Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations RES??

Ok this is kind of a questiona and observation i guess.

The Redear Sunfish. I caught several of these fish this year in the 4 to 6 inch range on worms. I have had them in my pond for 4 years now.... 2 years ago I caught a couple that were already right at 10 inches long. I have not caught another one even close to that sence then??

Just wondering if there is something else I need to try to catch them with? I sure hope they are still in there. If they were 10 inches 2 years ago.... man they got to be nice size now! I just can't seem to find them...

RC

Here is a pic of one of them. I just can't seem to find them??? Would RES this size be deeper maybe?? I have not tried fishing deeper....

In our old farm pond growing up the only place you would catch the big redear was submerged structure in the 8-12 foot depth ranges. Can't say that's necessarily your issue but I don't believe in 20 years of fishing that pond we caught very many redear at shallow depths.

In my pond here I routinely catch them at 4-5 feet. Can't say what the difference is, but there certainly is one.

I recall reading some different tips for catching RES, but can not remember the specific threads. I have only caught one out of my pond this year from the initial stocking in 2013 and it was a really nice one. Caught it off the same lure that I have caught BG and LMB. Would like to catch more RES.

Here is a list of threads with RES info that might be helpful. Probably more than you ever wanted to know.

RES info and links to old threads

Here's RC's pic:

Sweet Redear.

Watch your fingers...

Yep

Is it because of the crusher plates they use to crush snails, or just generally a mean disposition and want to try and bite?

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=352440

Hey thanks everyone. Yeah that fish was caught in 2012! And I caught 1 other one about that size... So they got to be there I just can't seem to find them. And the only place I have not tried is deeper out. Come to think of it I did catch this one and the other in shallow water but is was spawning time when I did that....

RC

Deeper water, with cover. Fish on the bottom, or If you use a float, try suspending your bait 5-6" off bottom. It's probably more psychological than anything, but I will go to a red jig tipped with a lively worm when I'm trying for RES.

The nice one I caught this spring (slightly larger than the largest BG had been catching) was likely during spawn also.

I actually tried to avoid spawning sites so as to not disturb by brood stock, but sometimes the lure undoubtedly would come across a bed anyway.

In old pond the water has cleared and dropped somewhat (lack of significant rain and considerable evaporation). Saw one BG clearly on a nest and another nest nearby that looked like a GSF but could not tell for sure if it was pure or one of the hybrids I had put in from the main pond. Decided to find out and remove it if it was pure GSF. Took a number of attempts as it could clearly see me on the bank and knew what I was up to. But eventually I let the cut bait lay in the nest long enough and I saw it pick up and caught it. It was a hybrid, and although I did not necessarily want hybrids with a lot of GSF characteristics breeding, did not want to remove the fish from the pond. Tossed it back in, and it went right back on the nest. I always wondered how much we affect a fish on a nest by catching them, and at least this one went right back and started defending it from the numerous tiny GSF raiding the nest. I reached out with a stick and scratched the nest all up (since this was not a desired breeder anyway) just to see what it would do. Went back next day and the nest was abandoned. BG was still on the one a few feet away. Was just an experiment to see what would happen. Thought it was interesting.