I got this picture from another website... the one on the bottom is a 1-pound fish... the one on the top is a freak of nature...

what a freak!!!! Thats just sick.. has to be a farm raised fish I would think.. World record?

Actually there were others posted that were bigger, but this one takes the cake because I would be happy with just the bottom fish

It was a southern fish and a couple pounds off state record I believe... they grow them fish big down there

A 14.5-incher is insane... wow... still saying wow!

I find it hard to believe that any lake in the north country could ever produce a fish like that.

I might also wonder if its a pond raised fish but no matter where it was caught, what a trophy.

Interesting how it doesn't really have the "forehead" like a big bull sunfish up here does. Compare it to Deitz's PB pic and you'll see the difference.

Of course I've never seen anything like that 14.5 to copmare it to!

The sad thing is that is bigger than all my crappies that I have caught the last two years.

that thing is huge!

There are some giant fish in the south, particularly those that are selectively bred and kept in farm ponds. Here's a fish that originated from a farm that I visited in Georgia a couple years ago:



These aren't pure strain bluegills by any means but they are exceptional fish.

For those 2 fish if you mount them be a good idea to mount a LayZboy under them they are going to need all the support they can get!

I believe the picture of the two I posted were in Georgia, but I could be mistaken...

Matt,

My boys and I saw some fish like you posted swimming in a private pond on the Vanderbuilt estate in Ashville, North Carolina over the summer. The pond was built with the house in 1896 and was called the Bass Pond, leaving one to wonder how big the bass would be in the pond if the the sunnies were maneaters like your picture.

Great article in your other thread. Hope you've had a great summer.

Bob K

I dont think it would be entirely impossible. If Crappies can reach up to 20" or just 15", I think it would be possible for a Gill get up to the 15" in the Midwest. But the chance of catching one that size would be pretty rare or near impossible too.

Wow, those are some huge fish. I caught a 10.5 last winter and thought that was a brute.

BobbyK,
I think we need to go to the Bass Pond one of these summers

just shows that they can grow if you let em go although the south does have a longer growing season. I was up north over labor day weekend and we boated 13 crops over 11" over the weekend with lots of 10's mixed in brought home 43 eaters 9-10" fish 7 short of our 5 person limit