My 1/4 acre pond has had HSB in it for a few years now and they are very hard to get on a hook. The largest are around 4 pounds. My pond is muddy most of the year which may add to the difficulty along with most daily pellet feeding. I have only caught one on an artificial lure and that was a hand tied crawdad fly about 1-1/2" long. I have tried Mepps and Rooster Tails, top water poppers, floating broke back minnow lures, shallow & deep divers, & rubber worms. The thing that has worked the best is an inch or less of a fat garden earthworm on a hook hung from a bobber about 1-1/2 feet deep, or no bobber and letting it sink down about 4 feet before retrieving. This method only works DURING feeding time (of the evenings, have not tried in the morinings), otherwise they don't show up. I think it's the size and color of the worm that mimics a feed pellet.

I can't say I would not have stocked them since they were put in to help control panfish populations, but I am disappointed that they don't take lures. I love to lure fish!