How to catch the big ones in the pond - 08/28/11 11:21 PM
Background:
1 acre pond, 2/3 of pond has emerged with grass, effectively making that 2/3 of the pond about 1' deep now (normally 3-4 feet). Water clarity 2-2.5 feet. Main forage: minnows & native bluegill. This past spring I stocked 30 adult LMB in the pond from another local farmpond...including 2 three pounders and 1 five-six pounder. The rest were in the 1-1.5lbs range.
Long story short - I am catching the 1 to 2 pounders with regularity now and they all seem very healthy and active. I frequently see them cruising the shallows, busting small bluegill, and whacking bugs.
Problem is, I can't seem to get to the bigger ones. With the pond having grass in 2/3's of it, I feel like the bigger fish must be concentrated in the deeper dam-end, which is about 1/3rd acre in size and about 6-8 feet deep....regardless of what I toss, I haven't see hide nor hair of them. I've tried slowly down and working something along the bottom like a texas rigged worm but I just come back with a clump of grass. Any ideas?
I think in the long run I'm going to have to hang a bluegill under a bobber in the deepest spot.
1 acre pond, 2/3 of pond has emerged with grass, effectively making that 2/3 of the pond about 1' deep now (normally 3-4 feet). Water clarity 2-2.5 feet. Main forage: minnows & native bluegill. This past spring I stocked 30 adult LMB in the pond from another local farmpond...including 2 three pounders and 1 five-six pounder. The rest were in the 1-1.5lbs range.
Long story short - I am catching the 1 to 2 pounders with regularity now and they all seem very healthy and active. I frequently see them cruising the shallows, busting small bluegill, and whacking bugs.
Problem is, I can't seem to get to the bigger ones. With the pond having grass in 2/3's of it, I feel like the bigger fish must be concentrated in the deeper dam-end, which is about 1/3rd acre in size and about 6-8 feet deep....regardless of what I toss, I haven't see hide nor hair of them. I've tried slowly down and working something along the bottom like a texas rigged worm but I just come back with a clump of grass. Any ideas?
I think in the long run I'm going to have to hang a bluegill under a bobber in the deepest spot.