Elusive 10" gill

[Lunker]

How many of you have caught the 10" gill? I have caught a few over 9", including one yesterday, but I have never caught one exceeding 10", which seems to be a major benchmark for most "bull" hunters. I did lose one at the hole this year that I am 100% sure would have been over 10", I thought it was a bass until I saw it. I would think that if I manage it I'd be interested in a replica, cause even the 9- 9 1/2 I get are just amazing fish, with shoulders! And colorful, strong, they are fun(they go back). Most of my fishing is here in the cities as well, so it seems harder to find waters that aren't teeming with dinks!

[FI Guide]

I have caught the 10 in gill many times. There are plenty of lakes that have these "bulls" you just have to search hard and weed out some of the smaller gills but they are there.

[Matt Johnson]

Those 10 inchers are hard to come by. I was fortunate enough to catch two 11.5 inchers the same day out the same hole. I have replicas of those fish that I need to pick up, they were fish of a lifetime! I caught a few 10 inchers but not many. Here's a couple pictures of some 10 inch gills or near 10 inch gills...

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[Cyberfish]

I gotta help ya catch some of those some day ! Plus you need someone to take pic of you with a flash. hard to see some of those sumos

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[Kidd]

Believe it or not, Pelican Lake in ORR use to produce 10's and 11's with regularity. Of course this was 20 years ago and I haven’t seen one that size come out of there since. I have a 10 3/4 incher mounted that my son caught up there about 25 years ago. They were pigs.

[Guest]

often, spring/early summer flyrod w/popers, canepole w/small leech/grubs or grasshopers,
early morning. just doesn't get any better than that!!!!

[Matt Johnson]

Cyberfish,
Definitely, let me know when you have some free time during march and we can chase those bull gills. It was nice seeing you again and talking with you out on Mille Lacs this weekend. I saw the cartoons you drew of the talking bass, Dave put them on the Catch-N Tackle website. Good work!

I'll drop you an e-mail.

Kidd,
I've heard stories about the big gills from years back from my dad and uncles. Must have been awesome to catch 10's and 11's consistently.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[Lunker]

Those are some nice gills Matt. Are you always fortunate enough to have someone to hold the camera or do u have a timed camera? This only my second year of icing gills(never tried before then) and I've gotten some decent 9's but nothing hittin double digits. Maybe March will change that for me... We'll see.

[Matt Johnson]

I have a timed camera for when I'm alone but normally I'm out on the ice with a fishing partner or two. If you are ever interested in hitting some bull gills during march let me know. I will be chasing crappies and gills just about every chance I get during late ice. You also get to ice some big largemouths while targeting these gills using small jigs and maggots. But now that I have a few catfish spots I might have to hit some cats during march when I want some big fish

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[Cyberfish]

20 years ago they poisoned out lake rebecca and restocked it with gills, bass, and walleye. Those bluegills got HUGE, and noone knew about them. they went from 3 quarters to a pound and a half. that would be around 10 to 12 inches. Unfortunatly releasing big gils was almost unheard of then, and word got out and they got fished out. I know I took home my share, and right off the beds too. I wish had known that they would never be replaced if I took them. Now all there is iin there is dinks.

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[fishfinder04]

I have caught a couple of 12 inchers on a lake that usually has about 5 or 6 inchers

[CrappieMagnet]

My mom use to have a house on a lake for many years that's not too far from the twin cities that has lots of 10-12 inch bull gills,just gotta know where to go,and also has 14-18 inch crappies.I'd like too take Matt up there and make his eye's pop out!Well maybe someday?

CM

[Matt Johnson]

CrappieMagnet,

Let me know when and where. I have a hot little near Metro lake that is great for late march through the ice gills. I'll take you to mine if you take me to yours A 18 inch crappie is almost unheard of in the area, let alone anywhere in the Minnesota. This sounds too good to be true. I've seen a couple gills in the 13 inch range caught up north on a small lake that filled a dinner plate! Huge fish! Looked like a frisbee

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[CrappieMagnet]

Your on...too good to be true?
We'll see..
I have a few too,that we can try also in the spring,if yah don't mind 3.(i'm traiing in a new fishing partner)but i would really like to turn you on to these great fish.
My email is [email protected]
Send me your cell or home#.

CM

[slick2526]

I have C&R about seven that pushed the 11in mark this winter. was on a AJ jr. firetiger with a crappie minnow.

[juggs]

I have a ten and a half incher I got on a small lake in central Iowa about ten years ago. It weighed just under a pound and took drag on my ultralight. I caught several others on a farm pond that I'm sure rivaled the mounter but I ate them--something I wouldn't do again. Talk about fun to catch.

[Guest]

12 to 13" gills are nearly unheard of in Mn you better keep them trophy waters to yourself. Only a handfull of waters in this state grow fish like that. Biggest i've seen was a touch over 11".

[Matt Johnson]

Anyone have any pictures of their big gills? If you want to e-mail them to me I can put them up here. No need for a lake name, just a picture telling how big, we can get our own little bull gill album going

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[Walleye #1]

Believe it or not, but about 4 winters ago I caught a 12"er through the ice on a decent size farm pond. The thing felt like I had a 20lb Northern. It was a fight of a life time. I got a replica made of that one. It is a beautiful fish, b/c it seems that the older the gills get in this pond the darker colors they get. It had dark blues and blacks. What a great fish! It makes you wonder sometimes, how big of gills are swimming around.

Walleye #1

PS - Two 11.5 "ers in one day. WOW!

[Matt Johnson]

Those farm ponds are awesome for big gills! If you find a good one its probably best to keep it to yourself. I'm only saying this because they are generally small and can easily get fished out in a short period. Iowa is full of these farm ponds that hold giant gills, same with western and southern Minnesota. Actually, you can find them all over if you look hard enough, might not be a farm pond but it can be a small body of water that no one knows about. I always take a chance on those small ponds, never know if you've found a little gem

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[Guest]

Hey walleye spend much time on the sippi backwaters for gills. My parents live near caledonia and I spend some time there in the winter chasing the bulls.