Originally posted by Bruce Condello:
Just a question...but if you caught a bluegill at a feeder and felt this fish isn't qualified to be a trophy, then what if you caught a non pellet fed twelve pound largemouth that ate pellet fed bluegill?
Good question Bruce...however the premise is wrong....at least as related to what I stated. I never said a feeder caught fish wasn't qualified to be a trophy...I said or meant to communicate that in my experience, the larger, older, more savy BG are not often caught at the feeders.
In spite of the incorrect premise, I'll take a shot at answering your qestion from my perspective...
In my view, it is a very personal decision in what one calls a trophy fish....no right or wrong, just personal choices. I have "trophy" fish on my wall that you would probably laugh at and ridicule. My application of "trophy" to a fish caught depends on the total environment/experience of the catch. For example, I recently had a Permit mounted. It wasn't large by any standard, won't set any records anywhere, wouldn't even deserve a second look by most folks...but that Permit was my first on the fly after many years of trying and was also part of a grand slam that was accomplished with a bunch of great guys in a terrific setting. I want to always remember that event. That's what makes a "trophy" to me.
One person's "trophy" may well be another person's trash. I've only caught one trophy pond fish in my lifetime...a huge CNBG that was caught and released without any documentation...just another fish story... That particular CNBG fought unlike any other I have caught in my lifetime. It left a "V" wake in the water as it zoomed in toward my fly, then took off like a bonefish. A full moon was rising, the fish charged the fly in shallow water, aggressively ate the fly, then proceeded to fight for its life unlike any other BG I have caught. It was a very special fish and I take great personal satisfaction in knowing that it was born and raised in my pond.
At some point in its life in my ponds, that fish presumably ate pellet feed. Heck, it may have even been caught by my grandkids at one time at a fish feeder. I call it a trophy, and the only pond fish I have designated as such, because of the total environment surrounding the catch.
Judge me, if you wish, but that is my personal definition of trophy and how I apply it and will continue to apply it as long as I fish.
