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North Carolina retreat getting better Photo by T.J. Stallings with age. STORY BY KEITH SUTTON

I KNEW THE MINUTE I SAW IT I of TJ holding a hubcap-sized Richmond would love Richmond Mill Mill bluegill that tipped the scales at more Lake. Although situated in the than two pounds. “There’s more where Sandhills Region of southeastern that one came from,” he said. TJ knows I love panfishing. And he North Carolina, the 120-acre knew the moment I saw that boss bluegill, reservoir near Laurel Hill closely all I would think about was catching one resembles the Mississippi River myself. Such was the case, and fortunately oxbow lakes I often fish in for me, TJ had already laid plans to take Arkansas. Ancient cypress trees me at Richmond Mill, part of an shade tea-colored water. Fishy- extraordinary, privately-owned outdoor- looking cover is everywhere. In recreation facility known as the King Fish- shoreline shallows, I saw swirls er Society. We arrived at King Fisher lodge of feeding fish. late in the afternoon of March 23, 2011, where we were joined by Chuck Smock, I found comfort in these things, for I had editor of Cabela’s Outfitte r Journal, outdoor just finished a two-day drive from Little writers Jeff Samsel and Vic Attardo, and

Rock to fish Richmond Mill. Had I encoun- Bob Lusk of Whitesboro, Texas, editor of tered a different type of lake after such a Pond Boss magazine (www.pondboss.com) Photo by Keith Sutton long journey, there might have been trepi- and biologist in charge of managing Rich- dation. There was good karma, instead. mond Mill’s incredible . This was my kind of lake. I knew I’d catch history Top: While fishing richmond Mill Lake, fish there. author keith sutton landed a dozen I traveled with my friend TJ Stallings, di- As the sun set that first day, we toured of the biggest bluegills he’s caught rector of marketing for TTI Blakemore Fish- the lake in boats while Lusk shared Rich- during 50 years fishing for the species. A heavyweight bluegill from richmond Mill Lake in Bottom: Outdoor writer Vic Attardo of north Carolina. A specialized feeding program has ing Group in Wetumpka, Alabama. “You’re mond Mill’s rich history. red hill, Pennsylvania lands a whopper led to the production of numerous two - pound - plus going to want to catch one of these,” he “In 1835, a year before Davy Crockett richmond Mill bluegill on fly-fishing ‘gills in this lake, which is part of the king fisher tackle. Attardo caught a 2-1/4-pound society outdoor - recreation complex. told me in a Facebook post a few months was killed at the Alamo, the lake was built earlier. Accompanying the post was a photo to harness water to turn a grist mill,” he monster on this trip. Photo by Keith sutton

22 TexassporTingJournal .com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 23 24 One in a series nOrth america / king fisher to bypass nature’s offerings and provide provide and offerings nature’s bypass to decided he so efforts, management mal” “nor with chain food adequate an duce goal.” bold a was That pretty in America.’ lake bass-fishing best the make Mill to Richmond how out figure ‘Let’s was, me to challenge his and completion, nearing fin- was later were repairs dam as Jim with I met ished. years four and 2001, in began Work much- dam. the some to repairs do needed and lake the drain to decided 1872, since property the owned has which family, Morgan the of member generation fifth a Morgan, Jim “Dr. ued. contin Lusk 2000,” in starting decisions many produce fish. didn’t it so sterile, was too water the Essentially, fishery. born natural- a never was but pickerel, chain some and sunfish redbreast some bass, largemouth few a produced water the tannic life, lake’s the of years 165 For first fish. the raising for good really not it’s meaning 5.3, and 4.9 between running pH with acidic, was water The spillway. the over cascade minute per of water lons gal 10,000 to 7,000 day, this “To said. T

Lusk determined the lake couldn’t pro the lake couldn’t Lusk determined of series a with change to began “That

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J ourna l . co m - - - - Coppersmith an innovative management plan implemented by Lusk—from the king fisher society’s society’s fisher Lake. king Mill the richmond Lusk—from by using implemented produced plan management bluegills—fish trophy innovative of an pair a displays Lusk Bob biologist Texas

Photo by Keith Sutton Brown Trophy A Whitetail Ranch d a direct food chain via feeding. Biologists weighed and measured at 8.2 pounds, 20 thing which could be signifi cant in the fi sh- had recently learned the merits of stock- inches long and 19 inches girth. ing world. The difference between a normal Offshore fishing in Cabo? ing young largemouth bass conditioned “Bluegills have been the most surpris- eight- or nine-inch bluegill that weighs half to eat pelleted fi sh food, and Lusk knew ing,” he continued. “Our goal was to feed a pound and these foot-long monsters is TSJ wants you & three friends to go. if good quality food was presented con- them to become part of the food chain, like comparing a paper airplane to a fi ght- Win a 4 day, 3 night trip with 2 days of offshore fi shing sistently, feed-trained bass would eat it. expecting some to grow large enough to er jet. Try to rein in a fi ghter jet on four- with Baja Luxury Fishing Villas. Explore the depths He chose this approach to managing the become legitimate target species. Recently, pound-test line on an ultralight.” of Cabo with a pair of Steiner Commander V Marine Richmond Mill fi shery: a guy caught two Richmond Mill bluegills fishing binoculars equipped with a built­in compass. 1 Establish a state­of­the­art feeding sys­ larger than three pounds. Those are quickly king fisher All equipment, food & drinks are provided on the boat. / The next morning, fi shing with TJ and tem to dispense feed to the fi sh. becoming a huge reason to visit King Fisher and are garnering national attention, much Vic, I saw the fi sh feeders operate. Fifty are Transportation to and from the airport is included. (Airfare is not.) 2 Stock at least 50 pounds of feed­ more than the fantastic bass fi shing. This scattered around the lake, each connected trained largemouth bass per surface bluegill fi shery is snowballing into some- to a computer network and set to disperse acre to start. 3 Stock a forage­fi sh base (fathead min­ nows and sunfi sh) just as one would if the lake were to be managed “natu­ rally.” 4 Develop a high­quality feed, designed specifi cally for this project. (This new feed, AquaMax, is now sold nation­ wide by Purina.) One in a series nOrth america nOrth series a in One “As we fed the fi sh after the fi rst stock- ing in the winter of 2005-06, I saw a num- ber of fascinating things begin to happen,” Lusk said. “The bass grew exceptionally Polar Vault 240 Polar Vault 120 well. Those we originally stocked, which CaCaPaCiTy:PaCiTy: CaCaPaCiTy:PaCiTy: 240 -12oz. Cans, 120 -12oz. Cans, averaged 2.2 pounds each, now ex- 150 Quarts 90 Quarts ceed seven pounds, with the largest one

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Photo by T.J. Stallings TM TM ® While fishing richmond Mill Lake, author keith sutton landed a dozen of the biggest bluegills he’s caught during 50 years fishing for the species. For Additional Product Information and Pricing, We Invite You to Contact: 817-472-8990 [email protected] www.thermell.com Enter to win at TexasSportingJournal.com/sweepstakes PORT & MARINA, Drawing will take place on October 31, 2011. Visit site for details on the prizes. Cabo San Lucas, México 26 TexassporTingJournal .com 28 One in a series nOrth america / king fisher eral huge specimens the first day (“ginor- day first the specimens huge eral sev caught had We two bluegill. a pound-plus catching mind: in goal one with six- action. incredible to the savored all three- We pounders. of dozens with pounds, seven pushed biggest The fishing. of day a during bucketmouths more caught ever I have Mexico of lakes bass famed the in Only wasn’t. catching bass the over, was action. similar enjoying by were Chuck boat and Bob Jeff, feeder, another another In bass. six-pound to three- a with us hookup a of in resulted each made cast every minutes, 30 next the For up, five. a hooked and four-pounder quickly too—a I six- and high-jumping TJ pounder on—a Bass wham! breakfast. for in rushed bass of scores as boiling started water the Instantly, feeder. deer automatic an from corn like directions, all in shot food Fish pandemonium. instant was there dawn, at off went boat our by feeder the When in food pellets the and morning afternoon.

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Photo by Keith Sutton T exas Chuck smock of sidney, nebraska lands one of richmond Mill Lake’s whopper bluegills. bluegills. whopper Lake’s Mill richmond of one lands nebraska sidney, of smock Chuck s porTing

J ourna l . co m Meline's LodgeMeline's Ad over two pounds. pounds. two over shade a just weighing behemoth let-sized skil species—a the for 50 fishing almost spent years during caught seen I’d bream biggest the be would this however, realize, I did Little bluegill. a had he knew I circles, the tight in when swimming started fish But platter-sized bass. big another he’d hooked think me making water, the to bent tip rod His hands. his from yanked combo fishing his had nearly and mat one beside there. feeding were bluegills larger enough, sure And favorites. bluegill other and insects shrimp, grass of full itself, of Each unto ecosystem an is water. islands floating these deeper in offshore mats order. in was tactics in change A sought. we monster the crappie), not but black one-pound-plus hefty some (and several bluegills produced had earlier. This months TJ six on lure ‘gill big his same caught the spinner, Panfish and Trout Science Natural Runner’s Road two-pounder. fabled the not but them), called TJ mous” TJ cast a Yellow Coach Dog Road Runner Runner Road Dog Coach Yellow a cast TJ grass some around fish we suggested I with bank steep a to began We

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Edgecraft Ad One in a series nOrth america / nOrth series a in One

Photo by T.J. Stallings

While fishing richmond Mill Lake, author keith sutton landed a dozen of the biggest bluegills he’s caught during 50 years fishing for the species.

Photo by Keith Sutton

Outdoor writer Vic Attardo of red hill, Pennsylvania lands a whopper richmond Mill Edgecraft Ad bluegill on fly-. Attardo caught a 2-1/4-pound monster on this trip.

During the next few hours, casting Road few with so many hawgs in so few acres. Runners to the shady side of cover, we en- When it comes to trophy bluegill fishing, joyed several double hookups on bluegills however, I dare say no lake in the world this size. It wasn’t like shooting fish in a produces more two-pound-plus specimens. barrel. Catching these giants was challeng- Richmond Mill Lake is best of the best, bar ing, which made the fishing even more re- none. warding. But when all was said and done, The combination of giant bream and ex- we had caught and released two dozen blue- traordinary numbers of heavyweight bass gills the size of jumbo tortillas, including makes the North Carolina’s King Fisher Soci- one beautifully colored coppernose bream ety one of the top destinations in the United that weighed two pounds even—my big- States for anyone who loves fishing. And the

gest bluegill ever. Our buddy Vic waylaid transformation of this once-barren millpond Photo by Jeff Samsel one on a fly rod that weighed two pounds, into a blue-ribbon bass and panfish lake is four ounces! testimony to the possibilities when fisheries Author keith sutton is all smiles after landing this hefty bass in north There are other waters where you might biologists and lake owners work together to Carolina’s richmond Mill Lake. Picture description tag catch as many trophy largemouths, but create a paradise for anglers.

32 TexassporTingJournal .com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 33