Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Low & Slow - Catching RES

In the last eight weeks I have sampled somewhere between 200 to 225 RES from my 1/4 acre pond. The key to catching them has been "low and slow", basically dragging a light jig across the the bottom in a very slow pause and go retrieve. I have caught most of them in 2-3ft of water along the edge of the pond using a casting bubble/slip bobber as as strike indicator, I am confident that "low and slow" will work in deeper water as well.

Here is a "muddy water" RES from Sunday afternoon, we have had a lot of rain in the last two weeks and I currently have 3-4" of visibility.

Shorty, I think your efforts with your RES are to be commended. I've found your insights into their behavior, all the time spent studying external cues in regards to differentiating the sexes, and your ability to pattern them where angling efforts are concerned, quite thought provoking and informative. I appreciate you sharing the results.

SHorty your help is very great! What color size jig? Also, if I stocked my RES at 2", roughly how many seasons of growing in W MI till they get about the size in your picture above? 2? 3?

They don't take pellets but have plenty of minnows, snails, crayfish, etc so hopefully are not short on food. Only about 40-50 small ones in a .3 acre pond.

I was hoping some of the bigger ones stocked last year (some were just over 2") might spawn later this year but I don't see any shallow activity so I think probably next spring at best.

I'm curious to see an answer to this one myself. How old is your RES? I also had no idea how to catch them (someday) thanks for sharing your technique!
Jeff

RES have really stumped me since I stocked them late in 2011, they have been a tough nut to crack as far as figuring out how to catch them until recently.

In my opinion the are biologically geared to eating things near the bottom that are below them, things such snails, bloodworms, insects, and small YOY fish. In looking at many of the pictures I have posted their eyes are almost always focused downward. I do think that having eyes that are more sensitive to light allows them to make out things below them much better than other sunfish, but also makes it harder for them to see things above them. This also big reason they are difficult to feed train.

I have been dragging a micro jig with a piece of plastic to catch my RES, the leader below the swivel is 24" to 30" long.

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq153/Squidge_04/20150323_200631-1_zps330e1bd0.jpg

Based on seine surveys over several years I believe the 5-1/2" to 6" RES I have were hatched in 2013 and my 8-9" RES were hatched in 2012.

The ones you stocked last year are likely big enough to spawn this year.

Thanks that is encouraging on the likely spawn. I have never seen a RES since stocking so hopefully they stay deep and fatten up. Maybe I'll witness a fall time spawn!

Also, how did your RES handle the catch and release after catching so many? They tolerate it OK?

RES handle C & R well, I think I have caught a few more than once.

I did not see much of my RES until the fall of 2014, that was almost three years after stocking them.

So Shorty I wonder how a small Carolina rig would work? With a live night crawler? I haven't caught a decent RES out of my pond in years. About 3 years ago I caught nice 9 incher my dad caught one about the same and then poof nothing... I can catch plenty of 4 inchers tho so I know their in there!

RC

RC51, a small carolina rig should work fine, just work it slow and move it short distances.

I like using a light jig as it is hard for them to gut hook it.

We land our RES on nightcrawlers and red wrigglers all day every day. They aren't shy about hitting them hard.

That said, our RES are 7" and smaller, so maybe as they age they will slow their bite.

Thanks Shorty, Basslover hey I can catch smaller ones on worms and a bobber also but nothing over 5 inch.... I stocked my pond in 2010 with RES so I know I got to have some monsters in there.... Just can't find them!

RC

RC51, try fishing shaded areas, or the last hour of daylight.

The clearer your water is, the deeper they will like to hang out.

All good info here. Thank you! I really had my eyes opened with the comment above about stocking them three years ago, and not seeing any. I think I better develop a bit more relaxed attitude! At least I know they are staying deep enough that the kingfisher isn't getting them.

One problem I have catching RES out of my main pond is it is hard keeping a BG off the hook long enough for the RES to get there. Last few days it has been fish on almost as soon as the bait hits the water. Have to get it down past the BG for any chance for the RES to get it.

Not a bad problem to have.

Shorty I have started using the casting bubble and it works well to get the bait down on the bottom out there a ways. Always had trouble casting the small jigs to where I wanted before.

LOL, I have trouble keeping Golden Shiners off.

A pair from the other night.

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq153...zpsjmcrurjq.jpg

If a BOW has adequate snails, are RES relatively insulated from an overpopulation of BG, crappie, and the like?

That is the theory, but in my opinion RES will do much better with a more varied diet and less competition for other types of groceries. Even with both RES and YP in my pond I still have some snails but don't believe that is what is making up the bulk of their diet, there is just not enough snails present to support the population of RES that I have.

In my forage pond, all I originally stocked was FHM and RES. Then later I put in a dozen GS from a bait shop.

Up till this year I have been very disappointed in the RES reproduction. This year I am getting considerable YOY RES.

Talking about food for RES, the FHM went gangbusters the first year. Would only catch one of the half grown GS in a minnow trap once in a while. But lots and lots of FHM. Then it seems the tide turned. Got where I could hardly catch any FHM or anything else last fall.

This year getting significant YOY RES and tons of GS fry in the traps. Rarely a FHM. Caught a couple nice RES (a male and a female I think) by hook and line but I try not to harass them too much because I want them to reproduce.

The long winded point I am trying to get to, is my best guess as to where all the FHM went to is in the RES. This small 1/20th acre pond I do not believe can create enough snails for the RES. I think they are making the rest of their diet up on the bugs that BG would eat and FHM.

In my 1/10th acre sediment pond I stocked RES. CNBG and FHM. FHM are kind of scarce (though they were thick the first year). Got quite a few Gams that came from somewhere, but relative low numbers of FHM. The CNBG have went gangbusters reproducing. The RES some, but nothing like the CNBG. I think the CNBG and the RES are putting the hurt to the FHM. I know I see YOY minnows huddled up in the very shallow inlet avoiding something and I think it is hungry BG and a few GSF that have got there somehow. I saw a CNBG try to nail a GAM that I scared out from around the edge. Could not tell if the CNBG got the minnow or not, but it sure tried.

Just my observations on FHM populations in absence of LMB but with significant BG and RES present. I think the BG and RES hammer the small FHM's. Will see how the GS do in with the RES in my forage pond. The very small YOY are thick right now.

Edit update 5/20/17. Come to find out I had three or four GSF in those ponds. Getting lots of RES/GSF hybrids. So the GSF and hybrids may have been the demise of the FHM's

Shorty, I'm bumping this thread back to the top. I know you have caught a lot of RES from your pond. Now that they have grown bigger, have you learned any additional angling tips you would be willing to share?

Anyone else?

I know from reading a lot of old posts about catching RES (mostly attempting to catch), there are considerable number pondmeisters that the last time they saw a RES in their pond was when they stocked them.

I can catch them fairly well out of my RES only forage pond. But out of the main pond only rarely. Usually a BG gets to the hook first.

Snrub, the only tip I have is that RES seem to be more catchable during low light periods, the last hour of daylight is one of my favorite times to catch RES.

Just an FYI, I had a very significant RES winter kill event this year so you probably won't see me posting any RES pictures for a while.

Ugh sorry to hear that Shorty.... I still cant catch any larger RES. I can catch 4 inchers on a worm and bobber around the shore so I know I have them but I just cant seem to catch any decent ones anymore... quite frustrating... starting to wonder if the bigger ones I had died somehow or maybe got ate by the GBH I don't know....

Frustrated RES owner...

RC

Wow Shorty, so sorry about your loss! That is a huge blow to a tremendous RES fishery. Do you know more about what could have happened? Are there any left to help re-propagate the good line of genetics?

I have no idea if this will work for you, RC, but when I was young we'd go out on the flats at False River, not far from Baton Rouge, and bait fish for CNBG and RES (we called RES shellcrackers).

We used glass shrimp to catch anything swimming by, CNBG, LMB, CC, and very occasionally a RES. We also used small crawfish.

We bought the glass shrimp from a bait dealer, but caught our own crawfish in roadside ditches. Action was slower than on the shrimp, except for the RES. They loved crawfish! Up to about 2 inches was ideal, especially for larger RES.

Might be worth a try. Best of luck!