How does everyone catch pellet trained HSB? Mine are getting to the size they will be a great fight.
Thanks

Match the 'hatch' so to speak.

When I first had HSB in my main pond, years ago, they would hit whatever you threw in while they were pellet feeding.

The current crop of HSB I have in my neighborhood retention pond will only hit pellet feed, while feeding, and nothing else. So you have to fish with something that looks like a pellet.

george has been instrumental in making pellet flies. Some have taken panty hose material and stuffed them to imitate a pellet.

Stubby Steves is what I recommend:



https://www.stubbysteve.com/

VERY easy to "match the hatch."

Try a live golden shiner.

If that doesn't work try the Stubby Steves recommended above

Live Golden Shiner always did it for me at my main pond. Here in the 'hood,' I don't have regular (any) access to shiners.

Forgot about Stubbys.

I accidentally found out while fishing for BG that fishing a cricket on the bottom works very well. I hooked about 5 in a row (only stocked 17 total) but only landed one on ultralight as the others broke off so I stopped fishing on the bottom. I note that I didn't hook any while fishing with crickets under a cork.

Yeah even my bigger BG are very picky now with a cork on the line. They know better.

RC

You would thing they could put that together... but I think some of them do.