Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Lure shy bass, try this .......

This is not for the serious fishing guy/gal. This post is for the 'I want to catch BIG fish/I want to catch ANY fish/I want my kids to have fun fishing crowd........1st STEP: spend 45 minutes with a dip net 4 children, a bucket, and as many mosquito fish, or whatever minnows you have, that you can snatch out of your pond. 2nd STEP: corresponding number of poles to children with the smallest long shank hooks and no weight, dont forget one for yourself. 3rd STEP: bait hooks with minnows and send children on the mission of catching 3-4 inch bluegill. Make sure they understand that big ones don't count. Nothing better to hear a child yell in delight that he finally caught a small one. 4th STEP: take the small bluegill from your child, bait your big baitcaster with the bluegill and watch as you turn that 3-4 inch bluegill into a 3 pound LMB right before their eyes. Ding, Ding..game on!!!! 4 kids (5th one taking a nap) all intent on slot fishing for sub 4" bluegill is an interesting game to watch. 4" bluegill aint that easy to catch. Anyone can catch a 5-6 incher. And yes I know.....I could throw my cast net and catch 20 in one throw but that would kind of kill the game now wouldn't it.
Toby

I agree. I had my 5 yr. old niece fishing for the first time. She started yelling "I got one, I got one." When we pulled it up it was only 3 inches but the look on her face beaming with pride you would have thought she caught world record LMB.

I hope you guys are still there...

I am looking for advice regarding a similar topic.

I regularly fish for and catch LMB on a 5+acre pond in my backyard. I catch plenty of fish 10" and under and I have caught, on separate occasions, a 5lb and a 6lb LMB. I did not think that the pond had any large fish in it. The first large fish that I caught (2 months ago) was a 6lb LMB. I bumped into it on accident while fishing for BG. As I was reeling in my catch (a small BG) the 6lb LMB tried to grab it! I put the BG on a bigger hook and tossed it back out. Sure enough the big bass took it.

I rarely use live bait. I fish with spinners, plastic worms, and some floating bait. I have been unsuccessful in trying to catch these larger fish with anything that I have (including a large hulapopper).

Last week I tried a live BG again. Sure enough, and without much effort, I caught a 5lb LMB. Neither bass put up much of a fight and I feel that I am cheating. Why can't I catch these fish using artificial baits?

Another question: where are all the mid-range LMB (2lb – 3lb)?

APP :

Need more info about the pond. It sounds like you are describing a LMB crowded pond. It is very common. LMB crowded ponds have lots of small 8-12in. LMB ,few 2-4 lb. LMB and a few large LMB 5+lbs, also few 3-5 in. BG and some large BG 8+ in. Are LMB thin with heads that look to big? Do you see many 3-5in. BG? Tell us about the pond. Once we find out the status of the pond's biology then we can look at why the catch rate is low. ewest

PS I see you have same ? on another thread I will copy this there and go forward with one thread only.

Thanks for responding, ewest!

I am new here and I did not know where to post my message.

There are very few 3-5 inch LMB. Many do look a little head heavy and some are propotionatley small. I catch a lot of fish. I have rarely caught a "keeper" (12-14 inch), and have not yet caught anything between 1-4 pounds. I just recently moved to the property. I have been fishing it for an entire summer up until currently.

Is it cheating to use BG for bait?

APP :

It is your pond so you decide how to fish as long as its not illegal.

Most states have a pond mgt. book online. Don't know your state. Here is link to Miss. below.

http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p1428.pdf

Read Mgt. section starting on pg. 10. It will help you with the population balance/assessment process. Look for your states book and see what it says. What does your BG population show? what sizes do you see? ewest

I live in VA. I will check out our pond management book.

The pond has many BG and a few RE. There's a lot of small ones (3-5 inch) and a lot average sized fish (5-6 inch). Nothing bigger and not much smaller.

APP:

Try here - VA Pond Management

Dave Willis
Lunker
Member # 267

Member Rated:
posted October 28, 2005 07:07 PM
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Eric -- I couldn't find another string from APP.

APP: Eric likely is right on target with his assessment. Classic situation.

Now, here's why I really posted. How did you choose APP? That should mean that you are a truly experienced fisheries biologist. To us, APP stands for the available prey to predator ratio! Couldn't resist reporting that one!
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