Chasing bluegill in SW MO

[ICI]

I live in Nixa.  I’m looking for big bluegill.   I’m fairly new to the area really and just got a boat so finally not beating the banks anymore if I don’t have to.  90% catch and release, just looking for good size gills, for pictures mainly. 

Here’s what I’ve found:

Table Rock:  caught quite a few 9-10” bulls.  Obviously better in May/June but I can find them now around 20ft around Aunts creek and Indian point.   Mostly out runouts and sometimes in a quiet cove.  Only been out only about 6 times on Table Rock so I would gladly take any suggestions

Stockton: Went for first time this week and caught maybe 30 midsize.(was bass fishing most the time) Unlike Table where I catch maybe one decent to every 5-10 small ones, Stockton was all midsize(keepers if I wanted dinner) but nothing over 8.5".   However, I did see someone land one that looked 10” while out there.  So, I have hope.  Only been on once, so can’t say too much.

Valley Water Mill in Springfield.  Can catch small-mid all day long.   High pressure so I have to use different techniques, but they do have great colors due the water clarity.  But still, nothing over 8”

Local ponds, I have a few I fish in Springfield and Nixa, biggest out of these are 8-9”

 

Haven’t tried:

Lake Springfield:  Don’t feel like breaking the kayak out.  Bank spots look way too pressured

Fellows: only seen small ones pulled from banks and boat is too big. 

Pomme

Bull Shoals

 

So, suggestions on spots would be super appreciated.   On table, Stockton or otherwise.  Also, any accessible ponds that might have some slabs.

Thanks

[BilletHead]

11 minutes ago, ICI said:

I live in Nixa.  I’m looking for big bluegill.   I’m fairly new to the area really and just got a boat so finally not beating the banks anymore if I don’t have to.  90% catch and release, just looking for good size gills, for pictures mainly. 

Here’s what I’ve found:

Table Rock:  caught quite a few 9-10” bulls.  Obviously better in May/June but I can find them now around 20ft around Aunts creek and Indian point.   Mostly out runouts and sometimes in a quiet cove.  Only been out only about 6 times on Table Rock so I would gladly take any suggestions

Stockton: Went for first time this week and caught maybe 30 midsize.(was bass fishing most the time) Unlike Table where I catch maybe one decent to every 5-10 small ones, Stockton was all midsize(keepers if I wanted dinner) but nothing over 8.5".   However, I did see someone land one that looked 10” while out there.  So, I have hope.  Only been on once, so can’t say too much.

Valley Water Mill in Springfield.  Can catch small-mid all day long.   High pressure so I have to use different techniques, but they do have great colors due the water clarity.  But still, nothing over 8”

Local ponds, I have a few I fish in Springfield and Nixa, biggest out of these are 8-9”

 

Haven’t tried:

Lake Springfield:  Don’t feel like breaking the kayak out.  Bank spots look way too pressured

Fellows: only seen small ones pulled from banks and boat is too big. 

Pomme

Bull Shoals

 

So, suggestions on spots would be super appreciated.   On table, Stockton or otherwise.  Also, any accessible ponds that might have some slabs.

Thanks

   Go try the Lamar City lake.. Redear in there also. I have only been there once but managed some 10s on the fly rod. 

[wily]

Don’t forget lower Taneycomo...when my boys were little we went down there quite a bit due to Trav’s reports.  We caught a slew of bluegills behind the islands between edgewater and rockaway beach

id think there would be some good ones in there if you knew how to catch them 

[Quillback]

Well if you're getting 10" gills in Table Rock, then that's pretty good for gills around here.  There's redear in Table Rock too, I have caught a couple bass fishing that were decent sized but they weren't over 9".  I don't know of anyone that fishes Table Rock that is a redear specialist, I bet there are a few people that are, but it is certainly an untapped resource.   

 

[MoCarp]

Sunfish at Lamar lake are good..the have a 8” length limit and 10 total... trophy red ears there....red worms just off bottom for the red ears...they can be line shy.....small grey squirrel jigs with a pink head tipped with a was worm for gills up to 12” 

pits in Kansas have the biggest if your looking for a wall hanger

[wily]

Lamar lake used to be awesome 15 years ago...but it’s went downhill.  There’s so much pressure on it

Last time we were there...which was May or so of this year.  The Water had a film on it...and the weeds were black as coal.  I think they sprayed the weeds or something or maybe ag run off has hurt it
 

 

[BilletHead]

2 minutes ago, wily said:

Lamar lake used to be awesome 15 years ago...but it’s went downhill.  There’s so much pressure on it

Last time we were there...which was May or so of this year.  The Water had a film on it...and the weeds were black as coal.  I think they sprayed the weeds or something or maybe ag run off has hurt it
 

 

               I had fun there on a solo trip Wily on June 15th. Just took a few fish pictures. I agree it looks as though it does get some pressure especially this season even more people out. If the pan fishermen are keeping everything that hits the 8 inch minimum I can see a lack of fish. I also seen the black dead water vegetation.   I have a friend who lives within a couple blocks of the lake and see what he thinks if I remember.

 

[wily]

Pretty fish...you can see some of the film on the water in your pics.  It was really bad in May...almost like an oil layer...was a couple inches thick it seemed

Years ago they said the next state record would come out of it.  Mdc had shocked a big one I guess.  I used to go up there all the time...the bass fishing was fantastic for numbers and size.

[MoCarp]

2 hours ago, BilletHead said:

               I had fun there on a solo trip Wily on June 15th. Just took a few fish pictures. I agree it looks as though it does get some pressure especially this season even more people out. If the pan fishermen are keeping everything that hits the 8 inch minimum I can see a lack of fish. I also seen the black dead water vegetation.   I have a friend who lives within a couple blocks of the lake and see what he thinks if I remember.

 

Fish all look well fed

[MoCarp]

2 hours ago, wily said:

Pretty fish...you can see some of the film on the water in your pics.  It was really bad in May...almost like an oil layer...was a couple inches thick it seemed

Years ago they said the next state record would come out of it.  Mdc had shocked a big one I guess.  I used to go up there all the time...the bass fishing was fantastic for numbers and size.

MDC shocked up 2 bass at or over the state record.....the old man that managed the lake retired in the late 80s...fishing isn’t as good for numbers but size....the newly American pop can and line crowd hammers that lake....they try and enforce the regs but it’s difficult