In 6 lakes in the Metro area I've caught 8+ inch sunfish. I'm not going to name the lakes but after fishing over the last 5 years in Metro lakes I think its great that we still catch nice fish in the Metro. I've fished the Metro for the last 23+ years.
Even with all the fishing presure the Metro lakes get I still like to fish the Metro. Don't get me wrong, I love to go and fish a Northern walleye lake. In the Metro I've even caught 9+ inch sunfish in 4 Metro lakes over the last 5 years. Big sundfish are not easy to come by. Depending on the time of year I've caught big sunfish in 2 fow to 20 fow. Right now they are a little deeper.
In the last 4 to 6 years and with all the fishing presure in the Metro laskes, how have you done with bigger sunfish?

The more I fish the Metro and get to know the lakes the more I like them. I wish I would have known the Metro lakes better 15-20 years ago. I bet they were very, very good for sunfish, crapies, bass and Pike.

Once again, how has your sunfishing been for big sunnies in the Metro ofer the last 4-6 years? Do you think the Metro lakes will still be good in the next 4-6 years?

Thanks.

Good post. Indeed there are still big panfish in the Metro. In one of the Metro lakes I regularly fish I ended up catching one of the biggest Metro gills of my life this year. Haven't caught too many over 8.5" out of this lake and managed a 9.75" a few weeks back. Took me by complete surprise, but when our boat ended up landing 6 more between 9-9.5" that day it got me thinking.

Also seen some of my old haunts starting to kick out larger gills again. I think part of it has to do with anglers being educated, and the other part has to do with anglers forgeting about these lakes because they are checked off as being "stunted lakes." And of course you have some lakes were panfish are not the desired speecies...

I'm anxious to read others responses...

that is very true. I dont know how many times someone tells me I couldnt have caught that basket of sunnies in the metro since "there arent any good panfish in the metro anymore"
add to that most of my friends refuse to fish for panfish.

Im also hitting spots I never see anyone fishing.

Dont do too much fishing for sunfish, except in between seasons, and in the winter to keep me occupied while waiting for the flag to fly. Ive got 2 lakes that have produced over 9", one of them produced a couple Hybrid sunfish over 10"(PB). Didnt even realize when I caught and release it that the state record hybrid is a little over 11"s, my biggest was 10.5. Would have gone back in the lake either way but would have taken better pics if I had known.

One of the lakes that I have gotten a couple 9s from is Lake Sarah(west metro). Dont go out there anymore as I have new lakes I am fishing now, but I used to go out there and was impressed with the size once I found them, and out of about 30 outings targeting them, managed 2 or 3 that pushed 9".

Metro can be great, think outside the box, try fishing areas where others dont. Try some of the small lakes that hardly anyone fishes. Got by biggest crappie last year in the metro also, 15.5".

I think it really depends on what kind of lakes or ponds you target. I usually like to target smaller lakes and ponds and often find myself catching large blue gills and slabs right in the metro and surrounding cities. The backwaters is a great example. Large gills, slabs, trophy bass and eyes can be found in them with some regularity if you fish hard enough and find them honey holes.

The nicest part is these big pannies are being caught in the Metro right under our noses. So we dont have to travel far distances to enjoy these great fish. All we have to do is fish smarter not farther.

Going to a lake 2 or 3 times and fishing it may not do it and many people right it off. I've found fishing a lake 6 or 7 times in a short time starts to pay off. Part of it is learning the lake and how the fish respond to what you are doing. Finding the fish is half the fun and then learning the spots and then going back to those spots to find the fish have moved a little deeper is part of the "game" that I enjoy.
Over the years I can't tell you how many times I've fished a lake with not much to show for and then the next 2 or 3 times out is great.
Part of all this is learning and trying new things to find and catch fish.

Thanks for your posts.

would you like to help me out and give me some lakes that have nice sized gills??
if yo udont want to post them on the web,
you can email me at [YouNeedAuthorization] at hotmail dot com

I think one of the keys to finding larger sunfish is just going out on a limb and fish in places that nobody else fishes. Last winter i cut holes in every puddle in carver county and you know what, sometimes things worked out and sometimes they didnt. But that occasional little lake that nobody fishes anymore made it all worth it when i started constantly pulling 9.5"-10" Bullgills. It just goes to show what a lake can produce with such little fishing pressure.

Bassboy you think almost just like me. I have found more than my share of trophy fish alot of times right in our own back yard ponds & streams or by fishing where no where thinks to fish. That is a strong key to finding trophy fish.

Excellent point Fishhawk. I've been spending a lot of time this year fishing lakes (or species) that I haven't spent much time on in the past, and you are right, it almost always gets better each time you go back.

I've had 3 9"ers in the metro this year, all while fishing for bass. 2 on a wacky rig and one on a jig.