Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction What did you do at your pond today?

Thanks Pat.

Bouncing plastics off the bottom is usually our best bet in Kansas this time of year (but still poor fishing).

I have seen like 5 ways to rig and retrieve those cane thumpers!

Are you catching most of your big fish on "swim" retrieve, erratic "jigging" retrieve, bouncing off the bottom, or working through the cover in those ponds?

Usually cast out parallel to the bank and strait retrieve. When it gets warmer sometimes chatter it across shallow on the surface. I have cast out and let it sink close to bottom and retrieve slowly with Rod tip up. I have too much weed on bottom to bounce it off . The spinner part snags the weeds

FishinRod, I have had good luck with a Berkley Swim Shads. They are similar to the Big Bite Cane Thumpers but for some reason we've done better with them. This is on South Central KS ponds. I caught a 6.5lb bass Sunday slow working a crappie jig. Didn't catch anything on spinners or faster moving baits.

I have my best luck for LMB with the Strike King Rage Craws, they are very realistic looking in the water, but those Cane Thumpers, there is something about that tail design that makes them get the attention of the fish, I use the Charlie Brewers Sliders for panfish, they have that same tail action design, they really seem to like them, I have way my best luck with them.
I have had to try a little already this spring but no action yet. the BG and LMB are just starting to feed a little on feed at the surface.

Yesterday was another warm day in Western PA. It was almost 70 degrees.

So of course, I soaked some feed and threw it in the pond, and adult Golden Shiners fed.

I'm starting to believe that Golden Shiners could survive a nuclear war.....

Oh no. Golden Shiners are pretty fragile, especially when compared to Fathead Minnows. I have Trout, Yellow Perch and maybe some HSB feeding in the pond now. We only hit 53 yesterday, 25 this morning and snow flurries, only supposed to make it to 33 today.

[/quote] ... I have Trout, Yellow Perch and maybe some HSB feeding in the pond now. We only hit 53 yesterday, 25 this morning and snow flurries, only supposed to make it to 33 today.[/quote]

Those are all cool water fish, and their metabolism (thus feeding) ramps up sooner (at cooler temps) than BG, LMB, SMB, CC etc.

My BG have been feeding all winter for the most. Even when there was some ice. I haven't been able to go over and feed every day, mostly on weekends and a day or two during the week. No soaking, just throwing out Optimal BG.I think there is only been a couple of times I didn't see anything come up. This is the first year I've seen them feed this well in the winter.

Those are all cool water fish, and their metabolism (thus feeding) ramps up sooner (at cooler temps) than BG, LMB, SMB, CC etc.[/quote]

Absolutely correct. Surface water temp is 36°F.

I agree that golden shiners are indestructible. The day after my initial stocking, most of mine were caught up in grass matts I had put in place to stop erosion in the inlets. There they were just piled up in the nets. I had to cut out each one to release it. Figured they were all going to die.
Pic is from May 2015. The millions of FHM I had in the pond are long gone, but we have schools and schools of golden shiners. Some giant ones are still out there. Sometimes I wonder if the golden shiners are tougher than the YP.

Edit. I can’t get a pic to show up. No big deal..

Setter, yeah, that's what I'm seeing.

I am steadily progressing on a thought pattern that says we don't understand the Golden Shiner as much as we think we do, at least in small bodies of water.

Encouraged to see active feeding today, though I could not identify the species. Likely RBT and HSB, with perhaps some LMB as well. My panfish tend to arrive last in spring.

Two Canada geese, probably same pair we had last year. No cormorants! I did hear a couple of gunshots from neighbors, likely practicing (they enjoy shooting). This used to annoy me, but not if it keeps the dirty birds away.

Threadfin shad appeared for the first time in months, schooling in a back bay. Warm winter greatly enhances their chances of survival.

We had a good burn, really opened up a lot of jungly places. I took a few pics, including back of the dam. Hope to post in a few days. Water trickling out standpipe for the first time in a year, welcome sight. Maybe I can pump some water into my forage pond the next time we get a good rain!

Totally off subject. I’m not at my pond. In fact, I’m down in Texas. We are camped at Goose Island State Park, near Rockport TX, which isn’t too far from Corpus Christi. We went over to the Aransas Wildlife Area a few days ago. On the way over we detoured over to check out the Guadalupe River for a future kayak trip. A small Buffalo ran across the road in front of us. Ha! It was one of those pigs you Texas guys are always talking about. My wife and I were both amazed at the size of it! We then drove the 20+ mile loop at the wildlife area. I think all 20 miles, on both shoulders of the road, were torn up by hogs. I first thought, wow they got their mower stuck i there, but it just kept going. They must have a huge hog problem there. The damage was incredible. I really hope they don’t move up across the MO River in Missouri.

FYI, the Guadalupe River is a no go for us as far as kayaks are concerned. The mosquitoes there are unbelievable. Reminded me of Canadian Boundary Waters after dark.. That, and two very big gators were laying on the bank, where we were supposed to launch a kayak. My wife vetoed the kayaking on the spot..
Ok, back to what’s going on at our ponds.

Then there's that video of the old lady being taken by a gator....

16.5", 2.25# Tonight's dinner. About 20-30 minutes from pond to pan.

Fillet leaving skin on, then fry/poach in the following:

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp local honey

Mix lemon juice, vinegar and honey in a container so that it is homogenized.
Melt butter in pan, get it sizzling, place trout fillets skin side down. Cook on relatively high heat (just under what it takes to brown the butter) for a minute, flip. Cook for another minute. Flip back over so the skin side is down. Brush vinegar mixture over the fillets or pour the whole mixture over the fish, cook on high heat (covered) for 4 minutes. Flip over, cook (covered) for another 4 minutes. Remove and serve. Salt and pepper to taste.

I poured the mixture over the fish, it was easier than trying to brush it over the fish. That way there's less spatter on the stove top.

It looks like they gained about 1/2 pound so far since stocked the middle of November. They should really start growing once the water temp hits the middle 40's. I stocked about 40 fish in the pond and I'm feeding Optimal Bass food at the rate of 40#/month. (Two throws, 5 seconds each per day from the Texas Hunter feeder.) Today I caught Hybrid Bluegill and Yellow Perch that were eating the pellets too. I cheated and used Stubby Steve's Original Pellet Lure to catch the two that I caught today. The first one was released.

Thanks for the recipe esshup! it sounds like a winner and how awesome they are just right outside the door in your pond!

When I went over to feed today I saw a lot of fish near the surface soaking up some sun. I had the first frenzy feeding of the year when I feed.

Started re-decking the dock. Treated lumber starting to come down in price. Of course I had to hand throw extra feed.

Great to see you on the forum again! Hope things are going great for you!

Thanks Doc…it’s been a while…PB admin got my login fixed. The pond has really cleared up nicely. More LMB than before. Good times! It’s good to hear from you!

Good to see you posting again!

Hey Pat…how’s it going?

Welcome back, stickem'!!

Pat, have you seen any male LMB working beds? I saw around 10 cleared out beds on the dam, and one had a small LMB on it. Air temps up here are creeping into the 80's.

Have not seen any activity on dam saw a couple probably males in shallow water. No crappies in shallow either