Don't knock bluegill and stumpknockers

ST. PETERSBURG -- You can keep your snook. Keep your bass. Keep your king mackerel.

When it comes to a good fight, pound for pound -- wait, you better make that ounce for ounce -- nothing beats a bluegill.

The lowly panfish, often ridiculed by "serious" anglers, can provide good sport on light tackle.

Florida has 7,710 lakes and ponds and more than 12,000 miles of rivers and streams. No matter where you go in freshwater, north or south, you are bound to find bream.

Warming waters have the fish on the move, and they are filling their bellies in anticipation of the summer spawn.

The great thing about bluegills is they will hit just about anything: worms, grass shrimp, crickets. These feisty fighters also hit a variety of artificials, including a popping bug at the end of a fly-line.

Most bluegills weigh just a few ounces, and a 1-pound fish would be a trophy for most anglers. The biggest bluegill caught in the state tipped the scales at 2.95 pounds, and the world record of 4 pounds, 12 ounces came from Alabama.

Shellcrackers, the state's other popular panfish, get even bigger. You'll recognize this bream (pronounced brim) by the red spot on its gill flap.

Shellcrackers that weigh a pound are more common than 1-pound bluegills. A monster 4.86-pound fish set the state record, and the world record is 5 pounds, 3 ounces.

Keeping this in mind, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asked its field staff to rank the state's top 12 panfish lakes:

The St. Johns River: One of the rare rivers in the world that runs from south to north, fish the stretch between State Road 50 near Titusville and Lake Monroe.

Lake Kissimmee: One of the most productive bodies of water in the state, this 35,000-acre gem has one of the largest panfish populations in Florida.

Lake Okeechobee: This 730-square-mile lake in South Florida is known for bass, but the panfishing is just as good. Look for fish in 2-5 feet on sand bottom.

Lake Talquin: A favorite of anglers in the Tallahassee area, this lake provides great action on a fly-rod. State biologists recommend working the upper end of the reservoir.

Tenoroc Fish Management Area: This 7,300-acre fish management area outside Lakeland has 13 lakes from 7 to 227 acres. The catch rates for bluegills and shellcrackers are higher than in any other body of water in the state.

Lake Harris: Known for big bluegills and shellcrackers, the Harris Chain in Leesburg is an angler's dream.

Lake Marian: This 5,740-acre lake doesn't get as much attention as others, but biologists say this hot spot in Osceola County has its share of panfish.

Lake Istokpoga: This lake has long been a secret spot for panfish anglers. Hit this lake in the late spring and summer.

Lake Jesup: Located near Sanford, research shows this lake has some of the biggest, heaviest panfish of any lake in Florida.

Choctawatchee River: One of the best fisheries in the Florida Panhandle, this river is a great pick for shellcracker enthusiasts. The smaller creeks and sloughs feeding the main river have redbreast sunfish, stumpknockers and warmouth perch.

Suwannee River: Although bluegill and shellcrackers are abundant, there is no better stumpknocker and redbreast sunfish fishery in the state. Work near the tree banks, at the mouths of creeks and along water lilies.

Lake Marionn: Don't confuse this 2,990-acre lake near Haines City with Lake Marian. There are large concentrations of bluegill and shellcrackers, and peak fishing occurs March through June.

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