George asked me to start this year's fishing thread and after talking to Nate and others, I agreed.
Lets pray for great fishing stories and great times with friends and family this year around our ponds.
FISH ON!!!
Here's to George, may he also enjoys fishing more this year as well!!
Retired but not forgotten!!
I will be headed out fishing once my brothers finally wake up...
Here are two great anglers ready for 2014 fishing at our farm. Pic taken 12/30/13.
Cool, Todd!!
How big are they, if you know??
They are full grown birds but they won't let me get close enough to measure their wingspans or get a weight.... dangit...
But I feel fortunate share space with em.
So cool! Eagles are really re-populating in Missouri and there are a number of nests within 10 miles of me. I am hoping that a pair will someday nest close to me. I only worry what they will do to my chickens?
Todd, what's your guess on wing-span?
Very nice Nate. The smiles on the kids are always the best part. Fishing young changes lives.
Do I see some BG x RES hybrids in there? Great fish all around!
Wow, if global warming keeps developing like it has this year, mid Missouri may well be a candidate for ice fishing. It feels like ice fishing weather today, 2F! You guys make me want to give that a try. Awesome fish. CMM
That's a fine mess of fish there!
Any Walleye?
That's great to hear the new acreage has good fishing!!
the new acreage is a gem beyond....yes there are many redear x bluegill hybrids we will get Friday morning! no walleyes yesterday, but saturday we are gonna target walleyes for TJ.
Nate, what were you catching the LMB on? Still in the 20's here, but a buddy in Chicago said it was -4 there an hour ago.
Catchin the bass on jigs with live minnows.
James right back at you, I'm chompin at the bit to get down to your place!
Our temps have been ranging from the teens to upper 60's the past few weeks and continue to date.
Son Jeff fished our "little pond" on a balmy warm afternoon the past Sundy.
He found the CNBG and HSB actively feeding and had a blast with a spinner bait catching HSB on a casting rod.
He don't do water temps or documentation except with a cell phone camera - he just catches fish...
We still (as of last week) had BG and HSB feeding at feeders which are set once a day for a short period.
Jeff Glazener seems to catch BIG fish!!!
Like Mrs. G !!! They just out fish George not to mention what they would do to the rest of us !
Fishing a private pond I've been trying to access for 20 years last weekend with a buddy. Few weeks ago a 19" Black Crappie was caught there [saw video on local news] and would have likely broken the current NE State Record. Suffice it to say, I was pretty excited to finally get permission to fish this 40 AC NRD lake!
We fished hard and moved frequently and posted lots of dink BG and some nice LMB, but not any crappie worth mentioning. As we were about to leave my buddy was on with something big. Once we identified it as a Crappie and not LMB we were very careful to land...she went 18.25". I'd like to add I had two lively minnow/Thill rigs and a Slender Spoon jigging and tipped with a small fathead not more than 8 feet away. That's notable considering his fish was taken on a teardrop and half a mushy waxie that had been sitting for probably 30 minutes motionless. Oh well, I was pumped for him regardless. My turn will come someday!
Mmmm... Some good eating! I wonder what the dynamics are in that lake that allow it to produce such nice crappies?
Abundant smaller BG and small crappie, some NP, and average to larger [for NE] LMB. Somehow this fishery is producing few but enormous Crappie. Would be nice to have time to study it more than for just one day...
N8ly - That is GREAT news and congratulations for getting to work with In-Fisherman. No doubt your fish impressed them.
Monday and Tuesday we filmed ice fishing shows with Doug Stange and InFisherman TV... He keeps saying how important the Pond Connection is going to be in the upcoming years for anglers. I told him the Pond Boss bunch are the guys to look out for! The shows we filmed last winter are currently airing right now on the Sportsmans Channel. The shows we filmed this week will be on next year...
Oh well, I was pumped for him regardless. My turn will come someday!
TJ and Nate,
I think TJ's comment says it all. I get really excited when I'm with a friend, whether that friend is 3 or 93 years old, and catches a trophy fish -- even if it is a first-ever bluegill or some monster.
I don't think I've ever caught a record fish, and I know I've never shot a trophy buck.
Yet, to me, it is extremely fulfilling to be with, or even to just know someone who does get such a trophy. It is extremely exciting to see people like the Hermans doing such great things without becoming like Justin Bieber.
It is great to just be associated with the Pond Boss family.
Ken
Boy that water looks familiar Nate! How was the bite? Looks like a nice long ice season for you, gotta be close to a record in recent seasons?
Fished from 10AM - 7PM last Saturday - bite was SLOW all day until dusk, then things heated up. Several good WE [for my pond], YP, and Crappie. Here are some really poor photos of the noteworthy fish - we had resorted to putting away a few beers while the bite was slow, and you know the rest:
This female YP was pushing 13" - still no signs of the big girls yet this year, though.
Two HBCP just a hair below 15" Master Angler status
Caught 6 WE, these were approx 16" and decent body condition. Wynn is a big guy and makes these look dinkier than they truly were - that's my story, anyhow
TJ, your efforts do you proud. VERY nice indeed!
They are full grown birds but they won't let me get close enough to measure their wingspans or get a weight.... dangit...
But I feel fortunate share space with em.
Isn't that discrimination Todd?
I'll bet you're not as eager to share with cormorants or herons!
Did you know Ben Franklin considered Bald Eagles mere scavengers and dumb as a box of rocks? He wanted the turkey as our national symbol.
N8ly - That is GREAT news and congratulations for getting to work with In-Fisherman. No doubt your fish impressed them.
Ditto. That is a first class magazine and TV show. Unlike Outdoor Life, Sports Afield, and Field and Stream that have gone to the dogs.
TJ those fish all look in excellent condition ! Well done !
Nate outstanding job. The In-Fisherman group are more importantly a great group of people with an outstanding mag/show.
TJ...Any signs of young Hybrid Crappie recruitment?
I've caught probably a dozen in traps and cast nets up to 4", and Bruce's dad caught a 6" fish thru the ice - that's all recruitment. I've been culling all. No clue if these are destined to become a management problem, but also notice half of all HBCP lack the black stripe, also - so am I dealing with all hybrids? Not sure exactly what we have going on yet...
Nice fish all around. May have to start ice fishing in west Tn. What a winter.
Fishing fever BAD – cabin fever BAD – temp today 70 – tomorrow 75 F – time to start culling LMB!
All tackle fishing tomorrow – dug some old 30 year jig heads out of the closet and put on new skirts – can’t reach best bass spots with fly rod - boat off limits for me but I can’t win that argument!
Gotta try a rattle trap for luck and a tiny torpedo to see if they want anything on top!
Jeff did good on LMB yesterday – bass moving into pre-spawn pattern maybe.
Gonna give it a shot anyway.
G/
ps:
I deleted the "ironworks" - no fun chunkin' that stuff!
Bass moving into shallows that can be reached with fly rod..
My brother in law and myself spent Saturday trying to catch SMB and YP throught the ice, we ended up catching nothing but GSHs on wax worms. We used a few 4-1/2" to 5" GSH for bait on tip ups but missed whatever hit them.
Three nice LMB harvested on spinner baits this morning - lost spin jigs on Jeff's brush piles - rattle traps on the menu later today.
CNBG active at Little Pond - NO activity on main pond!
Pictures tomorrow when get home - Scott has me shamed to show any so far...
G/
George, any of them CB's?
PS, I've got the 3wt locked and loaded waiting on the Dish guy to come and go.
George, any of them CB's?
PS, I've got the 3wt locked and loaded waiting on the Dish guy to come and go.
Nope - Jeff keeps telling me he has filleted all the ones with clipped fins!!
Yesterday shoulda started LMB fishing earlier – 3 fish landed and 2 dropped first hour - then lockjaw city when 25+ mph began!
CNBG active on litle Pond and nada on main pond.
My useful RW category is “Skinny, Fat or OK”.
My two largest LMB @16 &17 inches bogad at 2+lbs - OK?
This morning no LMB to be found – gotta quit throwing that iron!
No HSB activity.
CNBG active both ponds but only small ones – YOY 8-9 inches – don’t know where mama and poppas were hiding.
Fun (N)ice fishing days – shirt sleeve weather but WINDY!
I should have started yesterday too George. I went out 4 times this afternoon, and never got another bite after the front rolled through.
George, when are the Tilapia scheduled to go in? It looks like the FA is going to town already!
George, when are the Tilapia scheduled to go in? It looks like the FA is going to town already!
FA is normal for 1/4 acre pond for this time of year - hasn't flushed for a couple or so drought years.
Todd will make the call on tilapia delivery.
g/
Finally have ice out on my pond, as of yesterday afternoon. So excited, I was wondering if there was a fisherman's anonymous group I could join somewhere. Tomorrow afternoon will be the day for me to feed my addiction. May be too windy for the fly rod, but I will hit the water with some kind of string and stick! Yippee!
CMM
First time I fished in the pond since ice fishing season started:
10" YP .4# (Male)
11" SMB
15" and 17.5" RBT 1.7# and 2.42#
Thanks George. It's hard to fly fish thru a 6" hole in the ice.
It also was bugging me that I could't add anything to your annual fishing thread!
Thanks George. It's hard to fly fish thru a 6" hole in the ice.
It also was bugging me that I could't add anything to your annual fishing thread!
Hitting that 6" hole in the ice with a fly is what I call precision
presentation!
Ya done good!
Beautiful RBTs! What's up with the YP though, is he skinny?
james, what happened to the back of that crappie on the left?
Great pics...
First time I fished in the pond since ice fishing season started:
10" YP .4# (Male)
11" SMB
15" and 17.5" RBT 1.7# and 2.42#
Pretty good male YP there Scott - how old to you think he is?
Beautiful RBTs! What's up with the YP though, is he skinny?
I thought so too. Male YP, maybe the food chain base is still light? Pond is down 4' so everything that was once in shallow water is now above the ice.....
TJ, I'm going with 2 or 3. Cecil should have a better idea. They came from him.
SMB looks like good condition too, and the RBT are striking! Wonder if they are different sex - the bottom one looks more speckled
SMB looks like good condition too, and the RBT are striking! Wonder if they are different sex - the bottom one looks more speckled
Top was male, bottom female. I thought the SMB looked a bit skinny too.
I can't tell if they are white or black crappie.
Gage and I set out to target a few northern BG females for a science project tonight, and wouldn't you know it, he stuck this beast on an ultralight after just a few minutes. After last year's HSB fiasco we are dead set on reducing the biomass in this pond, so we had to call it a night and head to the fillet table.
I'm not a fan of eating large catfish, and would've probably just tossed the fish, but he was proud of it.....so there you go.
24", seven pounds, and VERY gravid....wasn't expecting that at all.
SMB looks like good condition too, and the RBT are striking! Wonder if they are different sex - the bottom one looks more speckled
Top was male, bottom female. I thought the SMB looked a bit skinny too.
Coming out of Winter I think that SMB is looking solid. Give him 4 weeks chasing pellets and he'll be back where you need him. Good fish.
That's a very thick fish - well done Tony and Gage!
Nice catfish, Gage!
Did you guys cook it up yet?
Not yet. Going to soak the fillets in 7-Up for a few hours to try and mellow things out. I'm just not a fan of trying to eat bigger catfish, but he's looking forward to it. I'll soak it, trim it, and do my best to make it palatable.
I don't drink it myself Sunil, but soaking the fillets in it can work wonders on strong, or "muddy" tasting fish. It will turn red or brown streaks, or veins, almost pure white.
I've heard of that recipe...sounds tried and true been around a long while. Trim off all excess fat and consider a thick beer batter and hot peanut oil! Makes even shoe leather taste good.
I'd blacken the heck out of a few filets (pronounced 'fill-its' outside of Pittsburgh).
Perhaps you can slice the filets to make "thin-fried." More crunchy batter taste and less fishy.
good catch for two reasons nice fish and she would have had a lot more. we take out all of our catfish due to high reproduction rates
It's good to see everyone doing well, and catching some very nice fish. How's everyone been?
Cason, cold and windy - how you been?
'Bout time for you and James to be posting your 10+ lb HSB pictures.
We continue to recover loss of our largest during the extreme drought of 2011 - looking better all the time.
G/
The water is warming up down here the bass are off the bed. The res are on and a few BG are fanning. Clouds of gsh fry everywhere. My wife caught this cc while BG fishing it was fun on 4# test! But she will not hold a cat fish because of an unfortunate finning a few years ago.
Description: Nice cc my wife caught this week
About the same here George. I'm ready for it to warm up and stay that way. We had one of our worst years for crappie last year. It's still been slow this year, but it looks like recruitment has picked back up. I guess that's the trouble with them, we had everything on the right track and then mother nature decides to skip a recruiting class. On the upside we did catch some really nice HSB last year, and will be restocking some more this year. In other news I became a father last August.
Haven't even dug out the pole yet.. I'm getting ansy. ...
About the same here George. I'm ready for it to warm up and stay that way. We had one of our worst years for crappie last year. It's still been slow this year, but it looks like recruitment has picked back up. I guess that's the trouble with them, we had everything on the right track and then mother nature decides to skip a recruiting class. On the upside we did catch some really nice HSB last year, and will be restocking some more this year. In othe news I became a father last August.
Cason, super congratulations!!!
Pictures would be good!
Oh, and 'last August?' That is WEAK!!! You're just letting us know now???
Congrats !!!! Nothing like it !
Oh yeah good looking young chub.. what's the age on it..
BK, I think that 14-1/2" SMB might be one of the 5-6" SMB that were initially stocked in late October of 2011.
Another one tonight, 15-1/2"+.
Great looking largemouths, Nate!
n8ly, are those from the new property?
If so, seems like there was some decent management going on.
Nice LMB !!! All but one look in good condition. One may be reaching old age (big head thin stomach). If a mth later here it could be post spawn - there now , I think just old age .
I've been out twice so far this year...
2 weeks ago culling some bass out of the little pond:
And last night the kids and I went out on the dock on the big pond for an hour or so:
I finally got a new phone and it takes way better pictures than my old one.
I've heard that if you're wondering if you have big fish in your pond to have someone fish it who hasn't.
Amy (brother's girlfriend) was pretty excited to pull out this 17" 2.95 lb LMB out this morning.
So far, 2.25 lb had been the biggest.
Thanks guys. Sorry for not stopping by sooner. I'll try and post up a pic today.
Here he is guys. He is almost 9 months old, and was born one day shy of the 3rd anniversary of my father's passing. I couldn't imagine a better gift.
Here he showing off his driving skills on one of our duck trucks.
You have a winner there Buddy.
You can never start 'em driving too early!
You have a winner there Buddy.
Yep!
Here are a few from today at the pond.
and a few from my trip to Grand Lake of the Cherokees last week for a tournament, I caught a bigger one during the tournament but didn't get a picture.
My partner caught this during the "practice day" for the tournament...
This 12" crappie hammered a 4" magnum tube while we were bass fishing at Grand.
I only average about 10 minutes fishing on every 20 hours I work managing the hatchery ponds, feeding, and knocking out projects around the farm - but this pretty lady hammered a firetiger Bitsy Minnow on my second cast. It was the first time I've fished the ponds since ice out in March!
Estimated length at 10.25" - that's Master Angler status for NE
Notice the bright yellow on the pelvic and anal fin
This is the most faint yellow/orange margin on the opercular tab I've ever seen on a Female RES...makes me wonder if there might be a tiny bit of GSF genetics in there?
I think it is pure RES. It is just another female showing her personality.
I agree with Bill that she is pure RES. I am not surprised that she hit a"Bitsy Minnow" at all. That is a very nice RES TJ!
I never fish cranks in my pond - have a no barb single hook rule - but thought I could make an exception. Glad I did
Teej, have you tried the single hook cranks from Sebile? I haven't because they're $15/each (wow) but I love throwing cranks and hate jaw-destroying treble hooks, too.
Just switch the hooks out on your mini cranks cheap and works great.
Doug Stange and InFisherman TV came and filmed this week... This is the largest bass he has ever filmed in Illinois and perhaps the Midwest:
Very Nice bass. Congrats for a big, big bass in IL and great it will be on TV. It should help with your national reputation for growing fish and fish management.
Can anyone please remember to get a gape measurement of one of these big LMB whenever you catch one? We are trying to compile some data of mouth size and size of fish the LMB can eat.
I'll measure for you Bill I'm still waiting for some decent fishing weather..
I never fish cranks in my pond - have a no barb single hook rule - but thought I could make an exception. Glad I did
I thought you let your guests fish cranks?
Bill,
I am having a 40 boat fishing tournament on May 17 at the goose ranch. If you remind me I can get gape measurements from lots of bass at the weigh in...
All bass 15" and under are kept and not released.... The boat with the most wins... Then all bass 16" and over go in live wells for me to inspect and weigh and measure and the team with the best weight from top 5 fish also wins a big prize....
We capped the tourney at 40 boats and are full already. Helps manage the lakes...
Ill do one again next month too, but prob will just be most bass under 15" wins as the water temps rise.
What was the specs in Stange's fish N8
Caught several nice one's today, but this BG was the thickest. A couple were slightly longer, but not as thick. Excuse the pics, I was scrambling to get him back in the water.
1 1/2 pounds, 11 1/4".
Now you're talking...Al, that's a superb fish. Great job!!
WOW, that is great!!
Well done!!!! That is a thick as the bass I caught yesterday!!
You would need a chainsaw not a filet knife to clean him
Thanks guys.
Tony, I almost panicked when I got him close to shore. 2 pounds is my goal, and I thought for sure this was the one. I bounced him on the Boga, and I saw the 2, so I borrowed my wife's glasses because I didn't want to cheapen the achievement by a missed reading. I'm really glad I did, and am far happier knowing the truth. Hopefully, he's still got some growing to do.
Wow! I didn't know that blowfish could live in fresh water. lol
Thanks guys.
Tony, I almost panicked when I got him close to shore. 2 pounds is my goal, and I thought for sure this was the one.
"The one".....yeah, I know that feeling. The forget to breathe, time slows down, please let the line hold, shaking hands when you put him on the scale, feeling.
I'm still looking for the adjective that will do that sensation adequate justice.
Thanks guys.
Tony, I almost panicked when I got him close to shore. 2 pounds is my goal, and I thought for sure this was the one.
"The one".....yeah, I know that feeling. The forget to breathe, time slows down, please let the line hold, shaking hands when you put him on the scale, feeling.
I'm still looking for the adjective that will do that sensation adequate justice.
Yes! Tony the fisherman poet.
Caught a bunch of these this morning - this photo is Mrs. G's favorite.
Year old immature male - perfect confirmation of pure OTS CNBG.
In order to keep smaller gills off the hook, we used #4 drop shot hooks with super large stubby pellet flies, crafted from worm Stubbys.
Great morning on our ponds - probably caught ~50 over 8 inches.
All females under 8 inches culled to little pond.
Grand slam with a couple of "ladder" HSB and dink LMB - post spawn lockjaw.
George
The purple flowers are a nice touch, Hef!!
Great pic George! I'm glad that someone is able to get out and enjoy the weather. It's in the low 60's here, but the wind is still going 15 mph or more.
Great pic George! I'm glad that someone is able to get out and enjoy the weather. It's in the low 60's here, but the wind is still going 15 mph or more.
Yeah, it was really a nice day today - windy yesterday.
Our winter was a record breaker as well - if you noticed those juvinile one year old 8+ inch should have have been closer to a pound under normal conditions.
G/
95 degrees at Bowie today. Yep, summer is coming and we won't have any more of these cool temps.
GSF dominant, gravid female HBG.
21 oz male HBG.
Post spawn bass
Great pics guys.
Tony, you're gonna need longer arms to get your entire fish in the pics.
George, I'm liking the flowers too.
I drug a Live Finger Mullet, across my pond for an hour trying to get something to post here....
I gave up, took the mullet off and tossed in the in the pond......
As Soon as it hit the water something agressivly took it out.....
VERY frustrating.
Well the last weekend was spent with family and friends out on our farm. We had a great time fishing.
Here are some of the pictures!!
This one caught the biggest fish, the smallest fish the most types of fish and set the current record for the pond!!
Here is my son working on his flyfishing technique. This was his first landed CNBG using a Briminator!!
Not to be out gunned by nmy son, I got out my flyrod and caught this little guy!!
Here is a few pictures of the second biggest LMB I caught. It weighed in at 3 lbs 7oz. I get 108% RW on this guy. The range was 116% on the high end and the runt of the day was 106% RW. As allen said, it is rewarding to see the fruits of your labor panning out!!!
Now its time to really hit it and see what we have in the pond.
Per our plan, All CC and BCP were pulled from the pond. So far, there have not been any LMB this season under 100% RW so I might up limit and start removing some of the LMB anyway to control numbers.
Now that's what I call a fishing trip!
Congrats to all the Hoffman fisherfolks!
George
Looks like good times! Should I even ask about the pond with the BH in it?
Was checking my bass tonight and caught this young lady..
No record breakers I know, and pale in comparison to others here on PB (which I hope at some point to achieve), but right now if there's anything above cloud nine, I'm on it!
(My buddy had just left after we both got shut out trying to catch an HSB so I had to do what I hate, take a selfie
)
Thank you all for sharing so much!
The HSB was 17" with a vertical gape of 2", horizontal gape of 1 5/8". Regarding the BG, they were stocked at 3-5" in May of 2013. I don't know if this is good growth for one year but it just struck me as a beautiful fish.
Nothing like a trifecta!!
Even better, what fun!
And if I'm learning, that would be a male, northern BG (not HBG?)
There really isn't much prettier than a big fat healthy BG!
There really isn't much prettier than a big fat healthy BG!
And great little fighters, especially on 2 lb test!
After years of being a LMB fisherman I have a whole new appreciation (and love) for BG!
And solely due to PB and the PBF!
I'm having so much fun with all this crazy pond management stuff
(on the edge of obsession!)
Well I had a few friends over to go fishing and here are some of the catches:
RW 107
RW 116
RW 99, the runt of the litter.
A fun day catching BG, CC, and LMB!!
Those are some really nice fish Brian!
Nice work guys. It is hard to maintain 100% RWs.
Well I had a few friends over to go fishing and here are some of the catches:
RW 107
RW 116
RW 99, the runt of the litter.
A fun day catching BG, CC, and LMB!!
Brian, nice fish!
Ok, now that we know one of those LMB was my pure Florida LMB and can be assumed that the others we stocked survived. You obviously have now spawned F1 LMB earlier this spring and have upgraded your genetics from your original lake stocking of native LMB.
Several PB folks in our area have stocked, or in the process of stocking Camelot Bell pure Florida LMB. You have great brood ponds full of the best of the best CNBG in the country.
What is your plan going forward - looks to me like a golden opportunity to have the potential for a world class fishery by further upgrading your LMB genetics with CB LMB - time is of the essence IMO.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=310997Good job!
George
George,
I emailed Todd at Overton's and I am going to try my hand at growing some LMB in Extratopia. I'll have to seine out any large CNBG before I put the LMB in for growout, but I have two other brood ponds for them!!
It is going to take a week or so to get them, but I think it is time to try!
Eric, Brian briefly discussed your advice with me and I agree if you are talking about Camelot Bell LMB genetics.
I do not agree with stocking more LMB in main lake until he has a culling plan in progress and discussed CB options with Todd – which I insist that he carefully consider.
I provided enough pure Florida LMB stock last fall for him to have ample F1s so would not stock any additional LMB if CB are not considered. I believe I am the only one on the forum with CB experience with adult stockers.
These are the ONLY new LMB genetics I would introduce into my pond/lake:
Caught CB in December 2012 - weighed in at ~2 lbs @ 15 inches - 8 months old!
My 2 cents worth.
George
Hey buddy, I am excited - go for it!
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=377930&page=13
16"
Seeing a bass grow so large so fast is exciting, but is there any long term growth data? Will their growth taper off? Will they continue to grow 2 lbs./year under optimal conditions? If so, for how long? Just wondering.
I snagged this BIG bullfrog underwater while fishing tonight, it went 6" from vent to snout and I am guessing 13" long with the legs stretched out.
That's getting right close to appetizer stage
Mine seem to be decreasing in numbers, I think due to the GBH that is still there every morning, and again when I get home from work (which of course I "chase" off).
I am going to order a "Flambeau Great Blue Heron decoy" and see if it works. I am going to move it to a different spot on the pond every few days, supposedly this makes it a more effective deterrent.
Did you end up getting one?
Not yet but I haven't seen any GBHs in a week a half so the urgency to get it ordered ran dry. I am hoping the large coyote my wife saw at the pond on Tuesday night took care of my GBH problem.
Scott, (esshup) paid me a visit today and we spent an enjoyable afternoon tinkering on chainsaws, talking about ponds, pondering the peculiar nature of man, picking up equipment on backroads, and yes, even did a little fishing.
As is often the case when you decree your fish should be on their best behavior, they decided instead to sulk and languish in the depths, all the while mocking our offerings. We caught some good fish, but no big fish answered the call.
Esshup did graciously assist me in my quest to eliminate the bigger LMB from the HBG pond, however.
A few from yesterday afternoon.
13"
14"
14"
TJ, your babies are growing up.
and a few from the "BIG pond" out west.
Sea run cutthroat (Colvos Passage) Puget Sound
Hatchery Coho (Strait of Juan de Fuca)
A few from Friday...LMB and SMB. SMB is from Yolk in TN:
PS...That snail on the SMB was just from when the SMB was on the ground, I think.
One of my 5-8 inch stockers from last June.. Looking good to me.. Was to lazy to go get a scale or tape..
My trip last week released as many as we kept. Blue was around 250.
Rob C
We finally got to cull fish for an hour this afternoon. Fall is topwater time, and that's my favorite time of year to fish. This one unfortunately didn't make the cut. You gotta be tough to make it here because CNBG are the alphas in my big puddle.
I hope I have some "culls" like that some day. Nice.
Did you put a few of those in your pond?
16-1/2", this is the biggest SMB I have caught so far.
Don't you just hate it when this happens?
Filleted HBG with a side of snake for dinner tonight?
No hybs, went looking for RES today. Found a few, too.
Had to dismantle the snake for removal.
What a great way to start the day!
Finally caught one of the all-elusive HSB (has been for me anyway) this morning and thrilled beyond words with the results after 2 years.
HSB and LMB were stocked 9-1-12 at 6"-7". This one this morning measured 17.5", weighing 2.82 lbs.
Then to add to the morning's excitement, pulled in this 18" 3.02 lb LMB.
2 1/2 years into trying to rehab this pond, maybe I
AM doing something right?
So blessed and grateful, thank you Pond Boss!
Way to go LL looking good! My HSB got about the size yours is now and I haven't seen them since??? I am beginning to think I may have lost them all?? I only caught 1 this year.
RC
RC, thank you and I'm sure yours are still there. I don't fish for them during the summer but with the water temps cooling off I'll use a pellet-fly for sampling, which other than a pellet-fly I've caught only one fishing for them conventionally
.
And the reason I knew mine were still there is by the way they hit the pellets (AM LMB food) at feeding time. They hammer them a lot different than the LMB.
And thank you as well, stickem'!
I have tried hard and long to get permission to post 2014 fish photos for my long time fried and sometimes lurker - but to no avail - well I finally succeeded.
He grows some really nice fish, especially SMB, as well as LMB, BG and RES.
He runs in stealth mode so he says - “just tell folks he is my “sons' brothers-in-law”.
Enjoy!
April 13
Caught the first Smallie of the year
July 5
Caught this nice (16 Inch, 3 Lbs 8 Oz) Largemouth
July 15
2013 Smallie
Oct 5
Got these last weekend - a 17 inch, 2 lbs 8 oz Smallie. Our farm's SMB record (4 lbs 15 oz).
George can we assume that these SMB were grown in a regular water temperature TX pond, i.e. not spring fed? Are the SMB and LMB together in the same pond/lake or separate ponds? We are always eager to learn more about growing SMB in southern ponds. We want to know how to do it successfully.
George can we assume that these SMB were grown in a regular water temperature TX pond, i.e. not spring fed? Are the SMB and LMB together in the same pond/lake or separate ponds? We are always eager to learn more about growing SMB in southern ponds. We want to know how to do it successfully.
Not a southern pond Bill - a dug pond and IIRC two sepate ponds - not spring fed.
Don't know if LMB and SMB in same or different ponds.
He loves to fish and loves his fish.
I need to find someone with small hands to hold my fish for pictures.. Either that or feed them more..
Wow....beautiful albino cat and crappie!
Looks like the flatheads didn't make it back into the drink!!
Nice report!
Snakebite,
Very nice looking dogs in that picture! They have white markings on the chest, Ours look about that size (height and build) and has the same markings, he is a black lab/Australian lab mix. Same with yours? How old are they? male/female?
Any advice on training ours? He is 6 mo now and doing better, but I know he is very smart and I worry maybe we just don't work him or run him hard enough. On a rainy day he gets restless living in the garage and staying dry and I think he drags tools out of the garage and chews on them (and bike helmets and anything else plastic) much more when he is restless than when he is running hard with the kids.
We worked hard to train him to do his 'duties' in the woods and he would just look at us and pee or poop whereever he felt like. He would check if we were looking first but if we tried to stop it or redirect him to the woods he just acted like, 'who me? you lookin at me?'
Then it just hit me that the last 2 weeks we have no, none, zippo poop piles in the yard anymore. It is as if he just figured it out and on is own decided to do his thing in the woods now. Go figure..
I did wonder if he had another dog to romp with all day he might be a lot happier. He LOVES kids, craves the attention and the scratching, can't seem to get enough.
Anyhow, beautiful fish and nice looking dogs
What did you use to catch those flatheads? Those fish were reducing the fish numbers in the BG pond. It would be very interesting to hear how many fish and what sizes each of smaller fish those flatheads were eating each year. Also if you catch more, please measure the mouth width and length of each new one you catch. Thanks.
There should be some sort of conversion factor for how many pounds of fish need to be eaten per pound of predator for that predator to grow normally. It would take a better 'bean counter' than me to figure that one out.
I do know that many LMB can grow 1 lb per year (maybe more weight gain in the south with a longer growing season). This equates to about 10 lbs of live meat (bugs, crayfish, fish, amphibians and birds) of some sort per year per fish. If we use a 16" lmb (2.25 lb std wt) as an example this means it could eat around 226 to 453 four inch BG (10-20g ea) to get 10 lbs of BG. More individuals would be consumed if BG were smaller and if the BG were 5" fewer (66). If we had 30 16" lmb in an acre and each was eating 350 BG per year this means they are consuming around 10,000 4" BG per year. If that 10 lbs consumed fish were 2.7" FHM this would for 30 LMB consumers equate to around 44,100 FHM. See now why LMB ponds are often low on forage fish????
The example above of 30 16" LMB has 67.5 bass pounds per acre - reasonable amount. If each of those bass ate 10 lbs of all fish this is 300 lbs of forage, about all the forage fish weight that would normally live in one acre. Normally I think one would want the predators to eat no more than 60-72% of the existing forage fish stock each year. In reality there are rarely 30 16"+ bass per acre. Fish ponds are communities comprised of fish of various sizes. I don't think all of those 30 16" bass will eat 10 lbs of forage. Some of the bass may just maintain or slightly increase their weight whereas the most aggressive ones may eat a few more fish than 10 lbs and the majority consume weight somewhere in between 2 to 10 lbs. We should probably cull those slow growing bass. In addition a certain percent of the annual diet will be items other than BG such as other bass, and various meat items that live in or around the pond.
Thank you. @ Canyoncreek these two are my uncles dogs, ones a black lab and the other most likely a mutt. Great dogs, but not the best fishing partners as they prefer to wade in the shallows or swim out to greet you in the boat. But are good dogs non the less.
@ Bill I sure will next time get the flat head information gape/weight/length, I was being terrorized by mosquito`s that particular evening. I normally wait until about 1 hour before dark, if you already have bait ( 4-7" HBG) caught and noodle jugs setup. Most of my noodle jugs are short 80lb lines no longer than leg length with two hooks one 2ft down from the noodle and another a few inches from bottom of line with weight 2 ounce at the bottom. Circle hooks work best 6/0 to 8/0.
Don`t be afraid to toss in shallows from the bank. Two of these were caught 2 minutes after being tossed out in less than 4 feet of water, so have a boat handy or a heavy duty rod with a treble hook to grab hold of the noodle float.
On the conversion factor the other thing that would come into play would be competing species of fish. Flatheads in the pond may grow faster with limited competition other than a few LMB, against our other pond which has FHC,CC, BLC, LMB, BCP
I'm guessing female but wouldn't bet on it this time of year.
2 years of misery is starting to pay off.
Dr Dave Dos with a healthy LMB at my puddle today. She was a smidge under 8#.
2 more pics of CNBG. Both right at 9". Top CNBG is OTS strain, and bottom CNBG is Florida strain. The OTS is taller and wider, and carries more weight.
Oh my.....
ps: what was it caught on?
wow. look at the back height difference. Amazing.
wow. look at the back height difference. Amazing.
OTS CNBG seldom grow longer than 10 inches as they get wider and thicker.
This has been apparent to many of us for some time but FireIsHot is fist to document comparison of two entirely different strains of pure CNBG.
G/
...ps: what was it caught on?
GSF and an octopus hook. The more fusiform shape seems to make them really attractive to LMB.
You took the words right out of my keyboard!!!
FIH/Al, looks like Gunsmoke at 3:30PM each day is paying off large!!!
Sunil, I haven't had much success, but things are finally coming around. I've tried to learn from the life lessons you and Matt Dillon have taught me.
Sunil, I haven't had much success, but things are finally coming around. I've tried to learn from the life lessons you and Matt Dillon have taught me.
Don't forget Miss Kitty's contribution......Patience!!
Caught this little guy (5-6") last night, normally I wouldn't post a fish this small but the surface temp was 52 degrees and it was caught on a crappie tube 18" under a bobber.
Had a really a great day on our ponds yesterday!
Caught some nice fish.
Biggest LMB was a plump 4.5 lbs on the boga and a nice 3 pounder - several nice HSB and CNBG.
Nice fish King George & Nicky!
Our open water season might end shortly, these might be the last open water fish I catch from the pond this year. All caught this afternoon.
15" SMB
RES #1
RES #2 I am pretty sure this one was a breeding male over the summer.
Shorty
What did you catch the RES on?
Pretty fish one of my favorite
Pat W
I used a casting bubble rigged as a slip bobber with the casting bubble 1/2 full of water. A 1/32" jig tipped with 1/2" to 1" piece of night crawler, fished 2ft below the surface. They wanted it sitting or just barely moving. Five RES today, 1 YP, 1 SMB, and 2 GSH, all on the same rig.
Here is #3
#4 just shy of 9"
#5
Nice.
I have not caught another RES since the day caught 4 all out of the same area and within an hour.
Been using plastics and casting which is what I caught the 4 on. Will have to try a bobber and worm.
Way to go James, really nice fish!
G/
Nice fish -- beautiful lake !!
Mr James, nice fish. Gotta ask tho what did ya catch that tilapia on?
A BG x RES hybrid I caught today. A lot of RES in the mix, but I believe there's a little BG in the ancestry also.
Eleven and a half inches, @ one pound three ounces.
That male BG is 8.5"
You keep the RES x BG for a meal?
You keep the RES x BG for a meal?
Oddly, it was the only fish I kept. It didn't feel right the moment I set the hook. Just wasn't the usual fight there, and anybody who's ever caught one knows they pull like a freight train.
I got back to shore, took the photos, and tried to release but it wasn't to be. Hooked in the lip, not dropped (Yolk!),handled carefully, not brought up from deep water.
Nada, belly up. All other fish released, this one fileted.
Too cold for the RES side of the family, maybe?
The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree!
That's my little buddy Bootz Overton!
I posted this in my pond thread but figured I should partake in the pond fishing 2014 thread too....
Bobbie
No fair! Snook in fresh water. You just ain't right! LOL
Must be nice , and flounder too. How is flattie doing?
Pat W
Bobby, how do you feel about the overall condition of that snook?
Healthy? Fat? Just barely making it?
Bobby, how do you feel about the overall condition of that snook?
Healthy? Fat? Just barely making it?
I would say average and healthy, I have seen ones caught in the intercoatal waterway and other wild areas in that size range and they all look about the same. I dont think I have seen a real fat snook unless it was much larger. The smaller ones all seem slim.
George,
That must've been quite a long fight on that rod and reel combo that Bootz used!
George,
That must've been quite a long fight on that rod and reel combo that Bootz used!
Yeah, I would have loved to have seen it - made me proud - Bootsz's Dad and I know how those HSB got in that pond.. our favorite pond fish!
That must be the first snook pic posted here out of a freshwater pond.
Caught this today in the pond......
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