1) yes I have from 3-5 inch up as well as smaller BG.

2) I agree removing the cover should have caused a great opportunity for the big bass to eat well and for the intermediate ones to have a regal banquet as well. That is essentially what I think Im seeing in the bluegill kingdom. The big ones are stunning. But that does not help me with the LMB issue. I used to tournament fish...Im not incompetent, well maybe I am and in denial, but to go from almost seeing 6-8 inch bass as a pest to seeing and catching zero?...

3) I have a friend who says if I buy beer, he will spend a day with me and we will throw everything...including live bait, probably crawlers and crawdads in this case. hes cheap. But he is a heck of a stockbroker and helps cut firewood.

4) I agree on the arrow vs bullet. I would go invest in a fish arrow and attachment if I had some faith I could hit them. Im a good archer and bowhunter but this where to aim thing is making me a bit batty a bit batty a bit batty.... Plus, GC are spooky. Its like sneaking up on a turkey, you better be good. They will escape and you can wait hours for them to return to shallows so its hard to call a buddy over to come hunt carp. I hear that its easy to spotlight them but have not attempted that yet.