BEST OF THE BEST FOR 2012 - PART ONE

Well It's January 2013 and the skim ice on local lakes is kinda holding us back from fishin'. Soooo, I thought I'd post a 'highlight reel' of the best of the best catches from 2012. Here is a specie by specie breakdown with our best catches for the past year....

Early spring bluegills took a variety of baits once the sun warmed the shallows a bit. This here is a February fish.

Custom tied Firetiger in 1/32nd ounce is a Zigs Jigs standard, and a dynamite bait, tipped or not.

Had a surprisingly good bass year, with 410 largemouths on the year, including ten over 5 pounds.

The total fish count for the year was 2129, with 1699 as panfish, or, 77% were crappies, gills, perch or other panies. Like in the caption, we caught quite a few bass this year, mostly because they were simply available and abundant in the bluegill ponds I love to fish. Here are some of the better ones...

Jake shows off his first 'big' fish...an April 5 pounder on a 1/64th oz jig...way cool!

My bro-in-law Paul with a nice three plus pounder.

I got lucky again with this chubby near-six on a Stank X Stix!

And, at another pond, with another Stix, another good bass!

This looong pond giant went for the Bluegilla Stix 4.5...better than Senkos!

Linda and I doubled up with a pair of 'near fives' the evening after Labor Day.

Got this 20 incher a whole .7 mile from the house. On a piece of shrimp for catfish!

Linda got that knee replacement and was back in action!

Yes, excellent bass year! But when the target was bluegills, we often made the mark. I caught and released 75 this year that exceeded 10 inches, which is a great year for me. I PR ed on coppernose bluegill, hybrid sunfish ( green sunfish X bluegill cross) and caught a host of other fine fish. Check 'em out...

First big gill of the season...an 11.25 inch stunner!

Matt shows his 10.25 inch trophy!

Red breast sunfish X bluegill cross...a gorgeous hybrid!

My best ever red ear sunfish from Maryland waters...117/8 inches!

Bulky 10 inch male.

Stunning 11.5 inch female hybrid...green sunfish X bluegill cross!

Not a scale missing on Lindas 10.5 inch male hybrid sunnie!

Massive pumpkinseed...9.5 inches.

Pete and Ryder...does it get any better?

My personal best hybrid at 12 inches long caught Oct 24 th.

And this amazing 12.75 inch coppernose from Richmond Mill Lake, NC.

Well, that's gonna be it for this post! I'll be back for part 2 next week with some trout, river sunfish and smallies, carp and cats.

What a joy it is to serve a risen King who forgives and blesses abundantly! I deserve nothing, yet I have everything! As Acts 4:12 points out...'there is no other name, under heaven, given to man, by which we must be saved'. Thank you, Jesus, for abundant joy and love. I deserve death, but You, YOU, OH GOD,  have given me life! May I serve You all the days of my life!