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I got to go out to the farm with my son and go fishing Saturday and Sunday. The catfish were biting but that was about it. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to where the LMB are, here is the data:

O2 was good down to about 7 feet, that is where it dropped down to 3PPM (it started around 7PPM at the surface), the temperature was 88 degrees F at the suface and it was 82 degrees at 12 feet, from there to the bottom of the pond it dropped to 62.5 degrees F.

We have not had any real rain in the past few days and the barometric pressure was rising during most of our stay. The clarity is over 24 inches throughout most of the pond.

We tried both live and artificial baits and lures down to around 4 feet. The only thing the catfish would eat was the live bait.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for any help or ideas.


Brian

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My guess would be they are hanging out in the higher dissolved 02 strata
But the higher water temps ( near 90) are giving them lockjaw

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This time of year there is a huge abundance of food (YOY) in the water that you are competing with. The LMB are there, getting them bite can be tough when there is so much avaialble food to choose from.



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We had a "harvest day" on Thursday. The freezer was nearly empty of fish, so we decided that we would fish all day and keep nearly everything we caught. (unless giant male Bluegill or redears, or bass above 16") It was extremely hot - over 100. Oddly enough, we caught most fish between 12 noon and 3pm.

We did very well with small lead head jigs with white grubs - fishing near the bottom. We fished 3 different ponds and caught crappie, bass and bluegill. We also caught a number of fish with the small red power bait grubs (that come in the jar) free floated with no weight and a small bobber. Fried a bunch of fish up with "Slap Yo Mamma" batter - good eatin!


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In the future do not listen to a guy from Florida
Talking about Texas ponds!

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I have caught several in the aeration boil on minnows. Other than that I can't get any bites in the rest of the pond. I do see them chasing minnows throughout the pond though. Remember back when I was younger, we always fished at night for bass during hot weather.


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This time of year in Texas Bass Fishing is just tough. Water temps or high and most of the better bass are deeper off of points or channel drops. If you have a thermocline the bass will suspend there or slightly above. Try deep diving crankbaits, Carolina or Texas rig.
Good Luck, you will find your catch ratio will greatly improve this fall.

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Originally Posted By: highflyer
I got to go out to the farm with my son and go fishing Saturday and Sunday. The catfish were biting but that was about it. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to where the LMB are, ……………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………..
Any thoughts?
Thanks for any help or ideas.

Brian, that is EXACTLY why I got into Hybrid Striped Bass – I can catch them any time I fish our pond but don’t this time of 100+ degree hot Texas days.
I don’t like to stress them or me!
I’m more into catching than fishing.

I fished for LMB all my life until I discovered striped bass – easier to catch and better fighters – I just had to have HSB in our ponds – best pond decision I ever made.

I know you well and share your passion and can help you with your bass fishing – we need to upgrade your tackle – I have a closet full of bass stuff and will share – you have some serious LMB to fish for and need serious tackle!

This time of year chunk top waters lures at the break of day – pick up a couple of Pop-Rs and Tiny Torpedos in BG pattern and fish your “honey hole” near the cabin where all the bait fish are stacked up.
Activity will be over when the sun comes up.

We’ll talk about it …



N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)




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Often in the south during summer the LMB feed at night. Try it its fun and a challenge.
















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Great advice guys, thanks. It looks like I need to add my aeration system for yet another reason! and the night fishing, that is a bonus! Now i also have a great excuse to buy more fishing lures and tackle!

George, the HSB are on the list, but not just yet!!

Eric, what bait or lure would you suggest at night? I thought LMB were mostly sight feeders, how are they feeding at night?


Brian

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The lateral line plays a significant role in predation by LMB, LMB don't need to actually see prey in order to catch it, even blind LMB have been documented to survive in the wild.

It is thought that the eyes of LMB are 5 times more sensitive to light than human eyes, they can see in the dark quite well. LMB also see color quite well and even have double cones attached to a single nerve in their eyes, human vision is just one cone per nerve. Fish that live in the depths of the ocean have even more rods attached a single nerve, sometimes 5 rods per nerves cell. How this works is not completely understood but I would guess that it has something to do with the way water can absorb/filter colors as the depth increases.

As far a lures, personally I like to throw a black spinner bait in the dark but have also caught LMB on black jig-n-pigs and dark colored worms. The key is a dark color to provide a silhouette.



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Black Arbogast Jitterbut, black spinner that stays on the surface with the blades breaking the surface, black hula popper. Don't have a light on in the boat, let your eyes adjust to the moon, or at the most get one of those black lights and keep it inside the boat so it doesn't show on the water.

Don't set the hook at the splash, set it when you feel the fish on the line. Sharpen your hooks - they aren't sharp enough out of the package.


My buddy down in Texas just e-mailed me and said that they set a new pond record. 11 1/8# on a popping bug in the Spring. He has one 35 acre "pond" that he manages for trophy LMB, and 99% of the time it's a fly fishing only pond. George, you know who it is. He just got back from fly fishing in Canada for Pike and Lake Trout.


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Originally Posted By: esshup

My buddy down in Texas just e-mailed me and said that they set a new pond record. 11 1/8# on a popping bug in the Spring. He has one 35 acre "pond" that he manages for trophy LMB, and 99% of the time it's a fly fishing only pond. George, you know who it is. He just got back from fly fishing in Canada for Pike and Lake Trout.

Scott, pack your bags first frost and get yourself down here - your buddy needs some help managing those lakes - 11+ lbs is not good enough with those pure Florida genetics with 2 lb CNBG forage.. cool

Full moon night fishing with JitterBugs with that PlopPlop sound raises grin the hair on the back of my neck .....



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Originally Posted By: george1
Scott, pack your bags first frost and get yourself down here - your buddy needs some help managing those lakes - 11+ lbs is not good enough with those pure Florida genetics with 2 lb CNBG forage.. cool

Full moon night fishing with JitterBugs with that PlopPlop sound raises grin the hair on the back of my neck .....


George, it's getting tossed around. I'd really like to wait until after deer season up here - that's Thanksgiving. Then the 1st week of December I'll be in Colorado on a Elk Hunt. After that, you'll be the 2nd to know. wink Heck, after this summer's heat, I'm used to Texas weather now!


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Scott, you and I both know your buddy needs an aggresive culling program to reach the full LMB potential of those lakes...
Heck, his deer herd needs attention as well... grin
You'll NEVER convince him tho - he's in love with those fish..and Bambi... laugh



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True, but I think I can get him on the right path if I have more time to bend his ear.

He doesn't have that many deer there. I've only seen 2 in the time that I've spent there. There's more hog sign than deer sign, and he's not shy about taking care of them.

You're right, if the proper management was put in place, it'd be off the wall good. The LMB need a close eye on WR. I can convince him to do some culling if the #'s show that it's what is needed. Last time down he agreed with me about culling some LMB from one of the 5 ac ponds. I'd love to get one pond on AM600 so he can see the difference between AM and generic floating catfish food. The potential there is HUGE!!


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Scott, why shouldn't I have a light in the boat? And black lures at night, I don't get it, can you please explain, I would think I would want anything shinny to attract the LMB.

Thanks for the help and ideas, but now I have more work to do.....

By the way, how about LED lights, is there a color I want to use and are there colors to avoid?


Brian

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Try not to be THAT 10%
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Just let your eyes adjust to the dark, it takes roughly 15-17 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the dark. One bright flash and your eyes start adjusting over again. laugh



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If the fish can see the light they'll be spookier, plus like what was posted above, letting your eyes adjust to the light.

Black so it's a contrast against any light that is coming down from the moon or the stars. I've also had good luck tossing spinnerbaits at night even if they didn't stay on the surface. Noise so their lateral line can help them home in on it.


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