Shorty, I hate to say it, but I feel like I'm guilty of lusting after your beautiful RES. If my few tiny RES can ever be coaxed to bite again... or if they even survived the last winter, I'd be happy if they were half as purty as yours. You raise some fabulously beautiful RES. Good job, your conditions must be just right.
It is kind of like I should make sure my wife isn't watching as I gaze into the computer screen, mouth half open......
Been picking up a few here and there.... went several years with none now catch one or two near the shore reeling the jig real slow for crappie and pick them up.... never in 6-7’ water on top water plug
Lots of RES on beds here. Saw a pair spawning yesterday late afternoon. That is in my RES/SMB pond so easy to tell they are RES on the nest. Can clearly see the red opercular tab on many. Did see one hybrid though as it had yellow tipping on the fins.
Two large bluegill dead on the bottom in shallow water near the beds. I suspect the heron (GBH). He has long legs and has been wading around the bed. He nails a bluegill and can't swallow it. Also a great white heron hanging around there, plus the usual smaller herons (little blue, green) that aren't gonna hit a bigger fish.
I like the heron. Don't even mind he gets a big bluegill, but hate for it to go to waste. (Somebody will eat it eventually.)
4 acre pond 32 ft deep within East Texas (Livingston) timber ranch. Filled (to the top of an almost finished dam) by Hurricane Harvey 9/17. Stocked with FHM, CNBG, RES 10/17. Added 35lbs RSC 3/18. 400 N LMB fingerlings 6/18
Walked around the pond this afternoon. Nice sunny day. I was followed by a herd of BG so I took some Optimal BG chow down to the pond this evening to see if they were ready to hit the feed for this year. Had to go back to the house for more as they were jumping out of the water for a taste! Game on!
Took my wife out on the pond. She likes to fish but would rather spend her time with the grandkids so it's been awhile since she has been to the pond. Got her in the boat along with our two dogs. It's tight with all that but it is what it is in the small little bass boat. This was her first time to bass fish the pond. I rigged her up a wacky worm and made the cast for her. She does not do well with a bait caster but it's all we had at the time. Her first lmb was in the 4 lb range followed by several more in the 3 lb range. She really had a good time. Not bad for an hr or so of fishing. We don't bass fish the pond much but when I do it's mostly for a survey but this time it was for fun. And based on her fishing I may need to start removing some of those 10 to 12" lmb. She caught about 5 in that size range. It's the first time we have ever caught lmb in the yoy size. Last year is the first time we had a successful lmb spawn. This spring is year 4 since our first lmb were stocked. One more thing is the lmb looked really healthy with the exception of one in the 15 to 16" range and I am pretty sure it was a male that had been guarding nest recently, he was pretty skinny but was a larger male.
Last edited by TGW1; 05/16/1908:01 AM.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Dang Tracy, that is great news on catching that many of all sizes!! Ya gotta love a wacky worm!! It has been my go to bait for believe it or not over 40 years. It used to be a secret!! What color did you use and how much visibility do you have right now?
Dear Alcohol, We had a deal where you would make me funnier, smarter, and a better dancer... I saw the video... We need to talk.
Flame, you are right about it being a go to bait. She used a green pumpkin 18X power bait in the 5" straight worm Yamamoto style. Our Visibility is at 30" due to all the recent rains(frog floaters). I am really pleased with the fishing right now. It has taken 4 yr's to get there along with more money than I want to admit to. But the fishing is good and size of the lmb and hsb are really pretty good. I am also sure these smaller sized lmb were yoy from the stocking of the Lonestar Legacy/Camelot Belle lmb based on the aqua marine color located on the head area they are know to have. I also had a guest with my son that landed a really nice sized hsb the other day off the pier. Largest fish he had ever caught and that has been my goal from day one. To catch a trophy, a memory not to forget. My son estimated the fish to be 6 lbs and said it was in really nice condition. He will be close when sizing fish. Caught on an H&H spinner bait.
Last edited by TGW1; 05/17/1906:40 AM.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Actually the last 2 days, but I completely tore down my venturi spray rig over the last few weeks, and rebuilt it from scratch. I eliminated as many issues as I could from version 1, and came up with this. The only moving parts are the pump and venturi dial, and no chemicals ever touch the pump. It's paid for itself a dozen times in time savings alone.
I treated 4 surface acres over the last 2 days, and other than slotting the tank for the suction hose and tank mixer wiring, it's good to go.
Al, four acres sounds like a large area. What are you trying to get rid of? And your spray system looks pretty simple and clean, including the new looking boat. My boats are never that clean
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Tracy, it is a large area. It's 1/3 of the total surface acreage, and double what I usually treat but here are my thoughts.
I'm treating coontail, bushy pond weed, and potamogeton, and all three are just now starting to aggressively grow. All the rain has kept us at full pool since last October, and has meant the siphon often drains for several days at a time. Because of the current the siphon creates and rolling spawns of CNG, RE, tilapia, and LMB, I needed a window to spray. Still water and 3-4 days of post treatment sunshine mean I have to treat when that opportunity gets presents itself, and it did this last week. The high water level, allows me to get closer to the current shoreline, and treat weeds that aren't always reachable in summer. It also is cheaper in the long term chemical wise. If I jump on spotty invasives as early as possible, then I won't be spraying weed mats all summer.
A side affect of all this is also almost immediate weed free shallow water for CNBG spawns. For years they fought through coontail to make isolated nests based on availability, not preference. Last year and this spring, I've seen more group beds than ever before. Often with 10-15 nests in a group.
No advice here, just what I do with my big puddle to make it work.
I've had the Grizzly several years now, and love it. All welded, and 6' wide make it very stable for a tin boat.
My granddaughter has moved in with us for the summer, between college semesters. This morning was the first real opportunity for us to spend on the pond fishing. I raised this one till she was around two and dont get to spend much time with her since she lives in east Tennessee. Glad to see she hasn't lost her love for fishing. [img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/PwaL3uFi9H2xGVrM6[/img]
.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
I put out 320lbs of gypsum slurry. I buy 40lb bags of gypsum pellets and make 5 gal bucket slurry mix.
The suspended clay will flock up in a week or so.
Half acre 30 year old farm pond, Mebane NC. Aeration & feeder. LMB, CC, SC, BG, HBC, two no account welfare carp and nine seasonal Tilapia that all the other fish are terrified of.
I put out 320lbs of gypsum slurry. I buy 40lb bags of gypsum pellets and make 5 gal bucket slurry mix.
The suspended clay will flock up in a week or so.
Did you take PH and Hardness readings before you added your slurry? I'd be really interested in seeing the results after it settles, especially the hardness numbers. I need to raise my hardness terribly and if gypsum doesn't raise the PH too much I plan to add some.
.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
I put out 320lbs of gypsum slurry. I buy 40lb bags of gypsum pellets and make 5 gal bucket slurry mix.
The suspended clay will flock up in a week or so.
Did you take PH and Hardness readings before you added your slurry? I'd be really interested in seeing the results after it settles, especially the hardness numbers. I need to raise my hardness terribly and if gypsum doesn't raise the PH too much I plan to add some.
Gypsum does not change the PH. I struggle with habitually low hardness & PH, as do many others who have suspended clay. The hardness did slightly increase (read: it was measurable) vs the typical reading of zero, last year after I added 600lbs.
Fish fed normally within hours of adding the slurry. They acted like nothing changed. Same thing last year.
Pro tip, get one of those drill bit paint mixers. Stirring the granules into a decent slurry manually is less effective.