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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7
Fingerling
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OP
Fingerling
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7 |
I have an old 15 acre mill pond with everything in it: bass, bream, jackfish, crappie, mudfish, golden shiners, etc. The past several years we have caught a lot of jackfish, but this year we have only caught one. The other fish populations seem unchanged. Are jackfish susceptible to cold winters (we've had two straight here in SC)? Do their populations typically boom and crash? Any opinions would be appreciated.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,740 Likes: 293
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,740 Likes: 293 |
I don't know what a Jackfish is, so let's see what others have to say.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,051 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
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It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7
Fingerling
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Fingerling
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7 |
Sorry about that. I should have said Chain Pickerel instead of jackfish.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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There is only one recognized subspecies of chain pickerel(CP). CP are found up to Canada and are actually considered a cool water species. Up north they're a common ice fishing catch so cold weather is unlikely a factor... Any other variables change in the last couple years?
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
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Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
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Jackfish aren't usually susceptible to winterkill, especially in South Carolina. They actually prefer cool water and bite better in cooler months. I bet catch rates here are not a reflection of the actual population. I bet those fish are there. Don't give up on them. They just don't typically dominate.
Teach a man to grow fish...
He can teach to catch fish...
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7
Fingerling
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Fingerling
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7 |
Thanks for your replies.
We normally fish with Mepps Minnows in Feb and March for crappie. Usually, we tear the jackfish up, too. But this year, despite catching a ton of crappie and fishing almost every week, we've only caught one jackfish.
In past years, the pond has been full of Golden Shiners (or Rudd). It's a terrific pond for big bass when it warms up. But this year it seems like we've seen fewer shiners / rudd and more bream. We'll keep fishing it and see if we can't raise up a few jackfish (we like to call them Southern Pike).
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
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They surely are fun fish to catch! Especially when they get over that 20" mark and start packing on some girth.
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