Big Fish and New-to-Me Fish

[FishnDave]

Big is a relative term. 10" Bluegills around the midwest seem to be VERY RARE, especially in public waters. I caught 3 in Iowa last week (biggest measured 10.5"), and one in Missouri this week!

[FishnDave]

And the "new-to-me" fish species:
Redspotted Sunfish:


Dollar Sunfish:


Bantam Sunfish:


Warmouth (caught one years ago, but no picture. This one is on a fly rod....caught some smaller ones as well):


and...not new, but some of my first Longear Sunfish of the year:


Also not new.... caught a Yellow Perch on the fly last week:

[FishnDave]

Caught a couple skinny channel catfish a couple days ago, too. Beadhead Woolly Bugger.

[iaflyfisher]

Very nice fish David!

[Rick Z]

You look like you are having to much fun. May have to pay tax on it.

Rick

[BadBug]

Gotta' love those big Gills Dave. Nice colored variety of fish there.

Dennis

[FishnDave]

Thanks Dale, Rick, and Dennis!

[Philly]

Nice fish, Dave. Hope I run into a 10 inch bluegill next week. Mainly, I'll only see bluegill and pumpkinseed, yellow perch, crappie, chain pickerel and bass I've only seen bullheads in the lake we're staying on but since I never caught a catfish on a fly rod, even a bullhead would be welcome. That bantam sunfish looks like what we would call a rock bass.

[FishnDave]

Nice fish, Dave. Hope I run into a 10 inch bluegill next week. Mainly, I'll only see bluegill and pumpkinseed, yellow perch, crappie, chain pickerel and bass I've only seen bullheads in the lake we're staying on but since I never caught a catfish on a fly rod, even a bullhead would be welcome. That bantam sunfish looks like what we would call a rock bass.

Thanks! I hope you get into some big bluegills too! Such strong fighters!
I saw a big male Pumpkinseed guarding a nest last week. They are beautiful! I didn't catch it.
The guy I was fishing with on Tuesday this week caught a chain pickerel. Its the first one I've ever seen in person. Cool fish!

The Bantam was the first I've caught. I don't know much about them, other than what I've researched online since. They have a fairly restricted range in the southern U.S., including the bootheel of Missouri where I was fishing.
Especially when I catch a new species, I find it easiest to compare with other fish species I've caught and note the differences. So below is a picture of some Rock Bass I've caught (top picture), and the Bantam I caught (bottom picture) for a side-by-side comparison. I really like catching Rock Bass...I've caught them in Iowa, Illinois, and Ontario. They are in Missouri, but I haven't caught one here yet.

[jdfog2]

Nice thread and a lot of nice BIG gills!
We have those Rock Bass all over the place in our Smallmouth streams here in Indiana - they are pretty eager biters most of the time and it seems like I take 3 or 4 off my fly for every one Smallie I hook. But it's all good! Being out there is good enough for me most of the time - catching fish - that's just a bonus !

Not sure if you have them in Missouri but we have a panfish in Southern Indiana called a "Flyer."

I haven't caught one because I hardly ever fish far from home unless I'm on vacation and Southern Indiana hasn't been my destination for vacations.
But now with the kids out of school (Youngest finishes college in December) and more time on my hands I think I'll combine some long weekend motoflycamp trips on my motorcycle to Southern Indiana and give it a try in the some of the smaller waters down there.

JD