I threw a line with a size 12 hook to check over the weekend and the fish are shiners in the video. Maybe they look weird because I lured them into shallow water with the feed. I got small trout pellets and threw them out this weekend and they were eating them. It seems the shiners in our pond like to cruise around the open water. I keep seeing them in schools near the surface in 4-6' of water.
I also put a pound of fatheads in the pond and, more significantly, put 2 pounds of fatheads in the 700-gallon stock tank. I set up a bug zapper over it and put raw hamburger on a piece of wood a couple inches above the water line to draw flies. I left the water flowing in for now but it is around 59 degrees in the tank. I might switch to an aerator this weekend. I tried feeding the fatheads but they were not interested. They were all bunched up at the bottom right below the water intake and seemed to be hiding in the muck at the bottom. Maybe this is what they normally do or maybe the temps affected this. I hope to be up there tomorrow so I can see how they are doing. I know of 2 shallow ponds (part of a small marsh set back from a river) on public ground nearby that don't appear to hold any fish - just water bugs and tadpoles. I may dump some in and see if the can establish a population. It's public so I could always go back and trap them if it works.
Messing around, I caught a 19" bass in the pond. I probably should have removed it but it grew that big without shiners so I put him back hoping he would only eat so many before the shiners spawn (being optimistic). The bass is pictured next to size 12 boots.
There were also some kind of eggs or slime attached to plants in the water but I suspect it might be from red spotted newts. Any ideas on the slime? Thanks for all the help.
