I need ideas. Please help.

**Adrian** · 03-30-2008, 04:59 PM

As some of you know, I want to put a 55 gallon tank on my screened patio. I will be putting bluegill, or a fish similar to bluegill in the tank.

Heres my trouble. Bluegill need a "slightly" acidic tank. No big deal there. I saw someone with (I think Doug) with a huge piece of driftwood. I need to find something very similar to use as a center piece in the tank. I don't know where to find any here in florida, as most pieces here are/could be salty. So where to buy a big chunk is what I will need help with.

Second. I seem to only catch full grown gills. I am having a heck of a time trying to catch "babies", one to 3 inch size. I have to do this legally, so I am pretty sure nets are out of the question. I know there a lot of people that fish here, so maybe some of you fishermen can give me an answer? I even tried flies, and managed to catch 6 to 7 inch gills. Not what I am looking for. Reason I need them small, is I want to feed them pellets, and adults won't go for them.

Any other ideas are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Adrian

**Drumachine09** · 03-30-2008, 05:03 PM

Use a throw net for bait. They are legal, and its the best way to get catfish bait

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**gm72** · 03-30-2008, 05:06 PM

Large piece of driftwood--not sure around your area. I found a great piece on a hill alongside a highway just the other day, not sure if you'd find anything like that down there though. I am finding the best pieces are on steep, rocky hillsides. I think there are a dearth of such environs in Florida though.

**Adrian** · 03-30-2008, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Drumachine09

Use a throw net for bait. They are legal, and its the best way to get catfish bait

.

Hmm, what exactly is a "throw net" I don't even know what one is, much less know how to use one. I can see it now. "Today in the news, crazy florida man catches himself in net before being rescued by paramedics. When question why he was caught, he responded, I simply was trying to catch bait fish."

**gm72** · 03-30-2008, 05:28 PM

Here you go...

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Tr.../thrownet.html

**Drumachine09** · 03-30-2008, 07:52 PM

Yup, thats a throw net. It takes a lot of practice though.

**Adrian** · 03-30-2008, 07:58 PM

Hmm, I think I can learn, hell, ain't got nuttin better to do. Any recommendations on the size? Or do they all come the same?

**toddnbecka** · 03-30-2008, 08:00 PM

For starters, bluegills do not require slightly acidic water. Up here in the limestone mountains of Western Maryland the water is anything but acidic, and the bluegills live just fine in the lakes, ponds, and rivers.
As for catching small ones, you can use a size 14 hook (best to file off the barb though, less damage to the fish) and hand-line instead of using the pole.
Alternatively, a minnow seine will also work if the bottom isn't too rocky. It helps to have a second person drive the fish toward you/the net when using a seine.