Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Operation bass removal

We got 3 days of 60 degree weather and the pond thawed out so off I went. The water was very cold, the shallow narrow end had sheet ice cover still. Killed em, got 19 LMB in about 2 hours.

Since the state limit is only 5 here is a pic. These were all about 11-13". Caught them in the same exact spot.



I also caught 3 like this. This one is about 18". They went back in.



Only used 1 lure and it was this. It looks just like a small BG.



The water was very clear more so than I have ever seen it. I posted in another thread that I saw a school of baitfish swim by. It was definitely not LMB or BG, and this is a LMB BG only pond.

Very nice, MSC!

Assuming your water is about as cold as ours is here (barely ice-off when we hit 60's last week), I never would have guessed they'd hit on that lure, let alone 19 in a 2 hour period!!!

Can I guess you caught them on a very slow retrieve? And where were they lurking (deep, shallow, ledges, cover etc.)? Or maybe they were chasing your bait fish?

I've found at least in my ponds that early spring is the PERFECT time to cull LMB. They'll be bunched up and will bite on darn near anything. I went back and looked at my records from last year, my biggest cull day was late February. I remember that I caught 90% of the bass I culled that day in an area no bigger than 10X10.

Lovnlivin, You asked the critical questions right off the bat. This is a shallow pond compared to other places. I could see real good in the shallows, It was very sunny and I had polarized fishing glasses on. I moved all around the pond. I never saw a LMB or BG. I would have thought that with 3 straight very warm days, they would be in the sunny shallows warming up. But they were not.

The LMB came from just over the drop off to deeper water, I could see where the depth dropped off from about 4 to 5 feet to where I couldn't see any deeper. That's where they were hanging.

I rarely use a slow and steady retrieve when fishing crankbaits. It is way more effective (at least for me) to use a stop and go and erratic retrieve. Let it sit and then sweep your rod, let it rest and then repeat. The bass are use to seeing BG swimming slow all the time. When a BG acts crazy they get attacked by the LMB. Just dont tell anyone else this secret.

dlowrance, I found that out also. Moved all around about 60% of the shoreline casting and only caught bass in 2 places. They are definitely schooled up. I think when you catch one, it gets the other ones excited.

I really wanted to go fishing today But of course its 33 degrees and snowing.

I feel your pain, it's 16 and snowing here as well. Other than 35 and windy tomorrow it won't get above freezing again until Thursday of next week, and for this Saturday and Sunday the highs will not reach 10

BTW, MSC thanks for sharing your secret on Operation Bass Removal!

Mum's the word

Its going to be cold here for the next 10 days. Not getting above the 40s and freezing at night. Last time I fished the pond was Dec 22 and it was about 50 that day but had been cold. I used that same bluegill crankbait and a jig n pig and a fluke. Couldn't get a single hit. I know I had to have bounced that jig off a LMBs head. I think that's one of the best chances to catch the biggest bass in a pond. Nothing.

I have noticed before that the third day of a warming trend is the day to go for LMB.