The Old Man And His Bluegills

Home
>
Fishing
>
The Old Man And His Bluegills

The Old Man And His Bluegills

I started fishing a little lake just south of Somerset, Ohio, called Clouse Lake about 35 years ago. Matter of fact, when I first started fishing it, I fished with a fly rod. One day, I was fishing and noticed this older gentleman trying to get a little plastic boat on his car after a hard day's fishing. He was using a fly rod too. We began chatting and discovered we lived about 10 miles from one another. He lived in Pleasantville. As the conversation closed, he said he would call me sometime and we would go fishing together. I thought "Yeah, I bet he calls me". Imagine my surprise when he called two days later and wanted to know if I wanted to go fishing with him the next day.

Earl and I became good friends, we fished Clouse many times and about every other place that we could find, that held water. He was an excellent fly fisherman. There was only one thing wrong with Earl, he liked to catch bluegill. Actually, he loved catching Bluegill. He showed me how to clean bluegills in a matter of seconds. Here is how he did it. First, he got out his board and filet knife. He would scale the fish. Second, He would cut around the head but not clear through. He would leave just a piece of meat right under the head. Then he would twist the head and pull and the whole insides would come out at one time. He could clean bluegill faster than anyone I have ever seen.

One day, I got teasing Earl about fishing for bluegill, I told him the only reason anyone would fish for bluegill is because they couldn't catch a bass. I have to admit, I had seen him catch bass on his flyrod while fishing for bluegill. Anyway, Earl said to me that he could catch bass anytime he wanted. I just laughed. So, Earl put on a little bigger fly and threw it about a dozen times and out comes a bass. Not only was it a bass but it weighed about 6 and 1/2 pounds. He just looked at me and smiled, never said a word, then threw it back. I was dumbfounded, to say the least. He then went and tied his little fly back on and fished for bluegill some more. I sat in shock the rest of the day.

I learned two lessons that day, one was never to run my mouth about people who like to fish for bluegill and the second was, right when you think you have the bull by the horns, some old fellow is going to show you different. By the way, I never teased Earl about his bluegill fishing again. Earl passed away not too long after that, I was one of the last people he asked for. I miss you my friend.

Did you know a large mouth bass and black bass really are not a bass? They are in the sunfish family.

Clouse Lake is on RT668 out of Somerset, Ohio. There are some nice bass there and I have seen some in the 5 pound range taken right below the dam. There is a boat ramp on the south side of the lake...a smaller boat is more suitable.

Charles E. White has fished for almost 50 years for bass from California to Florida. In his lifetime, it is estimated that he has caught over 6,000 bass. His biggest bass is a 12 pound 14 ounce that hangs on his wall in his office.

Charles has fished with people who have never fished for bass before and taught them how to become successful anglers and also has fished with the Pros in Florida. His new website about fishing for bass is at:
http://www.bassfishingweekly.com.

In The News:

Boston.com
Gulf fishermen reel from seafood troubles
Boston.com
Gloom infects the hard-working shrimp and crab docks of this gritty fishing town as the second full year of fishing since BP's catastrophic oil spill kicks into high gear. Usually folks are upbeat and busy in May, when shrimpers get back to work in ...

and more »

Olive Press
Gibraltar police harass Spanish fishing boats
Fox News
Gibraltar police mobilized on Thursday for the second consecutive day to prevent Spanish fishing boats from casting nets in waters near the Rock. Accompanied by two Spanish Civil Guard vessels, five fishing boats set out from this southern city at ...
Tensions Rise Over Gibraltar Fishing DisputeEagle Radio
Navy steps into Gibraltar fishing rowOlive Press
PDP suggest licence 'solution' to fishing disputeGibraltar Chronicle
Vox Online News
all 33 news articles »

Allentown Morning Call
A Guide To Fishing In The Area
Hartford Courant
Flows are generally moderate and comfortable for fishing, the weekend forecast is for "summertime' weather, and there are still plenty of recently stocked trout. Fishing has been good in a number of areas throughout the state, with the best reports ...
Southeast Michigan fishing report and weekly fishing tip, May 24, 2012Examiner.com
Fish for Free on Memorial Day in PennsylvaniaAllentown Morning Call
Northern California fishing reportSan Jose Mercury News
Bend Bulletin -North County Times -The Tennessean
all 84 news articles »

Fishing during Memorial Day weekend likely to get flukey
New York Daily News
Just pick your fish. And pick a boat. City dwellers might head to Brooklyn's Sheepshead Bay docks. Boats there are ready to steer anglers to hot spots in Jamaica Bay or farther at sea. Capt. Dave II's daytime striped bassing out of Sheepshead Bay has ...

and more »

Overhaul after report finds fishing in deep water
ABC Online
The commercial fishing industry in New South Wales will be overhauled for the first time in nearly two decadues - after a highly-critical report was handed to the State Government. An independent review team has concluded the industry is in deep water.
Troubled waters: review says there are too many fishers in the seaSydney Morning Herald

all 83 news articles »

CTV.ca
China Blames Philippines for More Ships in Disputed Sea
Voice of America
Ships there are government vessels and conduct maritime surveillance and provide some guarantee to the fishing boats. By providing such assurance, Hong said Chinese fishermen can operate freely there. The Scarborough Shoal has been the site of a ...
Chinese continue fishing in shoal as Pinoys stay awayPhilippine Star
Beijing: Chinese fishermen complying with fishing ban at disputed shoalGMA News
Chinese breaking fishing ban at shoal won't be arrested, says PalaceInquirer.net (blog)
New Straits Times -Washington Post
all 247 news articles »

Fishing Best Bets: Anglers hope for improved Southwest Florida conditions
The News-Press
Special to news-press.com Dan Plesea discovered why Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists are interested in learning more about the distribution of exotic Nile tiliapia in Florida: Because they seem to be much more willing to strike ...
Fishing Report - Sheepshead bite picks up for area anglersStarNewsOnline.com
Fishing Forecast: Week of May 24-30The Virginian-Pilot
Focus on cobia fishingGainesville Sun
Naples Daily News -Camp Lejeune Globe -Examiner.com
all 7 news articles »

49ers notes: Patrick Willis, Randy Moss forge a bond on fishing trips
San Jose Mercury News
"He's my best fishing buddy," Willis said after Thursday's practice. "We went fishing a couple times now and I've outfished him both times." Using the fishing hole of his neighbor, former Sharks star Owen Nolan, Willis proudly claims to have tallied ...

and more »

Fish Lake Spring Survey Turns Up Usual Suspects and Two Tiger Muskie Over 40 ...
Salt Lake Tribune (blog)
Michael Hadley, an aquatic biologist with the UDWR, sent in this report on Fish Lake. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conducted a gill net survey at Fish Lake on May 17, 2012. This annual survey is designed to monitor the lake's rainbow and ...

BEUKEMA: Fishing memories run in the family
Royal Oak Daily Tribune
By Roger Beukema “ It was the fishing that originally brought us together, but it's the friendship that keeps us together.” Those are the feelings Carlos Hathcock III has for fishing buddies Ken Neeley, John Miniaci, Bill McElroy -- all Michigan ...

Google News