From Bullheads to Bluegills

I was just thinking hard about this , Wisconsin verses Minnesota. I don’t think either one of us has it better than the other

So I have to leave work/home 1-2hrs earlier (what ever I feel safe with to get bait) than the guys that are using Bullheads, dipping them out before heading to the river. Is that an advantage over scooping up my bullies at 6-7pm to just go fishing

And what makes me even think harder about it……..you dudes are producing some darn nice fish

I can’t even purchase bullheads around here
What’s your thought? I don’t think I have it made…….do you? I have even asked the question in earlier years where I could get bullheads in my area?

Bret

The old green grass on the other side of the fence illness. I was just talking to someone last night about how I was surprised I hadn’t heard of anyone using creek chubs yet. Judging by the fish you caught earlier this year, the one in the avatar, I wouldn’t worry about the bullheads. And if you have too many choices, it’s just one more thing to second guess.

I agree with you totally pug

But then again to make myself clear….there are nights I wished I could walk out to the tank, take a dip and go fishing

Ah, I think I am a little confused though (I know, big surprise) and maybe it’s because I don’t know Wisconsin regs or something. Are you able (legally) to keep bluegills like bullheads in a tank or are they not hardy enough to do that? Or are you saying that if you want to use bullheads you have to give yourself extra time. me-> <-you Enlighten me

Bret, you should try bass!! I hear you catch them like the dip netters do bullies!

I wish we could use sunfish here. check your local ponds and lakes for bullies then set out a few traps in the high producers then set up a bullie tank that should last you for a few weeks.

If we could use sunfish here I would be able to catch them faster than most guys catch bullies.

I wonder what it would take for the DNR to loosen up on regs for using sunfish?

He means that in WI, bullheads are considered gamefish and are not allowed to be sold at baitshops. So we are forced to catch bait.

I would LOVE to be able to swing by a baitshop after work and pick up some decent flathead bait on the way to the river.

I had a prime bullhead pond that appears to have frozen out this past winter so bait is a real pain this year.

Bluegills get pretty weak after about 3 days in my tank. Bullheads are lively for months. I would gladly switch regs with MN, this year anyway.

On a similar note, isn’t Everts in WI? I was wondering how they were able to sell bullheads.

I dont buy any bait at a bait shop.. with the exception of some leeches to catch bullheads here and there. I dont keep a stock tank at home right now either.. so any live bait I caught fresh near fishing time.

It might take a little research finding a good bullhead spot, but once you do they usually produce more than what you need in 30 minutes. It would even be less if we were allowed sunfish.

I dont like being restricted to what the bait shop carries either… depending how the bullheads are coming in, you might get stuck with a bunch of 5″ walleye minnows instead of decent bait. I would rather burn 30 minutes fishing time to have good bait than get stuck with the scraps of a bait tank.

I’ve been making a transition the creek chubs the past week and getting a lot of bonus channels runs/fish. They really love em.
Some people don’t have much of a choice, especially on the weekdays. Either you have a stock tank or you buy bait. One to two hours spent getting bait on the weeknights are VERY valuable.
As far as the gills, I would love to be able to use them, but it comes down to adapting. You can covet, but it’s not worth the worry. Put a big lively bait of any species out there and if they are hungry they’ll eat it.

Why cant you get a bait tank and keep some bullheads on hand? Is that not legal in WI?

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He means that in WI, bullheads are considered gamefish and are not allowed to be sold at baitshops.

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With the new VHS laws…all fish have to be transported…dead.

Some how they lose there livliness.

Maybe you should try fishing with Betas then.

I apologize. I am starting a self imposed banning of a week right now for that one.

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With the new VHS laws…all fish have to be transported…dead.

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Unless they are purchased from a licensed bait dealer, which is why I wish bait shops could sell bullheads in WI.

If you follow the VHS laws to the letter, you must use live bait from a registered bait dealer or catch your bait from the same body of water you are fishing, yet no live fish can be removed from those waters, so your tank at home is no good for fish caught in the wild.

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Maybe you should try fishing with Betas then.

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I wonder what colors Flathead prefer

A little sidetrack here, but the topic of bettas reminded me of a funny story.

In college, my roommate and I each had 55 gallon aquariums with an oscar in each. If you don’t know what an oscar is, I would describe it as a South American rock bass. They’ll devour anything. Anyhow, both of our fish were 9-10 inches long and probably a good pound to pound and a half.

Well, his girlfriend brought over a betta that was used in one of her biology classes. Of course, our intention was for a quick snack for one of the oscars.

She got worried that this “Siamese fighting fish” would hurt the oscar . Let’s just say the betta was gone about a millisecond after it hit the water.

Well as long as you went off topic I am taking the ban off. I raised a oscar once and then got him a buddy. What a cool fish. Nothing got him as excited as seeing a bag of goldfish or crappie minnows floating in a bag. They liked it when I pet their heads after a good meal.

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They liked it when I pet their heads after a good meal.

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Yeah, mine always liked that, too. My favorite food to give them was frogs.

I don’t think I’d have the heart to feed them frogs. Too cute.

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Too cute

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Re-ban yourself.

Don’t make me repost the picture.

I have made it clear I am a nature boy. Which reminds me, I have to get a hold of the U of M Extension service. I witnessed some cool looking bugs in my backyard the other day.

I can just picture you out back frolicking with the bugs and a butterfly net….

Marc thats not right!!

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I witnessed some cool looking bugs in my backyard the other day.

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Pug…what exactly do you mean when you say….”backyard”?

I said nature-boy, not fruitcup.

Just looking for clarification.

I took the wife and kids “fishing” last night (looking for new bait catching spots).

The wife figured out my true motive and said she didn’t like being an “enabler” to my disease.

Is an intervention far away?

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Is an intervention far away?

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We can only hope so

Yeah, our 12 step program will have you not wanting to spend any time with your family in just a few short weeks.

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I took the wife and kids “fishing” last night (looking for new bait catching spots).

The wife figured out my true motive and said she didn’t like being an “enabler” to my disease.

Is an intervention far away?

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I did that too! I just kept accidentally catching bass though! I did catch a couple bullies that make the nokomis butterballs look like babies! One looked like he had a beard that day it was 2 bullies 5 sunfish and 10 largemouth

Watching the bullies feed was funny though they sure are gluttons. They went screaming after all the sunfish and bass that were around the leach I was using..and I thought I heard him say MINE MINE MINE!!!!! Right before he inhaled the bait.

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Yeah, our 12 step program will have you not wanting to spend any time with your family in just a few short weeks.

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It has actually save my 23 year marriage

As far as bully’s on the feed bag, pool 8 use to be that way in the early 70’s. You could actually stand up on a tall bank and watch the cloud move in just before dark. It was an awesome sight. What killed it….there are all kinds of different theories. Mine is they were carried out by the buckets full for a good 5 years Then it started to die off and everyone was wondering where the bullheads went, DA