Looking good! Very impressive results all around, I'm excited to see what lies ahead!
You gonna just sit there and smile with that pig or make the best YP dinner you ever had?
Awesome!!!
Good to see someone else is doing what Cody and Condello preached years ago and we all gleaned from.
Really nice fish TJ!
Enjoy that ice while you can. It might be short-lived!
I notice your perch are similar to mine in that they don't get the big bellies their counterparts in wild fisheries already have. If yours are like mine they will belly out just a few weeks before they drop their eggs. My guess is it's the pellet feed, but I hope that will change with the new optima feed.
Nice fish! I can still fish in my pond from shore - no ice at all.
Nice fish there TJ. I have never ice fished but maybe someday I will.
Tracy
Wow, some seriously nice perch there! TJ, you nailed it in your description of what crayfish did to your pond. Chocolate milk!! That is what my pond was like all last year. No vegetation, partly from crayfish, partly from no sun penetrating the chocolate color.
You need to share some tips on how to trap enough to make a dent! I know, once I get some SMB or HSB in there hopefully they can clean up the smaller crayfish and I'll have to trap some of the adults. I don't mind keeping some in there for vegetation control too.
We have slush on a very thin layer of ice on the pond but with warm days coming again I'm hoping for a complete thaw and then a cold snap to get that nice clear ice for skating!
I added the soilfloc polymer this fall. The polymer makes the bottom more 'sticky' as if there is a clear film over it. When you scratch a stick on the bottom it doesn't puff out in a silt cloud anymore. I wonder if I had the same number of crayfish left in there and if they continued to try to dig out the vegetation if the polymer would keep the silt stuck together more and I would still have good clarity despite their cleaning up the vegetation?
The water has stayed clear from the day I did the polymer application till now and the crayfish are still there. It is kind of eerie to see the contrast of a clear ice layer with schools of brilliantly orange goldfish slowly cruising by just under the ice.
Sweet fish!!! Putting in a few single sex SMB for crayfish control?
Awesome!!
No ice down here! In fact, we just turned our AC off day before yesterday!
Congrats buddy. Your plans are working, and you're having fun because of that. That's exactly what all the time/effort/money should be about.
Tracy, I got to ice fishing last year with some of my PB buddies, and it certainly wasn't what I expected. I get the whole slide a shed out on the water, drill your holes, and fish deal, but the PB guys I was with work hard at this. Multiple ice augers and flashers were used to drill probe holes, and target the same areas that we would in non-iced water. It was actually pretty cool. Being the only Texan there, I required copious amounts of babysitting, and I got that in spades. In short, do it if you get the chance.
Two things come to mind about that trip. The first was when I got to Nate's, layered up, and headed down to the hard water for the first time. I saw what looked like a huge stationary armadillo at the far end of the pond, so I headed that way to hit it with a stick. I know it was the Texan in me, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. It was Tony, and he was hunkered over a hole and concentrating intently. I learned that was the position of choice over the next few days.
The second thing is that fishing with the graph/jig/line watching combo was a blast. Most of the bites were very light, and being able to see the fish with a graph/flasher coming closer to the jig, and hopefully rising to hit it was very cool. You really have to concentrate, or you'll completely miss the bite. Tracy, imagine T-rig line watching times 4. It won't be my last trip for sure, and I'm still fighting the urge to buy some Arctic Armor.
I'm glad my northern buddies are starting to get the ice they love.
Great to see you back in your element, TJ!
I know you already are doing so, but please be extra careful on the ice, if you go out to the pond by yourself.
Looks like a blast TJ. Nice fish.
I'll have to do a little reading up on ice fishing. Just drill a hole in the ice, and drop a line? How do you decide where? And what are you dropping down that hole in the ice?
My pond was just icing up around the edges when I left yesterday.
Hard water fishing is like none other. Can't wait for a chance to do some here.
TJ those YPs look awesome...how about an 'after' shot, with corn meal applied?
TJ,
What are you using for bait?
I'm glad my northern buddies are starting to get the ice they love.
Maybe it's the Texan in me coming out, but I'd be perfectly happy if I didn't have any ice all year long.
OTOH, I don't want the 100° temps during the summer either!
I'm glad my northern buddies are starting to get the ice they love.
Maybe it's the Texan in me coming out, but I'd be perfectly happy if I didn't have any ice all year long.
OTOH, I don't want the 100° temps during the summer either!
California.. No thanks..
Sweet fish!!! Putting in a few single sex SMB for crayfish control?
One 12" SMB - sex indeterminable stocked in panic in September during the crayfish roundup. It should be fat and happy.
Hard water fishing is like none other. Can't wait for a chance to do some here.
TJ those YPs look awesome...how about an 'after' shot, with corn meal applied?
LOL - naw, these are my pets, being raised hopefully into trophy status. The goal of the fishery is for every YP to exceed 13", and every BG to exceed 10". Can't get there with them in peanut oil. I will harvest some males from the main pond this year, however.
TJ,
What are you using for bait?
Waxworm/Pelkie tungsten took all the fish yesterday - didn't mess with fatheads, thankfully didn't have to. Bite was brisk - schools of YP coming through every 10 minutes. One of the joys of ice fishing a micro pond, if you drill enough holes, you will eventually find them and can drop a jig onto their noses if the bite is tough. Underwater optics make the search effort so much easier and cuts a lot of time and effort one can apply to angling instead of searching.
That ice is fake! There is no ice out there!
Al, thanks for not hitting me with a stick. Never realized just how close I came.
That was such an awesome outing, definitely one of the best trips ever.
Congrats buddy. Your plans are working, and you're having fun because of that. That's exactly what all the time/effort/money should be about.
Tracy, I got to ice fishing last year with some of my PB buddies, and it certainly wasn't what I expected. I get the whole slide a shed out on the water, drill your holes, and fish deal, but the PB guys I was with work hard at this. Multiple ice augers and flashers were used to drill probe holes, and target the same areas that we would in non-iced water. It was actually pretty cool. Being the only Texan there, I required copious amounts of babysitting, and I got that in spades. In short, do it if you get the chance.
Two things come to mind about that trip. The first was when I got to Nate's, layered up, and headed down to the hard water for the first time. I saw what looked like a huge stationary armadillo at the far end of the pond, so I headed that way to hit it with a stick. I know it was the Texan in me, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. It was Tony, and he was hunkered over a hole and concentrating intently. I learned that was the position of choice over the next few days.
The second thing is that fishing with the graph/jig/line watching combo was a blast. Most of the bites were very light, and being able to see the fish with a graph/flasher coming closer to the jig, and hopefully rising to hit it was very cool. You really have to concentrate, or you'll completely miss the bite. Tracy, imagine T-rig line watching times 4. It won't be my last trip for sure, and I'm still fighting the urge to buy some Arctic Armor.
I'm glad my northern buddies are starting to get the ice they love.
Hilarious...almost broke a rib just now laughing.
Tony is committed - when I was just rolling out of bed he had been on the ice in very frigid temps solo fishing since sunup. He did very well, too. His level of passion rivaled that of Condello. Wish you were here, T, enjoying the ice. Hope some comes your way soon - otherwise you'll have to come out here and fish with Al and myself in January.
Very nice fish so far from your trophy pond project. It appears the growth is progressing at our experienced rate for your methods. Evidently most of your concern and worry a year or two ago from not seeing nor catching larger perch was unfounded. Often YP when fat from pellet feeding will get "lock jaw" during mid-simmer. The difficulty as I see is it to keep them healthy enough from eating pellets to prevent premature deaths which is the main problem Cecil and I experience.
Very nice TJ! I got the well turned off on my puddle to see how it freezes up this year.
Al, thanks for not hitting me with a stick. Never realized just how close I came.
That was such an awesome outing, definitely one of the best trips ever.
You're welcome for not hitting you with a stick, and I completely agree, it was an awesome trip. Granted I was a newb and walked around with sad puppy dog eyes, but all of you took great care of me, and it was an ice fishing trip I'll never forget. It will always be my first.
Yep TJ, I got the approval from my boss, so I guess a road trip is close.
Since I have no experience ice fishing, I would think I would look like the Michelin Man all wrapped up in thick layers. And would most likely have to be placed on the sled because I would not be able to walk
a shanty would be nice, like in the movie Grumpy old men. A great ice fishing movie.
Al, did Sparkie not bring his special clothing, (outfit), reminded me of One flew over the Coo Coo's nest. Maybe all you ice fishing guy's (including Al) should make a funny movie
I can see a Texan falling on his back side on the ice, Now that has to be funny
Tracy
Very nice fish so far from your trophy pond project. It appears the growth is progressing at our experienced rate for your methods. Evidently most of your concern and worry a year or two ago from not seeing nor catching larger perch was unfounded. Often YP when fat from pellet feeding will get "lock jaw" during mid-simmer. The difficulty as I see is it to keep them healthy enough from eating pellets to prevent premature deaths which is the main problem Cecil and I experience.
Thanks Bill, my YP shut down feeding in late May and didn't resume until October which only left them 3 months of feeding. Now I just need to find a good pellet which will handle nutrition needs for BG and YP fishery. I've researched Skretting and Zeigler and am waiting to see what Rayl at Optimal does this Spring. I don't mind feeding my BG a YP pellet - just want the best pellet possible for YP growth. BG can take it or leave it, plenty of grass shrimp for them to graze for growth in this fishery.
TJ - It is very possible your YP that went off pellet feeding were feasting on the abundant YOY crayfish in your pond.
Yellow Perch do like small crayfish!
My YP sampled in the Fall were all below 100 WR - they look great now, but obviously because they're gravid. I think the lack of vegetation and turbidity really affects the YP more than the BG. I'll be interested to see how the YP perform this coming season. I plan on keeping on top of the crayfish with weekly trapping so some vegetation/clarity can return to the pond.
Could the perch control them better now that the perch have a larger gape?
I'd think they'd improve predation rates steadily as YP increase in size.
Beautiful fish, TJ... Congrats!
Nice work TJ !
We all need to keep in mind that YP are cool water fish and keep feeding when water temps slow down BG and LMB feeding. As a result the time factor in RW status is not exactly the same as with BG and LMB etc..
I think it's time to put a few YP to the knife. Weigh the eggs/milt and deduct that from the weight of the fish, getting the WR without them.
Great fish TJ!
Ponds iced over here, only 1" or so. Then we had 5" or so of lake effect snow last night/this morning. Not good for making safe ice.
Later this week we are supposed to get rain and temps in the 40's. My only hope is that it will melt all the snow to allow the ice to build to a safe thickness.
No ice here yet but the YP are sure active with the cold water.
We all need to keep in mind that YP are cool water fish and keep feeding when water temps slow down BG and LMB feeding. As a result the time factor in RW status is not exactly the same as with BG and LMB etc..
Well, I shut down my feeder when the water temps went below 50 degrees. Not many YP were hitting the feed, on the surface.. I was under the impression that they wouldn't feed with temps below 50.
It's down below 40 degrees now, I don't think I should restart the feeder, but should I have kept it going? Assuming that the YP were hitting it after it started to sink, along with the RES?
Thanks
Jeff
No ice here yet but the YP are sure active with the cold water.
]
What are you catching them on? Mind sharing. I still need to remove several hundred out of my pond. I was having very little luck late in the fall..
No ice here yet but the YP are sure active with the cold water.
]
What are you catching them on? Mind sharing. I still need to remove several hundred out of my pond. I was having very little luck late in the fall..
I asked TJ the same question earlier in the thread...
TJ,
What are you using for bait?
Waxworm/Pelkie tungsten took all the fish yesterday - didn't mess with fatheads, thankfully didn't have to. Bite was brisk - schools of YP coming through every 10 minutes. One of the joys of ice fishing a micro pond, if you drill enough holes, you will eventually find them and can drop a jig onto their noses if the bite is tough. Underwater optics make the search effort so much easier and cuts a lot of time and effort one can apply to angling instead of searching.
No ice here yet but the YP are sure active with the cold water.
She's a beaut - nice work, looks ready to pop!
We all need to keep in mind that YP are cool water fish and keep feeding when water temps slow down BG and LMB feeding. As a result the time factor in RW status is not exactly the same as with BG and LMB etc..
Well, I shut down my feeder when the water temps went below 50 degrees. Not many YP were hitting the feed, on the surface.. I was under the impression that they wouldn't feed with temps below 50.
It's down below 40 degrees now, I don't think I should restart the feeder, but should I have kept it going? Assuming that the YP were hitting it after it started to sink, along with the RES?
Thanks
Jeff
I would stop feeding in mid 50s - if YP are still sporadically hitting pellets you could just hand feed so you're not committed to 1 second throws which may equate into wasted feed/excess nutrients.
Jeff
My most reliable methods to sample YP in any weather is 1/32 oz jig/crawler combo fished slowly making contact with bottom in open water or fhm baited on tru turn wire aberdeen on a slip bobber rig. The latter works well on the ice, too, but so do jigging spoons for more active fish. My favorite are Custom Jigs Spins Slender Spoon and the VMC Tingler spoons tipped with a small minnow or minnow head. Waxies or spikes also work on the spoons.
No ice here yet but the YP are sure active with the cold water.
She's a beaut - nice work, looks ready to pop!
Really nice but she'll get much bigger before she drops her eggs in the spring like this:
As I mentioned earlier in the thread for some reason our feed trained perch don't develop their ovaries as rapidly as their wild counterparts, but no one commented.
Here's a wild counterpart, beleve it or not, caught ice fishing.
Few more pics from this weekend - some 9-10" BG with emerging helmets, couple lunker HBCP, WE trying to get there, and a dandy SMB that went just under 18".
Awesome TJ!
How many inches is your ice now and how many inches was the crappie?
How old is that crappie?
Great looking fish guys!
Hey Cecil,
I thought they quit making Heineken in the 1 ounce cans!
Ice is 3-4.5" - those HBCP were 12.5" and 13. Much larger swimming in there, they are now age 6.
No ice here yet but the YP are sure active with the cold water.
She's a beaut - nice work, looks ready to pop!
Really nice but she'll get much bigger before she drops her eggs in the spring like this:
As I mentioned earlier in the thread for some reason our feed trained perch don't develop their ovaries as rapidly as their wild counterparts, but no one commented.
Here's a wild counterpart, beleve it or not, caught ice fishing.
No one grows YP like Cecil and Cody...I'm happy just playing in the shadows they cast. Gotta love a high standard to pursue - those guys are expert YP fishery managers.
There is nothing more gratifying than experiencing your family and friends popping trophy fish after a few weeks on public water. It makes the tens of thousands spent and multiple near death experiences all worthwhile.
There is nothing more gratifying than experiencing your family and friends popping trophy fish after a few weeks on public water. It makes the tens of thousands spent and multiple near death experiences all worthwhile.
It would be nice to go hit the ice again, or even start up fishing again on a somewhat regular basis, but all the fishing buddies are long removed, or have passed away. It's no fun fishing by yourself.
Like your signature says...
They are calling for high temps next week to only be in the teens here. So, if the snow stays away, we should make some ice on the ponds. I think that Lincoln will see the colder temps before us, maybe this weekend?
No one grows YP like Cecil and Cody...I'm happy just playing in the shadows they cast. Gotta love a high standard to pursue - those guys are expert YP fishery managers.
Not so. I can't speak for you or Cody but the single sex pond was pretty much idiot proof for me once I set it up and believe me I've done some idiot things. In fact I felt rushed to move some fish and believed an academic paper that said you can sex offseason YP by their urogenital openings. The reproduced perch in the pond says otherwise. And I was picky! Not worried though as the large perch should control the offspring.
Trust me if you think that perch pictured is "ready to burst" she'll be plumpest just before she drops her eggs.
My point was the wild caught perch seem to develop large egg mass earlier. My WAG is it's the natural feed vs. artificial they are eating under the ice when we are no longer feeding ours.
There is nothing more gratifying than experiencing your family and friends popping trophy fish after a few weeks on public water. It makes the tens of thousands spent and multiple near death experiences all worthwhile.
Yup!
They are calling for high temps next week to only be in the teens here. So, if the snow stays away, we should make some ice on the ponds. I think that Lincoln will see the colder temps before us, maybe this weekend?
My ponds are all frozen over now Scott, but not very thick.
Haven't got the aeration in the holding pond yet. I guess I'll be breaking ice again! LOL
That last fish is over a pound! As are the others! Looks like one of mine out of my one sex pond!
Congrats!
Very nice northern male bluegills. Good job. It will be very interesting to see how big they are next year and how much longer they live?
I have you, Cecil and Bruce to thank for your guidance. I'm hoping the 11-12" YP will make it near 13" next year, and if I can pull another couple seasons from the BG I'd be happy. Need to keep stocking promising male BG and female YP to account for morts. The YP are age 3 so they've got several seasons left I think, the BG, probably some are nearing the downward slide.
TJ, outstanding BG!!! Congrats buddy.
TJ, those are some really nice looking BG. how long have u had them or how long has it taken you to grow them to that size? Those look a little alien to me
Tracy
TJ - If you give those 12" yellow perch (YP) lot of good protein food some of them should grow 1.5" to 2" to reach the 14" category by winter of next year.
Bill I'm still researching on a replacement feed for aqua max. I want to find something that will benefit the yp and the bg in this fishery. I'm still not sure where to go on this. What feed would you use in my situation?
TJ, those are some really nice looking BG. how long have u had them or how long has it taken you to grow them to that size? Those look a little alien to me
Tracy
Thanks Tracy. Bg are from the main pond and have been collected over the past several seAsons, caged and fed and sex ID verified then stocked. Fish are all age 4 and older and I need a more reliable way to grow out and select the best fish. Hard to do as absentee land owner and an ras system would be beat but lack the room to do so at home.
Matt Rayl is exploring a high quality YP feed for the 2016 season. If I had your pond I would consider feeding a blended diet of both Optimal and a YP specific food (Zeigler also has a highly digestible YP specific food 45/12).
Nice pictures of dandy fish caught through the ice.
Great looking fish once again TJ!
I found it especially interesting that the FHM took such a large bait!
Do you listen to any music by "Bull Frog Volcano" while fishing?
Nice pictures of dandy fish caught through the ice.
X2!
Great looking fish once again TJ!
I found it especially interesting that the FHM took such a large bait!
I took me second to get that!
Now you're making me itch to sample one of the ponds before spring seining. I do have 22 ~ fourteen inch perch in a holding pond that I separated out of the main pond seining last spring. Most were just a hair under 14 inches then with a few just over. If they are 14 or over now they will be harvested just before they drop their eggs (at maximum weight) in March or April and put up for sale on a taxidermy website.
Cecil - We are anxious to see how much the 14" YP grew in 2015. You might have a 16" YP in there? Keep us updated. It will also be interesting to see how many of the 22 perch are still present.
16 inch? Doubt it. My guess is 14 1/2. Hope I'm wrong!
Will keep you posted.
There are fatheads and small bluegills in the pond for winter forage.
On the subject of ice, made it out to the dark house for 2 hours today. FI've pike under the hole, two good throughs, but there missed. I think the one fish was actually a ghost and the dear passed though it.
CB1- According to my YP growth chart, well fed, medium annual growth rate of 14.0" YP will be 14.4"-14.5"(0.4-0.5"), while fast growing YP should in one yr grow from 14.2" to 15.0"(0.8-1.0") and exceptional growth will be 14.2" to 15.5" to 16"(1.3-1.8") in one year. I am very interested to see where on my growth chart your hand picked 14" yellow perch align. So do me a favor and measure everyone of last year's 14.0" YP that come out of your perch production pond in 2016. Your practical research and information will enhance our knowledge of growing trophy class yellow perch.
There's ice at the GGR. Check out Nate's Facebook page for some monster iced catfish!
CB1- According to my YP growth chart, well fed, medium annual growth rate of 14.0" YP will be 14.4"-14.5"(0.4-0.5"), while fast growing YP should in one yr grow from 14.2" to 15.0"(0.8-1.0") and exceptional growth will be 14.2" to 15.5" to 16"(1.3-1.8") in one year. I am very interested to see where on my growth chart your hand picked 14" yellow perch align. So do me a favor and measure everyone of last year's 14.0" YP that come out of your perch production pond in 2016. Your practical research and information will enhance our knowledge of growing trophy class yellow perch.
Will do along with their respective weights on a certified scale as I will be selling them. They will go fast. Probably all sold in a couple of weeks. The trick will be to not harvest them too early or too late. I want their ovaries at maximum size so they weigh as much as possible. Anything 2 lbs. or over is quite lucrative as it's not very common.
CB1 - Standard length for a 2 pound yellow perch is 15.09 inches. Standard weight for a 14" YP is 1.57 lbs. Gravid female YP between 14" and 15" can easily weigh 2 pounds. Mature ovary weight in YP can be 20% to 25% of the body weight.
I was seeing chunks of ice flowing down the Muskegon River today. That's where I took the guy's fly fishing.
Yesterday with windchill temps -5F or lower, guy's were out there in boats hooking into some nice Steelhead. Too darn cold for me!!!
-20°F windchill here today earlier. I'd bet it would be oolder if we had a snowpack but there is no snow on the ground at all.
It never warmed up past +10°F today.
The icefisherman on iceshanty.com are lovin' it. 3 to 4 inches at many places in northern Indiana and making more ice. I was hoping I wouldn't ge anymore fish in this winter so I can get caught up but...
I know my ice is a good 3 to 4 inches on the ponds. How about your ice Scott?
Cecil - for the record, how old will those hand picked 14" yellow perch be in Apr 2016 that you had in 2015?
Cecil - for the record, how old will those hand picked 14" yellow perch be in Apr 2016 that you had in 2015?
Anwhere from 3 to 6 with an average of 4. The three year olds would have been reared in the basement their first winter.
CB1 - I am surprised that all the 22 14" YP are not the same age and from the same year class. Interesting. Do you think that if there are any 15" or larger YP in the group they will be from 3 year old group who are probably the fastest growing ones??? Do you remember how old your biggest 16" YP was? I am trying to get a better idea of growth rates of large perch.
Cecil, there was 5"-6" on Koontz lake before this last cold snap. I haven't gone out on the pond ice and poked a hole thru it yet, but I think I will tomorrow if the storm isn't too bad. A fish dinner tomorrow is what I had planned.
That is if I can catch any!!!
CB1 - I am surprised that all the 22 14" YP are not the same age and from the same year class. Interesting. Do you think that if there are any 15" or larger YP in the group they will be from 3 year old group who are probably the fastest growing ones??? Do you remember how old your biggest 16" YP was? I am trying to get a better idea of growth rates of large perch.
Bill,
The truth be known I'm not 100 percent sure of the ages and am relying on my fallible memory. Never was good at record keeping! LOL And tags would be the best way to go for accurate data which I don't do. I hatch YP almost every year and plant the females. There is some variation on the sizes upon planting. And I haven't been overwintering the fish inside for that many years yet. Maybe three or four?
The 16 1/4 inch fish was aged by Dr. Dave at 6 years old if my memory serves me correct. It was posted on the site.
I'm thinking of keeping a half dozen of the big perch for a stringer mount. If you're interested I could keep the otoliths for you?
cleared the pond for the first time this year! Saturday had very thin rim of ice on the edges where ground heat and the leaves were insulating the ground and the edge of the shallow water ice. About 3" in the middle but too shaky to go on it. I flooded the ice with a hose from shoreline Sat night. Sunday snow, bitter cold, light fluffy snow and by mon night about 4" on the ice.
I didn't dare take the quad or the tractor mounted snowblower so got to hoof it around and around and around the ice with my little 7hp paddewheel snowblower. It got it done but it was a long process. Ice was very smooth for skaters thanks to the Sat night flooding. By Monday night a good solid 4" of ice wherever you check.
Then last night around 10 all night, today up to around 20 and sunshine. I think the ice will be fine for quad/plow for clearing until the next warm snap comes.
I thought of all you ice fishermen last night but the kids are too excited about skating to risk cutting holes in the ice.
Thrilled that my pond is huge this winter due to soilfloc seal and no ground water loss since fall. Took a lot longer than before to clear the snow though!
I was considering the crayfish which have taken out my vegetation and wondering if the clear ice, plenteous sunlight, and little vegetation would get me healthier fish, less winter stress?
It would be tempting to get a some under the ice optics and watch those perch cruise around. I'd love to check my mattress pile under the ice and see how fish are relating to this structure (about the only structure in the pond outside of the pallet piles here and there)
hard ice is awesome!
Finally found some WE on the big pond yesterday evening - the bite really picked up around dusk and included some smaller SMB and YP, too. The 15" WE was still a little skinny, but the 16 and 17" fish were significantly thicker and heavier although just a little longer. IMO it's a testament to the importance of gape capability especially in fisheries where forage base consists largely of BG. The larger WE could have accommodated a 3" BG - the smaller WE no chance. Once fish hit that magic gape size, they really seem to turn the corner in this fishery. I have a high density of WE, so I'm fairly satisfied with their progress...I was willing to sacrifice individual performance for angling frequency.
The HBCP has a nice length almost 15", but is apparently on the downward slide of it's lifespan - quite skinny. It's an age 7 fish, was hoping for a few more years, but maybe it's just time for Rex to bring some more hybrids to NE.
15"
16"
17"
More nice ones TJ! Well done! When did you stock the WE and how big were they?
Great looking walleyes, TJ! My grandfather would have been jealous..
Congrats, TJ! What did they hit?
TJ......very nice! You have some very nice looking fish...
IMO it's a testament to the importance of gape capability especially in fisheries where forage base consists largely of BG. The larger WE could have accommodated a 3" BG - the smaller WE no chance. Once fish hit that magic gape size, they really seem to turn the corner in this fishery.
This exactly reflects my emerging experience with WE as sunfish control, probably takes two or more years to get to a size where they can really contribute. It may be possible to have a "balanced" BG/SMB fishery....if there are plenty of WE to assist.
Remember the walleye will also eat small bass if you are interested in recruitment.
Remember the walleye will also eat small bass if you are interested in recruitment.
Actually, that is one of their appeals. I get shoals of smallies in the 2-3 inch range every fall, but find myself constutionally unable to cull SMB. I'd rather have the WE do it for me.
I like the SMB recruitment controlled in my fishery, also - I stock the top 1% from my hatchery pond to keep population viable - typically 6-9" long, figure pretty safe from predation.
Very True - fish are tools for management depending on one's goals.
Remember the walleye will also eat small bass if you are interested in recruitment.
Actually, that is one of their appeals. I get shoals of smallies in the 2-3 inch range every fall, but find myself constutionally unable to cull SMB. I'd rather have the WE do it for me.
I'll have to sneak TJ in for some pyrotechnic magic that just might cull 1000's....
Congrats, TJ! What did they hit?
Firetiger 1/8 oz slender spoon tipped with small FHM
.....serving the purpose for which I created it
Don't even need a fish in the picture to make the statement true.
Excellent fish and son, TJ--good work!
Spectacular on all fronts....
+1! Lots of reasons to smile!
How do you like the ion, TJ?
Thanks guys - yes, Tony, the ION has been an amazing investment. I loved my 4 stroke Strike Lite, but the ION blows it away in speed, weight, portability [it's much shorter] and obviously no more oil/gas/maintenance issues.
TJ,
Is your son aware that from now on he will be dissappointed fishing in other waters?
What a great year you've already had TJ. The hits just kept coming.
Maybe next year.
REALLY nice pig YP there TJ!!!!
Each year I catch at least one 14"+ YP from the main pond, this year didn't happen until my LAST HOUR fishing for the season. Felt like it was meant to be - very surreal experience.
TJ - I am very curious to learn how much longer your 14" YP will live. Try and monitor this for us. Do you have any idea how old they are at 14"??
Dang Cody, you askin a ? is about as rare as me catchin a fish.
More nice fish TJ! That YP looks to be real close to 15. What's your pond record?
TJ - I am very curious to learn how much longer your 14" YP will live. Try and monitor this for us. Do you have any idea how old they are at 14"??
Good question - caught the first 14" fish 3 years ago, each Winter I pop one or two more in the 14" range. This girl here was actually 14.5 or more - just didn't get that great a photo I wanted to get her back in ASAP.
I'm assuming these are original fish stocked as 3-4" age 0 in September 2008. I know I have some limited recruitment - but again, it's pretty limited.
More nice fish TJ! That YP looks to be real close to 15. What's your pond record?
Record YP is 14.5 ish...my goal is 15+. Maybe next Winter.
Those aren't huge walleye by any means, in fact, not really even respectable size - but watching them grow SLOWLY year after year from 4-6" to this size [15-17"] is a real achievement for me, especially in such a small pond where all the regional Game and Parks experts claim WE and YP cannot be grown! I love posting these photos and helping to rewrite the wisdom regarding NE fishery management possibilities. Raises the hackle of some old school state fishery managers out there, which makes it even more fun for me.
TJ - I am very curious to learn how much longer your 14" YP will live. Try and monitor this for us. Do you have any idea how old they are at 14"??
Very good question? Esshup was counting YP in his cages till his hands froze off, so maybe a few more weeks to hit Indiana.
Insert snickers here__________
If in 2009 those YP were one year old then Apr 2016 puts them at 8yrs old. This is very near at the maximum age that I see pellet fed YP that are on the fast growth rate pace. You may have difficulty getting these current YP year class to 9 or 10 yrs. YP feeding on natural foods seem to live longer than those eating pellets. Cecil and I have difficulty consistently getting YP to the 15"-16" mark. YP at 14" are fairly common for us. I am interested to see how the all female YP perform for you.
