Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations "Locating the Biggest Fish in the Pond/Lake"!

Dear Pond Bass Members,
>
>I know your organization is all about Bass, and God Bless you for that. I need some help from a fishermens point of view and thought maybe someone may have some sage advice.

Like I said, I don't know if any of your readers can help, but
hear goes! If not, could you point me in the right
> direction , person, study, researcher etc?
>
> This is not a joke or a prank. I am seriously
> interested in this and hope you can assist.
>
> I am not a professional fisherman, but I am always
> looking for an egde, or trying to think of something
> no else did in search of a trophy, world record,
> (catch and release only) fish. Even trying to "think
> like a fish" as some of the old guides say, hasn't
> worked for me.
>
> So I thought maybe the sicentific method might have
> some clues or similar studies might be compartive.
>
> I am looking for any research, study or statistical
> analyses probability for locating the "largest fish"
> in a given body of any fresh-water lake.
>
> Example: Say a given lake is 500 acres in area and is
> 55 feet deep. The temperature varies, normal
> paramiters throughout the thermocline depending on the
> season. Somewhere within that body of water there is
> "the largest" of a given biological species, the
> muskllunge and big definition, "the largest fish in
> that lake"!
>
> If regulated netting samples show the "average" musky
> is between 18"-36" and much larger fish are known to
> habitat the lake, is there any way for a statistical
> study to determine given he depth, feeding habits,
> mating and reproduction habits, water temperature,
> lake area demensions, forage etc., where, within
> reason, this particular fish is most likely or the
> "probability' of where it may be, at any given time
or
> where it spends most of it's time?
>
> Does it spend most of the day in deep water?
> How deep?
> Does it feed actively all day?
> All night?
> Once a week?
> Is it in shallow water most of the time, morning,
> evening?
> Does it spend 90% of the time in very deep water and
> only feed late and very early?
> Does it size play any role in it's elusivness?
>
> Unless I see the fish in the water or actually catch
> it, it could be anywhere? But where..... That's the
> question! Where do the "stats" say it should be or
> most likely will be? What part of the lake should I
> concentrate on and increase my chances of at least
> raising my chances of an encounter?
>
> Or does my question have just to many variables and
> random probabilty for statistical analyses to
> accurately be applied? I don't know.
>
> How I have not taken up to much time. Any advice
> would be appreciated.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Tim Collins
> Antioch, Illinois
>

surayabay....first welcome to pond BOSS

second, sorry cant help myself....all yer questions are why they call it "fishin"

we are about ponds here, not just bass.

hopefully someone else will address yer post in more detail. good luck findin the big one.

Tim.....welcome to Pond Boss!

Have you ever won the Lottery?

If not, you have as good a chance as anybody in that 500 acre lake to catch the Big One, since you haven't used up all your good luck.

As a fisherman I look for the most combinations of different types of features comming together in close proximity to easy feeding. I've allways hear deep water close to good forage habitat is a prime location, maybe a drop-off with stumps or boulders close the vegetative shallows, just some thoughts.

Just get out there and go fishing. Enjoy your time on the water!

Due to oxygen levels, your big fish will not likely spend its time in very deep water. It will utilize the same habitat as its prey.

A good starting point would be to identify the thermocline and eliminate any water below that. Next, ask yourself what the big fish feeds on. A LMB will generally prefer food that is 1/4 to 1/3 its own body size. It is a matter of efficiency in energy/calories expended versus energy/calories gained. Factor in that it, like other predators, is not always successful in its hunt. So, it has to hustle to survive.

Size does indirectly play a part in its elusiveness. If its that big, theres a reason that it has never found its way into a skillet. Factor in a University study that found that 50% of LMB and their offspring are almost never suckered into biting anything with strings attached.

OK, just where do you fish? Heck, I don't know.

Sounds like you need a fish whisperer. LOL

Good luck.

In my pond it easy to find the biggest LMB. They will the ones that are at the feeding ring every evening waiting for pellets.

I ALWAYS catch my biggest fish in the same place,ALWAYS...
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in the lips

Thanks guy's,

I guess I should have known better.

But you know, about twenty-five or thirty years ago, 1978,79 or so, I invented and sold something I called the "Offishal Fishwhistle", in the Chicago Sun-Times, I sold a couple hundred of them, Now I know who bought them! Surayabay.

I would catch the 2nd largest bass and use it as bait.


PS: That's what you get for calling your Fishwhistle "Offishal". I make the bad puns around here. Just kidding, the moor the merrier.

I say you sit on the dock and wiggle your toes in the water, or better yet, go skinny dipping! The big fish will find you.

Sorry, I know this was a serious question but I couldn't resist and truthfully I don't have a better answer.

Subscribe and study hard the articles pertining to large bass in In-Fisherman magazine. It is the Journal for freshwater anglers. Do a lot of fishing and you might get lucky enough to catch a really big bass. Big bass do not get big by being stupid. Largest healthy bass can be very difficult to catch. As they get senile and weaken some of them become more vulnerable to angler's baits. Best chances of catching the largest ones are fishing with live bait and use lots of finesse. The largest bass do not frequent the same spots in every lake. Read the lake, then find the fish. A good depth finder and an underwater camera could provide you a lot of help for locating the largest bass. Locating the largest bass in one thing, but getting them to bite is an altogether different topic. Large old bass have seen and had a lot of lures pulled past them, yet the bass continue to swim and ignore lures.

Postscript. Your "Offishal Fishwhistle" no doubt caught more "suckers" than bass.

Any fish you catch will eventually be the biggest. Just keep telling the story the fish will keep growing bigger and bigger ever time you tell it. and of course it slipped off just as you were pulling it in.

Did Dr. Cody just dabble in punnery?


I quit.

Thanks to all the "Pond Boss Knuckleheads", who answered my message at least it's nice to know your all in one group together, it'll make rounding you up a whole lot easier! Especially you, "Mr. Potato Head"!

Thanks guys, surayabay, maker of:
The Original, "Offishal Fishwhistle"!

2-fur-a-buck-4-fur-a-fin!(Get it? 4-fur-a-"Fin")

Didnt take him long to figure us out did it???

Hey at least we tried ...If we had all the answers we wouldn't be here askin' questions. LMAO :p :p

Anybody want to buy a fish whistle. It works great - only problem is once I catch the biggest fish in the lake, then there is a new biggest fish in the lake and I have to start all over.

Theoretically it's impossible to ever complete a journey between 2 points. After you've traveled 1/2 the distance you could say that you have created a new starting point halfway to the goal. Now you must travel 1/2 of this new distance, etc, etc.

I am sure that those that have participated in suraybay's baited question gave him a biased outlook on the caliber of this Forum. The wisest members did not fall for his baited lure. In other words the real "lunkers" or "biggest fishes" are still swimming in the Pond Boss forum-lake. As I mentioned the biggest fish do not become the biggest fish by being dumb or falling for the first lure that comes along. Those quick biters can get quickly eliminated from the pond.

I am a small dumb fish. The big fish can eat me.

The uncles on my mother's side of the family always got the biggest fish in the lake or river using "Du Pont Spinners."

They'd light the fuse, throw it, and as it spun through the air into the water, the largest fish would invariably rise to the occasion.

Maybe our friend Surabay, or Mr. Collins, or whoever he might be, should try the old game, seeing just how long he can hold a lit DuPont Spinner between his teeth before dropping it and running.

I'd say he doesn't have a scale on his . . .

unless he actually tries it.

Please notice I said "can" and not "may"....