Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Catching Fla LMB

We all know that Fla LMB tend to get persnickety about biting artificial lures when they get big. Though my own LSL Florida bass are probably about 4 inches now, the day will come (I hope) when they get big, and hard to catch.

What I wonder is this: Would it be smart to fish for them with live bait OTHER than what they ordinarily eat? For instance, maybe I could buy or breed shiners rather than using the smaller BG.

The reason I ask is that I do NOT want the big LMB to associate natural food found in the BOW, such as BG, with an unpleasant experience. If so, I fear they'd stop eating the BG, or at least become more reluctant to do so.

Crazy idea, or does it have merit? Note that I'm talking live bait that won't do much harm if it becomes established, not small crappie, bullheads, or carp.

I think your like me and may be overthinking this one. I'm no expert but I think not. IMO if your fishing a Zara spook then yes they will only hit them so many times before the figure out its not food. That Beeing said you can still get reaction strike when you catch them off Gaurd. But a live bluegill I think not. If there forage is bluegill and they don't eat it they die. How many bluegill do they eat for the one you catch it on? If say more than you realize. I'd say no matter how many times you catch him if his food is bluegill and you can present it as a natural bluegill he will bite. An overfished pond you will catch less, an under fished pond you will catch more. Do you want to catch a lot a couple times a year or a few whenever you want?
In rereadiin your post I see I didn't come close to answering your questions. I would say yes you would condition them less to a bluegill if you used shiners, would it be worth the effort, that would be up to you.

You're probably right that I am overthinking this. But I recall being warned not to fish too much around the feeders, as the BG would begin to avoid the area due to bad experiences.

Probably the answer is the classic PB: "It depends." Every so often BG as bait likely would do little harm. Constantly, though, may be a different matter.

Anybody else want to chime in? I haven't seen this discussed elsewhere, am curious as to what the experts would say.

Bass eat bluegills. It's their natural prey. If a bass gets big, it's been eating a lot of them. The "problem" is that they wise up to anything with strings attached.

Hay there Frank, so I see u went with Overton's Lone Star Legacy lmb ? That's cool, great fish ! So, years ago when Lake Fork was the best lmb fishing in the country, Texas A&M did a lot of studies working with the Texas Parks and Wildlife. In one of the studies they put a transmitter into a very large double digit lmb. Track her travel routes where she made the same path everyday, same spot, same time everyday. They would fish for her and catch her in one of those spots whenever they wanted to sample her wt, health etc. She would bite on their presentation of the bait. I think they used a large shiner but as I have aged, I have picked up CRS disease. And as far as fishing around the feeders, At my pond the cnbg will eat beaded fly's as fast as it hits the water, the younger cnbg never give the older, bigger ones a chance at the bait. With all the new yoy cnbg at the feeder, it's like they have never seen the beaded fly before.

Tracy

Thanks, guys.

David, your comment reminds me of sophisticated English carp fishing tactics designed to fool a very wary fish. Carp caught once are tough customers, they will not only carefully inspect the bait (hence the "hair" attachment rather than line), but also nibble on it with their lips to check for line.

Probably younger bass will be easier to trick, but I can see that more sophisticated tactics will be required for the big mommas. Also, circle hooks to minimize damage; there is no excuse for killing a ten pound plus fish.

Tracy, I love to fish beaded flies so am encouraged by your experience. My CNBG and TP are still feeding eagerly, though the water temp is in the low 80s. Perhaps they will shut down when it hits the upper 80s?

By the way, I keep finding more crawfish houses around the pond. They are well established for sure! So are the toads & frogs, you can't step without seeing tiny ones leaping like grasshoppers.

They are less likely to bite a species they are not familiar with than ones they see all the time.

I would just fish as you like and not worry about them becoming BG shy.

My LMB refuse to eat properly sized crippled goldfish. I would have never thought that until I saw it myself.

Thanks, guys. I feel better about using BG now!