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| Richmond Mill Lake...a place seemingly back in time. |
There are few places I have ever fished that are as attractive, as surreal, or as enchanting as Richmond Mill Lake near Laurel Hill, North Carolina. This 120-acre Dixie powerhouse of a lake was impounded in the 1830's, is rich in Civil War history and just so happens to be one of the top freshwater fishing destinations on the planet. Bass fishing is great, but the bluegill fishing is beyond belief, with trophy fish exceeding the two-pound mark almost daily for clients on the lake. Known as the King Fisher Society, the small but superbly furnished lodge and incredible hospitality of the owners make a visit here truely a 'bucket list' adventure.
Just yards away from the lodge is this boat dock which tethers several completely equipped bass rigs with powerful Ray Electric motors to cover the lake. Walk out, get in the boat, go fishin'!
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| Fall colors on pond cypress...a few hundred years old. |
November can be a great month to fish Richmond Mill, but be alerted that cold fronts and weather changes can put the bass, and bluegill bite down. We had to deal with a 30 degree temperature drop and wind and rain on our trip...made it tough. But we hung in there and caught some great bluegills Here are a few of the trophies caught in less than ideal conditions...
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| Not quite 12 inches long! Wow! |
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| 11.3/4 inches |
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| Female coppernose...11 3/8 and 14 1/2 inches around...over two pounds. |
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| Another bluegill just shy of the 12 inch mark. |
These were all sensational fish, running from 11.25 to 12 inches and weighing 1.5 to 2 pounds plus...just astonishing bluegills, by any ones measure. As the day worn on and the temps dropped, I picked up a hot bite right at sunset, nabbing 13 magnum gills. I achieved my new PR with a tremendous 12.75 incher...
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| My new PR...male coppernose bluegill at 12 3/4 inches and over 2 pounds |
Then, some more monsters came to hand...
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| Another 12 inch gill! |
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| All fish were released. |
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| The 'Big Girl" with the 14.5 inch girdle...over 2 pounds. |
Clearly, these are spectacular fish. I was fortunate enough to figure out how to catch them in deteriorating conditions. Basically, we used a 1/64th oz grass shrimp pattern jig that I tie with rubber legs, suspended it about 5 ft below a bobber, and allowed the wind to drift it along. Tipping the jig with a small chunk of nightcrawler was also part of the game. All the bluegill I caught were coppernose bluegill...a southern specie that exhibits quick growth rates and is a favorite in the blackwaters of many southern rivers, swamps and lakes. These fish were all taken on 2 pound test SOS clear mono and the fights were absolutely nuts! Until you catch a bluegill of this size, you will have no idea how hard they fight.
Here is the rig I used...
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| Small bobber, 1/64th oz. jig/worm combo |
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| One of my Gronaw Grass Shrimp patterns...the only one they would take this trip. |
Altogether, I picked up 27 bluegills and 2 crappie. Of the bluegills, 21 were over the 10 inch mark, 13 were over 11 inches and three exceeded 12. Foot-long bluegills are hard to come by, let alone catching three that size in a single day!. But it speaks volumns for the management of this sensational fishery. This is, by any and all standards, the premier private lake in North America to catch bluegills that exceed 2 pounds, and several three pound gills...that's right...three pounds!....have been taken each of the last two seasons at Richmond Mill. For the fly rodder, or spin fisherman, this is the place for fish of a life time. For more on this amazing sanctuary check them out on the web at kingfishersociety.com. They have been featured on numerous TV shows...Bass Pro Shops Next Generation, Allan Warren Outdoors ( with yours truely ), Hank Parker Outdoors and Mark Zona's Fishing Show. Lot of stuff on Youtube about this place as well.
I must thanks the folks, especially Jim Morgan and Dave Buhler, at King Fisher Society for providing me with the greatest bluegill fishing I have ever experienced.
But I must also thank God, for giving me the chance to enjoy it. And the chance at eternal life, by accepting His Son Jesus, who died on a cross that I might spend eternity with Him.
IN HIS HEART A MAN PLANS HIS COURSE....
...BUT THE LORD DETERMINES HIS STEPS.
Proverbs 16: 9
Have a blessed day!
