Hello and welcome to Kentucky Afield.

I'm your host, Chad Miles.

Join us as we journey the Commonwealth in search of outdoor adventure.

This week we're grabbing the seines and rounding up the boys to go catch bait to head to the river to set limb lines.

But first, we're headed to western Kentucky with the tube full of crickets and a can of worms, searching for giant bluegill.

Today we're down here in far western Kentucky, in Graves County on a beautiful looks like an old rock quarry lake.

Yeah, it was actually an old Clay mine back in the day.

So you guys been catching some big bluegill?

And so I got a phone call and I was like, man, I got to go check some of the bluegill out.

So how are you guys catching bluegill down here?

Well, like the other day, we're catching up with mealworms and earthworms and rooster tails, and they were hitting pretty good on about everything.

They were spawning real good, so hopefully they still are.

Well, I'll tell you what.

There's nothing that takes you back to your childhood than watching a bobber go down or having a panfish bounce the end of that rod and reel.

So hopefully we get a little bit of that action today.

Are you guys keeping fish today?

Throwing them back today okay.

Throwing them back there.

We can keep them if you hungry.

No I no I I'm good with I'm good with that.

I just love catching them.

And you know this is the best way to get out and get a person introduced into fishing.

Lets find us a shallow spot and go catch them.

Sounds good.

Let's do it.

Im gonna Throw me a real bright colored rooster tail.

Real small size.

Like I said, these bluegill are pretty big, so they hit these rooster tails real well.

And then I got me an old bobber to.

I█m gonna throw that out and we'll sit on some of these fish and just have a good time.

Just relax.

Oh, first, first fish of the day.

What do we have here?

little bass.

It█s a bass.

The bass eat crickets too.

Not exactly what we're going after, but it didn't take that bobber long to go under largemouth.

Oh, here we go.

This is a big male here.

Got his warpaint on.

Check out this big male.

Oh, that's a pretty good bluegill.

Yes.

So when they get like this see how much color they got on them?

That's the males.

They use that to attract a mate.

Look at the size of that bluegill.

That is a big, big, thick bluegill.

Here we go.

Listen, we're gonna move him to the front of the boat.

Looky there.

Eli and Micah out here, growing giant bluegill Biggins for Kentucky.

Man, these are really big, thick, healthy bluegill.

Oh, there you go.

Oh.

What we got?

Here.

Where do you keep the little ones?

Okay.

Don't worry.

I found.

Man, we just drifted up here.

Look at every one of those.

You see, every one of those little round circles right there.

Every single one of those was a bed or a big bluegill was in their guarding its fry.

guarding It's a nest.

Now they've either either moved out and they're spawning a little deeper, or that means they're done.

And that's that's about right.

And we're kind of mid to end of May.

They should be winding down on their bedding here in in Kentucky.

But that's what you're looking for.

there you go.

Oh that's a runner.

There you go.

It's a little bass.

No it's a bluegill.

That's a good bluegill.

Oh that's a look.

Look at that.

That's a sunfish.

Green sunfish.

So, Micha what got you into the outdoors?

Was it a dad?

Your grandpa?

Uncle grandpa, Yep.

He was an avid outdoorsman.

Okay.

Hey, I think that all over the country.

Really?

Yes, sir.

And that's how you got everything from elk to brown bear to you.

You name it, he killed it, moose.

Oh, okay.

wow.

here you go.

Oh.

That looks like a good one to.

Usually catch quite a bit of stuff right underneath that tree.

Right there.

Scoot out your way.

Oh, that's a that's another green sunfish.

Well, tell me this.

How a person that, farms for a living, how do you find time in May to get out and enjoy watching the bobber go down?

I don't really a whole lot.

And I've also got five kids, too.

But really, my hobbies are all, usually I Start at daylight.

That way I can get up.

Morning.

Try just a little bit before it's maybe time to just get working.

Sometimes maybe just an hour, sometimes just a little bit of, you know, you and yourself and the good Lord watching the sunrise.

Oh, yeah.

Man, there's no better way to get your day started.

There we go.

Let's see what we got right here.

I think we got a big bluegill.

Oh, that the, That might be the biggest on the day.

There definitely is the biggest one of the day.

Oh, my gosh, I thought I had a bass.

I have a rough time.

Get my hand around this fish.

Oh, my.

Got one.

Look at Mike has got back here.

It's the honey hole right there.

Nine and a little more than a quarter.

Hey you got another fish on?

Oh, it's, Oh, you got another bite.

Look at there.

What a beautiful fish.

And this is fish's lucky day.

We're out here today just to spend a couple hours and relax and catch a couple fish.

So we're not cleaning fish.

We're turning them loose with that right there is a sandwich.

Bobbers down.

That was a little one that.

That was as deep as they can get to bobber.

Look at that.

That's the smallest one of the day.

The biggest.

And it's not.

I won't be lipping that one.

Giant.

Hahaha!

Look at that.

Look at that worm ate that fish right there.

Oh, oh, oh.

We have a new leader on the board, maybe.

No.

Oh, that's not as big as that one.

I don't know.

It's a good one, though.

Wow.

That's a giant.

Oh, when you're blue of your bends your rod.

Looky there.

I mean, that fish.

I casted that out there when that when that cricket hit the water, it just sunk in.

The bobber was gone.

Now I know why.

Look at that big ol█ knot head on there.

See that big ol█ knot head?

you know, look, it gave a belly.

Full teeth.

There we go.

You got a good one there.

It looks like they get you down on that grass.

It's like, oh it's a big bluegill.

This might be we might have bigger fish in this spot than anywhere else we've been.

Look at that fish.

You need a net.

Oh, come on now.

That's a giant, right?

That might be the bluegill of the day.

that is a good one.

Look how thick he is.

Oh.

You're good.

I'm telling you right now.

Look at the head on that thing.

That's a big old bluegill.

Eli, that bluegill that he that he's got back here is a giant.

You're gone!

you're down.

Sorry.

I'm down to.

There we go.

Oh.

Fish on everywhere.

Oh I missed mine.

I looked over and both of our bobbers were gone.

Those two fish.

Hold on, I may have one with them.

Oh, oh, hold on.

Oh, yeah.

We can get three.

That big, I hope.

Looks like.

I hope my doesn't doesn't it.

Look at the tie.

Oh.

Where they'll look like, you're just going to eat it.

That's a good one.

Look at that.

Well, guys, this is what you call some good bluegill fishing.

I mean, look at the size of these three bluegill.

I don't know how many we've caught like this today.

These just happen to be the three we caught right this second.

Yeah.

Same time, ten second span.

We haven't put a fish in the livewell.

We're throwing all these back.

What an incredible fishery.

And hey, you guys all feel like you're about 10 or 12 years old today watching a bobber.

Yeah.

Oh yeah.

Definitely had a blast.

It's been a lot of fun.

Let's get these things back in the water, make a couple more cast and, I heard there's.

You just want to catch one bigger man.

No, I don't think so.

I don't think I. I don't think it's possible.

I just heard that, you make good barbecue and it's up there, so I think we'll get these fish and make one more cast and go see what we got.

Nice job, guys.

Micah, you gave me a phone call, said you were catching some big bluegill.

You said, hey, I'd be willing to take an old man fishing if you want to come down here and, man, you did.

I appreciate it, and I appreciate you coming.

I'm glad we had fun and everything.

I'm glad you took advantage of it.

What a resource.

It's really great spot.

And you use this resource that thank God you got some really good landowners, and donors that you do a lot of taking kids fishing for the first time, taking kids on their first hunt.

And I just want to thank you for, you know, passing it on to the next generation.

Well, there's no thanks.

Need to thanks, coach, for all the hugs and smiles and high fives.

And that's payment enough.

Anybody that takes kids, that should be all they ever want.

Well I do greatly appreciate it taking me and then doing all the work that you do for the other youngsters, the underprivileged, or just the people that just need the need a minute to be outside.

Well, thank you so much.

Well, thank you for coming, Chad.

Limb lining is an effective way to catch catfish, and it's also a great way to get the kids out for an evening on the river.

The dog days of summer are here.

And you know what that means.

It's time to go cat fishing.

It is time to hit the Salt River.

Put out some limb lines.

Put some bank poles out and see if we can't fill the boat full of catfish.

We've got 70 years of experience doing this between the two of us.

Right.

I don't know about you.

I'm getting old.

It's time to pass this on.

This is old dragging this sane and carrying that cooler.

We've decided it's time to bring the boys.

Let them experience what was a huge part of our youth.

Sure.

And our young adulthood.

I█m with you we have to teach them a little something.

How it's done.

There's nothing better than spending the night out on the Salt River and loading the boat with catfish.

So, Leo, you've done a lot of fishing, and you've never been out setting limb lines, have you?

No.

Never.

You ever been just straight catfishing before?

No.

We've always crappie fish.

Bluegill, bass fish.

So tonight's going to be a little different for you.

Mason, I know you have some ponds close to your house to do some fishing?

Have you ever done any river style fishing?

Limb lining?

I don't think so.

Have you ever heard your dad tell stories about it?

I have, yeah.

Hey, it's meant a lot to us.

It was our getaway.

It was the way that, you know, you have a bad game.

You get sick of school, your girlfriend getting on your nerves.

We just went to the Salt River and forgot about all of it.

And that's exactly what I planned to do today.

It's going to be fun.

But first, we got to get bait.

The perfect bait is about a three inch bluegill.

If we can get that or some chubs.

Or what else do you like?

Chubs, bluegill, yeah either.

That will make for a good bait.

We'll have to check it.

We're going to get this bait right here.

And this stream runs right into the salt River.

It's really important that we get bait from the same water source so we don't move any bait unintentionally.

We also got to check bait, make sure there's no baby bass in there.

We got to make sure that they're bluegill and chubs.

But I see them underneath that bridge right there.

Let's get the sane out.

Me and your dad is going to show you guys how to do this.

And after we feel like we got a pretty good amount of bait, we're going to turn these sane sticks over and let you boys have a pass, right?

All right.

Fine.

Let's go.

Let me tell you what you want to do.

You want to get the stick out and kind of get your feet where you're blocking the fish in, and keep it at an angle about like this.

All right?

And then you got to communicate.

We'll pick up at the same time.

And then once you get it picked up you will put it together and they'll be trying to flop out and then we'll come back to the bucket.

Keep it down.

And you're bouncing it.

You don't want to pick it up because the bluegill and chubs will shoot under it.

Come my way.

Up, up, up.

One.

See that right there?

Three inch bluegill.

Perfect.

Bluegill.

Oh, yeah.

Catfish right there.

Few chubs.

Chubs.

Oh, yeah.

Ready?

Yep.

Oh, yeah.

There we go.

There we go.

Oh my gosh.

Oh, we got some catfish bait.

Look at those.

Those are suckers.

Suckers.

Nice.

You got to be real careful when you're saning.

Look at that, boys.

That's a largemouth bass.

Now, that is obviously not allowed to use that as bait.

So we got to make sure we put that one back.

That one of the biggest you've ever caught, Leo?

Look at that giant.

All right, put that bass back in.

Right here.

Oh, yeah.

There we go.

Oh, yeah.

There we go.

There we go.

More Chubs.

Chubs.

We got a bunch of craw dads I mean.

Oh, got me.

They're not bad bait if you got nothing else.

But it's not my preferred bait.

You guys have got an idea what you're doing here.

Listen, keep it at an angle and poke and poke and poke.

And if you see a rock, you got to communicate and go pick it up.

Go faster, a little faster, a little faster.

Now go toward the bank, the shore, and then pick up.

There you go.

Pick her up together.

Here you go.

Nice job, guys.

All right, I think we got enough.

We'll make our way back to the cooler.

Let's go get some limb lines tied up and get some bank poles dug in the bank.

And see if the kitty cats want to play.

All right, well, we've got our clothes changed, and now we're dry.

And we're out here putting our poles out.

We actually are going to be doing a combination of bank poles and limb lines.

So I think we've got 75.

We got four people in the boat.

So technically we can have 25 per person, but they each one have to have our fish and wildlife number on there.

So we're attaching that on the string.

And we're going to start running as fast as we can.

We're chasing darkness now.

So how fast can we get 75 poles out.

That's the question.

This here is the perfect cane pole spot.

All right.

We got a live minnow.

Leo bait.

All right.

To the next.

Oh, see that right there?

That thing don't have a chance.

I'll tell you what.

Later on tonight, we come down this river and about half of the trees are shaking.

That's when it gets really exciting.

Limb line coming up.

I need a sugary live bluegill.

Here we go.

That's an old limb shaker there.

That'll pay off tonight.

About 1:00.

Let me show you boys how it█s done.

I know if y'all been watching.

Look here, Leo, on these big ole live chubs, you could go through the tail.

Some people go through the back.

But if you'll find the sweet spot right through the eye, it don't kill them.

It keeps them lively.

And that big ole catfish, that right there█s got chomp written on it.

This is a great looking spot.

Anytime you can find fresh water running in like this, even though it's not much, it's a trickle.

We always want to make sure we have a bank pole hanging out right where that fresh water rolls.

Getting all your poles out is a lot of work.

But imagine fishing with 75 fishing poles out.

And literally that's about what this is going to be like.

Our baits not in good shape, but just the sheer number of chances we're going to have should give us a chance.

And I'll tell you what I'll never forget my very first time coming down here and taking a spotlight.

Shine on this bank and seeing 3 or 4 limbs shaking down to the water, knowing those were catfish.

I can't wait for the boys to experience that.

Well, took us a bit.

I don't know if we got it done right before dark or at dark, but we got all 75 bank poles and limb lines out, so still got some bait.

So we can run these, rebate them, and we'll probably run them three times.

Now we're going to make our trip back downstream probably a mile and a half where we started.

I got the ole spotlight.

We'll start checking them on the way back.

Just see what we have and hopefully start catching fish.

Oh, limb shaker.

There we go.

We got a limb shaker, fellas.

Come on up here, Mason.

I█ll let you dip.

Leo, you get bait ready.

All right, get that net.

Make it long.

What we got fellas.

Get him Mase.

All right, I'm going to pull this up, and you get that net underneath him.

Okay.

Ready?

Oh, he's a little one, but that's okay.

Fiddler.

Fiddler.

But it's okay.

We got a fish.

Oh, look at that.

He an eater?

He probably is.

All right.

Leo, bait.

Looky there.

First, catfish.

He ain't a big one but he a channel cat.

Where's that bucket?

Bait.

And then this goes in the cooler.

All right, give him some food.

It's looking promising.

Well, we got another limb shaker, guys.

There he is.

It's a fiddler there.

He█ll eat good.

It's about like the other one, a little fish.

Yeah, I think it's a little smaller.

Get that net under him.

All right, now we're bringing him.

Easy breezy.

That's good eating size.

That's about like if you go to a catfish dinner.

That's about what they eat.

That's about the size that they feed you.

All right.

To bait.

Thank you.

Oh, fish on, fish on.

Get the net.

Get the net.

Hold that Leo.

Ready, Mason.

A little bigger fish.

All right.

He's not moving at all.

Now that's a fish sammich.

That's a good one there.

That's about a 3 or 4 pound fish.

Ideal.

Just keep getting us a couple more of those will be good.

Oh, it's going wild.

Leo, don't let it curl your toes son.

There you go.

All right, all right, all right.

Fish on.

Looks like it.

Let's get up there.

It's fun.

First time ever.

Glad to be getting a lot of fish.

Gar pie.

Oh, long nose gar.

Later, tater.

This is fun.

This is a lot more fun than I expected.

This just shows you sometimes a little hard work is worth it.

Fish on right here.

Hop up here, Mase.

See that pole bouncing.

Go ahead and get that net underneath him.

Catfish.

He's a little one, but we got one.

It's hard to catch him when the baits up out of the water.

Yes, sir.

When you see that bait up there, that's where a fish came up and hit it, took off with it and pulled this pole down.

And then it flicked the hook and all the way up out of the water.

Got the bait, left our hook high and dry.

Fish on.

Here we go.

What do you guys think?

Gar.

Catfish.

Maybe a catfish.

Catfish.

Good sized catfish.

Flipping and flopping.

Get him Leo.

It█s too far away.

Don't pull him.

Don't pull him!

He█ll come back.

Here he comes.

Here he comes.

The thing was stuck.

Oh my gosh, dude, it's.

It's too big for the net.

Hold on.

Hold this light.

No, I'm getting him.

Hang on a second.

Let me have the net.

Oh, no.

Welcome to the show.

I'm not much of a net man, either, Leo.

They invented poles for a reason.

You're not supposed to use the net.

Oh, the big one of the night.

Oh, alright.

Let me get us back here.

That is a good size fish right there.

There it is.

This is about an 8 to 10 pound fish that's about as big as we want.

Fish on.

Come on Mase.

Catfish, little one.

Nice job.

Mason.

All right.

Oh!

Fish on, fish on.

Get a net.

All right.

There you go.

There you go.

What's up now, Mason?

That's a fish sandwich and a half.

Glad to be catching some.

I believe we got a fish on.

My favorite spot on this whole river is right there.

Yeah, this spot here has been producing catfish for 35 years.

A little bigger fish, bud get ready.

Coming up.

Nice.

There you go.

That fish have been on there for a long.

Oh.

Oh, grab it, grab it.

Nice job.

Mason you caught it twice.

In the cooler.

Nice job.

This spot right here is where we started putting poles out.

It's near water that comes in right there.

That's a guaranteed catfish.

What do you think, boys?

You had fun?

Definitely.

It was fun.

Did it bring back some memories for you?

It█s good times as always.

Always.

It's always fun.

We have said the last 3 or 4 times we've been out.

You know, this was such a part of our childhood.

It was kind of embarrassing on us that we hadn't exposed the kids to it yet.

Sure.

Great to share it with the kids.

It's great.

We've been saying we're going to do it for a long time.

Hopefully these boys are down here 35 years from now.

Setting limb lines and bank poles on Salt River.

Now let's check in and see who else has been out having fun in this week's ones that didn't get away.

Check out this nice largemouth bass that was caught by a 15 year old Noah Hickey.

This fish was caught a Wood Creek lake in Laurel County.

Nice fish.

Sarah Young knows where to go to catch nice hybrid stripers.

That's Rough River lake.

These two were caught on a spoon.

Nice job.

Now, this is a giant red ear caught by nine year old Haddon Adams.

This fish was caught at Kentucky Lake.

Congratulations.

Anthony Collins headed out to Dewey Lake and caught this beautiful 42 inch muskie on a whopper popper.

He said his son thought that he had hooked a crocodile.

Nice job.

Macey Taylor was all smiles as she shows the camera this nice bluegill that was caught at Laurel River Lake.

Nice job.

Mike Brown went fishing in Scott County, Indiana for catfish with a live bluegill and ended up landing this 5 pound, six ounce largemouth bass.

Nice job.

Grayson Davis was all smiles as he shows us his first fish ever, a nice bluegill that was caught in Hart County, Kentucky.

Congratulations.

School is now out making this a perfect time to take a few kids fishing, or maybe even chase some bullfrogs.

And remember, hunting and fishing on private property is a privilege.

Always ask permission and thank the landowner.

Until next week, I'm your host, Chad Miles and I hope to see you in the woods or on the water.

It's a new year, and that means new outdoor opportunities in the state of Kentucky.

Start your outdoor adventure by purchasing your annual fishing license at FW.KY.GOV