Do you love big bluegill?
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Bill Bottger
- Male
- Newbury, OH
- United States
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Bill Bottger's Groups
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Southeast U.S. bluegill…
42 members
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Bluegill Fly Rodders
159 members
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Indiana, Ohio, Illinois…
95 members
Bill Bottger's Discussions
Superlines?
Replied Jun. 18, 2009
Dark Coloring on Fish
Replied May. 26, 2009
Flourocarbon Line
Replied Apr. 7, 2009
Bill Bottger's Page
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Latest Activity
I have oned one for 15 years and have caught thousands of panfish from it. It will never be for sale.
John: Thank you again for the information. Can you please let me know the response once you have a chance to speak to Eric re his interest in carrying TopMix? I order all of my bait from him.
John: There are several sources from which I can order the TopMix Product. Can you possibly suggest one or two of their formulas that would be good attractants for bluegills and crappies? Thanks so much.
John: Thank you so much for the valuable information. I will try to order the TopMix product. I have a good source from Minnesota re the live bait. I have used maggots as bait for approximately 50 years (I am now age 60).
John: This is a very good article. Can you possibly advise me as to the type and source of ground bait (ground seed and grain particles) that you use? Do you make your own? If so, can you possibly share the formula. Thank you so much.
Zig: Can you please send an e mail to me at "bbott@windstream.net." I have some info to share directly with you that you may find to be interesting.
Thanks Bill
The fishing for crappies (especially October and into early November) is much better (in fact, it is wonderful) in the fall than for gills. The lake is turning over and gills can be a challenge - it is a long story that you will understand when you…
Zig: If you ever head "west" to Ohio, perhaps we could fish together. You might enjoy using the Stradavarius I (which I still use extensively) and compare it to your II model. In reality, I have 3 models predating the "I". Perhaps we could teach eac…
Zig: I read your recent blog re fishing in cold open water conditions. Having faced those challenges, your results were beyond phenomenal. Many people do not understand or appreciate the incredible finesse and determination that is necessary in orde…
Zig: I assure you that if I felt that I could improve upon the Stradivarius II, I would already have already tried to do such. Absent spending several thousand dollars in order to pay a manufacturer for custom tooling (with a large minimum order qua…
The only 0 wt. blank of which I am aware has 3 pieces and is very expensive (blank price alone approximates built cost of Stradavarius). I believe that you will lose sensitivity with a 3 piece rod. I may be wrong. I have not had Frank build one for…
Zig: Glad you like the pole. Did you see both In-Fisherman articles? . The Stradavarius II is approximately the 6th generation of custom made ultralights that I have worked with the Rodmaker's Shop on. I have approximately 11 of them. I recently use…
I extensively use one pound test Fireline in Green (actually more yellow than green). It is very good for "line watching" (strike detecion) since I rarely use a bobber or strike indicator. I always tie a fluorocarbon leader with a back-to-back uni k…
The difference in coloration relates to (a) habitat - they get darker the more they are in the weeds, and (b) the males get darker and sometimes almost black when they begin spawning activities.
Gills and crappies have been on beds near Akron for almost 2 weeks. Ashtabula County is probably 1 week behind the Akron area.
Steve: One other thing. I do not have a website, but you are correct that my E mail address is bbott@windstream.net. Thanks - good fishing to you.
Profile Information
- Largest bluegill ever caught?
- 11 inches
- Favorite place to catch bluegill?
- Natural lakes
- Do you have a pond? If so, describe it.
- No
No
Comment Wall (11 comments)
- At 6:58am on May 8, 2010,
Bob Lusk said… - Bill,
If the theory is to protect fish for reproducing and repopulating the lake, closing the lake is irrelevant. All you need is one female to spawn successfully to replenish the lake.
I think closing the lake to fishing is irrelevant to help the bass population. I think weighing and measuring bass to continually monitor the growth rates of the entire population goes a long way to helping monitor its progress and to give data to help make harvest decisions over the long run.
- At 12:33pm on March 31, 2009,
John Cachel said… - Yes, I missed read Line Alternatives and I would like to try Techan 3.1 lbs test. Its like between 2 and 4 lbs test line! I fished a several small lakes in Disney resort area. My wife and I are member of the Disney Vacation Club. Lakes is catch and release only and not need Florida fishing license. I fished smaller lakes on shore myself because of larger lakes that you have to fish with guide! Its very expensive so forget it! Larger lakes is diffcult to fish from shore because of very shallow, lot of weeds and tall grass!
Lot of lakes, ponds and canals in Florida and need some homework and research to find a good lake that might have some monster bluegills!
- At 11:19am on March 31, 2009,
John Cachel said…
- I picked up an In Fisherman magazine today and its real nice article! I agreed with long rod and I used Bass Pro Shop Micro Lite 7 ft 6" rod and caught lot of bluegills. Its not best rod but I can feel light bite on IM6 graphite. Someday I would plan to buy a better 7 ft 6 inch ultralight rod! I agreed about light line but I made my mistake from last week in Florida! I used 2 lbs test line and landed over 400 bluegills in a few days. About 30 over 8" and 8 over 9 inch and the biggest is almost 10 inch. I forgot about 2 lbs test line and a real big 'gill closer to the tall grass in 3 feet deep and I can't stop it. Broken line! Next time I use 4 or 6 lbs line when I fish closer to covers! Two rods with me! 2 lbs and 4 lbs test line! Bigger spool....YES!
Cabela's sell Techan Permium Plus 3.1 lbs test line and have you try it? I plan to order it and see if I like it!
Deepwater Finesse Double Dropper rig with leaf worm or leech would be good when I go out on kayak to deepwater to search for trophy bluegills! Can't wait to try it this summer!
- At 5:54pm on March 24, 2009,
John Cachel said…
- Thanks! Looking forward to get April/May In Fisherman magazine!
- At 8:16am on February 13, 2009,
John Cachel said…
- Hi Bill,
I enjoyed read your Extreme Ultralight Panfish in an In Fisherman magazine in the past and looking forward to read new article in next month! (March)
I like my 7 ft St, Croix ultralight rod and I can't find 7 ft6" until I found Bass Pro Shop Micro Lite 7 ft 6" ultralight rod for $50. Its IM6 graphite and I sure wish it would be IM8 or higher! I added a small metal wire eye by handle to hold my small lure. I don't like to put my lure on the rod's guide! 50 dollars is not too bad. Lot of Bluegills, crappies and sunfish on Micro Lite 7ft6" rod for me on 1/80 oz plan jig with Gulp maggot or 1" twister tail. I main use live bait for big bluegills and I use 7 ft or 12 ft medlight rods!
You made your own interesting tiny lures that fool big 'gills and crappies!
Welcome to Big Bluegill Club!
John
- At 7:40pm on February 11, 2009,
Allen said… - Welcome to BigBG!!!
Great site with great people.
Fish On!!!!
- At 8:59am on February 11, 2009,
Mike Flanagan said… - Bill,
I also tie...not well, but predators like cripples, don't they? LOL. I fish a 2wt, 3wt, 5wt (depending on brush), & my 'boo when there is NO chance of rain.
We'll have to get together some time this Spring/Summer. My only problem is that my baby, Maggie, is getting married in July & don't know how that will affect my free time. I'm hoping my major part is just walking her down the aisle (the longest mile!)....I can forget about dry eyes though!
Mike
- At 8:01am on February 11, 2009,
Mike Flanagan said…
- Bill,
I live in Canton & fish mostly farm ponds & ALWAYS with a fly rod. I usually reserve at least ONE Saturday or Sunday every week or 2 to fish with one or more of my Grandchildren.
I didn't take up fly fishing until I was past 50 & love it. If you haven't fly fished for gills yet, give me a holler...I always have extra gear available for fishin' buddies.
Mike
- At 5:56pm on February 10, 2009,
Kiana said… - Welcome to the site!!
- At 3:50pm on February 10, 2009,
Bruce Condello said… - Welcome!!!!
Latest Activity
Ditto, but they shut up after going with or eating the results.
Aw shucks there I go making a fool out of myself on line again. Sorry about the whole rooked thing, I saw that was on a different post of one of your pics Zach. I'm a little paranoid about Google, so thats where that came from. I've gotta work on my…
thats a big ole chinqupin
My stomach usually doesn't give the scales enough time to join in on the action though.
They are a very different fish I'll say that. The best I have figured so far is that they like the bottom and live bait, not to say that they wont strike an artificial, it takes some real skill though from what I can gather and I really admire those…
I was kind of worried about that, but I have seen some variations of Hybrids look this way, or at least that is what was posted on the internet.
We always called these black pearch.
To be honest I do not think the Green Sunfish have the yellow bel…
I am still trying to figure out how to fish for Redear. I have not had much luck with them. The seem to be pretty smart.
Do you have tricks you would like to share on catching these guys?
Did you happen to get the weight of any of these fish?
They fight just like a big bluegill. I am told you can eat them but haven't tried yet. The ones we caught today went to a friend who has a pet shop. I wouldn't mind trying them though. They are local to south Texas and I would imagine that they eat…
Oops sorry Zach I forgot about need a trout stamp on your license.
Bank access has improved since they began stocking trout back in the late 90's. As of now State regs require a trout license to fish it during the season ($10). If you plan to launch a boat you will need a permit. Not sure about other options as far…
About the only time you can fish Pawhuska from the bank is when they drop the lake for trout season. There is no cost to fish it.
I know, I will have to try it out this fall when the temps drop a bit. Can you fish it from the bank at all, and is there a cost to fish it?
Oh brother, Zach living in Northeast Oklahoma and having not fished this lake before......Let me tell you.
A spring fed 90 Acres of Heaven.
The wildlife department comes in and stocks trout every other week from November until the end of March (bl…
Cedric you are truly gifted to be capable of putting things like this into the words they way that you do. I've been reading your posts, you have just gained a huge fan. Cant wait to hear more from you!
I have yet to fish lake Pawhuska, is it a nice lake? Did they stock everything in it?
So how do they fight and can you eat them?
almost has a knot head
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