I Was Wrong. There Are Still Big Bluegill In The Metro.

Its been about 4 years since I lived in the Metro, so I can’t speak for the quality of the panfish these days. I do know when I lived in the metro I use to catch a fair amount of sunfish each year over 10″ ( Like 8-12 fish a year ). Finding fish in the 8-8.5″ range was not all that hard. I actually use to have several friend from up North come visit me in the metro to go panfishing. With the fishing pressure and other factors things may have changed.

fishthumper wrote:

Its been about 4 years since I lived in the Metro, so I can’t speak for the quality of the panfish these days. I do know when I lived in the metro I use to catch a fair amount of sunfish each year over 10″ ( Like 8-12 fish a year ). Finding fish in the 8-8.5″ range was not all that hard. I actually use to have several friend from up North come visit me in the metro to go panfishing. With the fishing pressure and other factors things may have changed.

Its about the same now. Just have to pick and choose the right areas. Im not sure exactly whats counted as metro. But we find them all over, just have to work for them

Bearcat89 wrote:

Its about the same now. Just have to pick and choose the right areas. Im not sure exactly whats counted as metro. But we find them all over, just have to work for them

I agree although I would say the average size has steadily gone down.

I would say “metro” is within an hour of Mpls or St Paul IMO. I live in the west metro and if I can get there in under an hour then I would say it qualifies. Its subjective though obviously

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Its about the same now. Just have to pick and choose the right areas. Im not sure exactly whats counted as metro. But we find them all over, just have to work for them

I agree although I would say the average size has steadily gone down.

I would say “metro” is within an hour of Mpls or St Paul IMO. I live in the west metro and if I can get there in under an hour then I would say it qualifies. Its subjective though obviously

Yes thats what I was thinking to. But I will also state I catch nice gills and crappies 20 minutes of of st paul. Just have to get off the beaten path

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Its about the same now. Just have to pick and choose the right areas. Im not sure exactly whats counted as metro. But we find them all over, just have to work for them

I agree although I would say the average size has steadily gone down.

I would say “metro” is within an hour of Mpls or St Paul IMO. I live in the west metro and if I can get there in under an hour then I would say it qualifies. Its subjective though obviously

If that’s the case…. then there’s AWESOME fishing in the metro… because Mississippi and st Croix would be “metro” lol. Including upper river section of pool 4.

I gauge metro by when I feel like puking… and that’s crossing 494. If I don’t cross 494, I don’t feel the metro feel… which is BARF

Hey, Nice GILL! would make great bait on the Wisconsin sections of the Minnesota metro.

Nice gills everyone. My oldest and I got into a pile of 9+”, 4 touching 10”. We were an hour south of the metro though.

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Bearcat89 wrote:

But I will also state I catch nice gills and crappies 20 minutes of of st paul

Lake Minnetonka has the biggest crappies I have literally ever seen with my own eyes in person. I’ve never caught one but I see a dozen or more in person every spring that are 15+ inches.

Eelpoutguy will confirm this

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>gimruis wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Its about the same now. Just have to pick and choose the right areas. Im not sure exactly whats counted as metro. But we find them all over, just have to work for them

I agree although I would say the average size has steadily gone down.

I would say “metro” is within an hour of Mpls or St Paul IMO. I live in the west metro and if I can get there in under an hour then I would say it qualifies. Its subjective though obviously

If that’s the case…. then there’s AWESOME fishing in the metro… because Mississippi and st Croix would be “metro” lol. Including upper river section of pool 4.

I gauge metro by when I feel like puking… and that’s crossing 494. If I don’t cross 494, I don’t feel the metro feel… which is BARF

Hey, Nice GILL! would make great bait on the Wisconsin sections of the Minnesota metro.

Thought this was about lakes. We all know the river is endless

Wow, well done!

Dont forget everybody ND has slobs 2 metigoshie is ranked #10 in the country for gills ive pulled some tanks out of lots of nd lakes when i lived out there guys get way to hung up on perch and eyes out there lots of trout and gills to be had

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This is about the only thing on ice I enjoy, big gills, well that and some booze.

Nice pics everyone.

joe-winter wrote:

Nice gills everyone. My oldest and I got into a pile of 9+”, 4 touching 10”. We were an hour south of the metro though.

It looks like he’s focused on catching the next one!! Awesome big gills with the kiddo

Wow, dang nice bluegill!

Now, who’s your hired tag-along cameraman?

Let me guess, your fishing partner has an iPhone 12…

An hour outside the metro is liberal. I consider metro the first couple suburb rings. I’d say lakeville to the south, Woodbury to the east, maple grove and Orono to the west and forest lake north. Basically a 20 mile radius from downtown MPLS. I assume Bearcat includes the Chisago area lakes which to me are questionable as metro.

River doesn’t count because, well, it’s the river.

My personal definition of the metro is Nokomis, Harriet, Calhoun.

Regardless, a 10” gill is a beast.

Great Fish!

Matt Moen wrote:

An hour outside the metro is liberal. I consider metro the first couple suburb rings. I’d say lakeville to the south, Woodbury to the east, maple grove and Orono to the west and forest lake north. Basically a 20 mile radius from downtown MPLS. I assume Bearcat includes the Chisago area lakes which to me are questionable as metro.

River doesn’t count because, well, it’s the river.

My personal definition of the metro is Nokomis, Harriet, Calhoun.

Regardless, a 10” gill is a beast.

I have the same radius as you. However this fish was from a lake not close to that radius.

It looks like he’s focused on catching the next one!! Awesome big gills with the kiddo

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I won one of my fantasy football leagues this year and I bought him a FL-12 with the winnings. A game changer for him wanting to hit the ice now! Now, to keep the other brother from fighting over it. Good problem to have in my book.

LabDaddy1 wrote:

Wow, dang nice bluegill!

Now, who’s your hired tag-along cameraman?

Let me guess, your fishing partner has an iPhone 12…

HA. Not hired, and it was with a very nice Sony digital camera. I’m not photography guy so I don’t know which one, but the guy who took it is, which is why they are nice pics! I wouldn’t do nearly as well.

Haha yeah I figured. People with good photography skills are always a nice bonus while out fishing/hunting/whatever

In case anyone is interested in the video…..

mahtofire14 wrote:

In case anyone is interested in the video…..

<div class=”ido-oembed-wrap”><iframe title=”GIANT PB Bluegill While Ice Fishing” width=”850″ height=”478″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/VFyAQxcFfSc?feature=oembed&#8221; frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen=””></iframe></div>

I only watched the catch of the fish. But definitely a nice fish. Must have been pretty mild out that day. The fish didn’t seem to mind the cold.