishing. Often find me watching or helping him, rather than fishing myself.

Hoyt4 wrote:

Congrats Craig to your son and I know I always loved catching big gills when I was younger.

Don that had to be a fun day. those are some good eats right there. Can’t wait for a couple weeks I can finally wet a line this summer.

All these came from a private lake , that is rarely fished . That also was a 2 person bag . For those questioning what was kept LOL

Anyone questioning you can kiss your ass. If they dont wanna keep them dont. You wanted to and did nobody elses business. You have a license and with that comes your right to keep your limit.

tim hurley wrote:

Thanks Craig
Good point Mark, talked to a guide who mainly guides for pannies he thinks those 5 fish limits encourage people to keep larger fish.

This is a real good point and one I was worried about with the lower limits. A guy who would of keep 10 or 20 small to Medium fish ( 7-8″ ) and throw back the larger fish, Will now feel like to get enough fish for a decent meal start keeping the larger fish. I don’t have a problem with special limits to try and help the panfish population and increase the size of panfish overall. I do feel like the possession limit does need to be more than just the daily limit. Its hard to have a few family and friends over for a fish fry once in awhile when the possession limit is only 5 or in some cases 10 Fish. I myself have no problem eating 8-10 panfish Fillets

I fished a lake that crappie limit was 15. 5 over 10”and 10 under. That made sense to me. I usually only keep 6 or 8 depending on size.

Kids love keeping fish, I would not ask that kid to throw that one back. I knew a DNR guy who was doing a fishing intro event way up in Rainy Lake, he said ‘what I wouldn’t do for a bay packed with little bluegills’. Sunnies are what gets most kiddos into fishing and they love to contribute to dinner.

Mark Quimby wrote:

Nice fish. Nothing will destroy a lake’s large bluegill genetics than keeping the big bull gills. They are essential in maintaining a healthy population. Minnesota has put 5 fish limits on selected lakes to enable the big bluegills to thrive.
Practicing Catch and release and selected harvest is the way to ensure your little boy will have fish to enjoy catching through out his lifetime.

Thanks for the PSA…I wasn’t aware 🙄 I posted the picture because I thought it was a beautiful gill, for what it’s worth I practice selective harvest, no need to preach. I kept enough for a couple meals, is that OK with you?

Craig Sery wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Mark Quimby wrote:</div>
Nice fish. Nothing will destroy a lake’s large bluegill genetics than keeping the big bull gills. They are essential in maintaining a healthy population. Minnesota has put 5 fish limits on selected lakes to enable the big bluegills to thrive.
Practicing Catch and release and selected harvest is the way to ensure your little boy will have fish to enjoy catching through out his lifetime.

Thanks for the PSA…I wasn’t aware 🙄 I posted the picture because I thought it was a beautiful gill, for what it’s worth I practice selective harvest, no need to preach. I kept enough for a couple meals, is that OK with you?

Yeah you have to watch out for the fish police here! I bought a new boat a few years ago and my first time out I got into a bunch of big gills. I kept two and posted a picture and was ridiculed for a few day on here about it. The lake I was on is known locally for the large panfish, quite frankly I’ve never caught a small one out of there but people thought I was destroying the lake for generations. 🙄 I don’t post fish pictures anymore on here!

I do agree with you guys a lot of the guys have become to judgy when it comes to posting a pics of paners. In fact I got into some nice crappies up north on opener but have yet to post the pic of me holding a 14 1/2 and a 15 inchers next to the cleaning shack, even though we only kept a couple of that size and the rest of the limit being 11-12s. Lets encourage a little less intently on our views there.

Craig great job on getting your kids into fishing and very nice bull gill sir! F what the haters say!

Beautiful bull Craig. Tell the kid congrats. And next time you want to go out again, let’s go.

For sure Ron! Might not be till fall smallie bite, having surgery next week so will be laid up for a bit