Well, I know most of y'all ain't going to believe it but I finally caved in and decided to learn how to post photos so here's a few of some fish I caught at the Breambusters fish fry we just had recently down at Fairfield. Sorry I did not get any of the group activities but I will probably be a picture posting fool now till the new wears off my new-found teknelogikle expertise.
I hope these actually show up.




A nice one - I wonder if this one is a native? He doesn't have the big giant ear flaps or the clown colored face like the usual copper nose have on.





Fairfield Pig - This one looks more like the other copper nose especially around the face area.





cooler full of Fairfield Fatties - that's an Igloo 52 qt for reference.


I'm heading down there Friday for the 3 day weekend and hope to get a few more like the ones above.

sometimes i wonder..will the big bluegills ever get fished out of that lake?.......ever?...i hope they dont....i want a cooler too!

I have never seen one even close to that. What bait were you using and how were you fishing it?

I've wondered the exact same question - lots of times. I guess it's certainly possible or even probable given enough pressure, but they have a year round growing season, are very prolific and have a forage base from the Tilapia fry that is just taylor made to grow those big shoulders.
AND, the big ones are not all that easy to catch every time. I think the thing that would kill the big bluegill fishery more likely than over harvest would be if the power plant were to ever shut down completely and the Tilapia all died off. I think they would still be there, but not near as many of the really big ones because the food supply would limit their numbers like it does at Purtis Creek where they also have stocked Copper Nose bluegill. That's my guess, but that's all it is - just a guess.

BTW, that ice chest had a big bag of ice in the bottom so i embellished the story a little bit like we're prone to do LOL - it wasn't plumb packed with fish. But that top layer gives a good size comparison of what you can catch down there if you luck into some big ones...Jon

That is an awesome batch of big bream! Congrats...

Up till around 3 years ago, i hadn't seen them like that either. And if not for the generosity and willingness to share some knowledge by people right here on this forum, I probably still wouldn't have seen one.

Fairfield and those monster bluegills is sort of a special place - almost like a gift.

Live Crickets - big ones, are the preferred bait and i fish mine near the bottom with a super slow retrieve and depending on the wind, the lightest bit of weight I can get by with. They like them going slow. Other people have good luck with slip bobbers and heavier weights, but i like to slow roll my cricket just barely keeping it up off the bottom. Sometimes when I'm picking out one of those 15yd mess of tangled mono where about three loops comes off the reel all together and the cricket's been setting still on the bottm for 5 minutes, I'll go to real up and there will often be a bluegill on there who picked it up right off the bottom. If you ever get the chance to go down there, you should give it a go. I warn you though, that place is addictive!!

You are in gill heaven. What bait did you use if I may ask? I haven't seen a cooler full of big bills like that since long ago when I lived in Arkansas for four years and we would find huge beds. Would catch them on crickets, using a fly rod. Was lots of fun.

Thanks for the advice. I an new to bluegill fishing (except for corn under a bobber). I am trying to learn and teach my boys.

Well done, Jon!!

That type of BG fishing is great, especially on FF.

Jon, good show on the pictures as proof of the catch.
Look fwd to seeing you soon.
worth

Not sure what to say about that... WOW!

Those are monsters!!

I think crickets are the key bait for them.

What areas (generally I mean as in type and depth) are you finding them there.

My style is from back in Louisiana and I have fished fairfield for bass before and it is different structure. I get a bit lost when I cant find all sorts of trees to fish for them.

Thanks for any tips. Had another good tip from here about them liking them on the bottom. I plan on being there the weekend after memorial if the kiddo gets better and no one else catches his strep throat. Like to miss the big crowds.

Keep up the good work!

dw173, Didn't want to change the post but how's the bass fishing out there? Went there this week-endfor B/G, but was wondering if & how to catch some bass. Thanks for any help.