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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
On Saturday I added the last of the crushed limestone, and spent several hours cleaning up, moving rocks from where they were to where they were needed. Think I'm going to need to buy another load next summer, but first I want to see what it looks like at full pool. It was way too windy to apply SoilFloc, so that remains to be done. 11/9/20
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2 members like this:
TexasTalara, RAH |
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
It's been a little over a year since the YP stockings, and I decided that it's time to start figuring out how to catch them. I know I can catch them on a piece of nightcrawler, and I'm sure a FHM would work just as good, so I'm experimenting with artificials. I'm not trying very hard, just putzing at it for a few minutes after work a couple days a week. Already learned that bead head flies and little black rubber stick things on a tiny dart head jig work. Few days ago I tied on a black 1/16oz marabou jig. Never got a bite on that thing. Didn't matter how I presented it. Yesterday I hung that one up and had to break it off. Tied on a white/chartreuse 1/32oz marabou ~6" above a light blue 1/16oz marabou and promptly nailed a double. Top fish was ~7 inch size. Bottom fish flipped off before I could lip it, but was substantially larger than the other. I was fumbling the rod with one hand and fumbling for my camera with the other and gave em too much slack. With the hook barbs pinched down they slip right off if you don't keep the line tight. Next thing I'm going to try is suspending the jig/s under a float. I noticed last year that the fish moved away from the dock where I'd been feeding, and into the cedar tangle when the water began to drop below 50°. It's tough to swim a jig through that stuff, so we'll see if suspended slightly above the tangle will entice them to bite.
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2 members like this:
TexasTalara, RStringer |
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Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4 Likes: 1
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Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4 Likes: 1 |
Just a bit more work to do and it will look gorgeous. I wish I had the same view around my house, but there is no any river or lake, and in general there was only tall grass growing everywhere, when I returned from city after some time. It was a problem to mow it, because it was too big. I did some searching on the internet and found this list of tools https://www.growgardener.com for cutting tall grass, now that place looks way better, I don't feel like lost in the jungle anymore, proud of how it is right now.
Last edited by Saviran; 02/19/21 09:16 AM.
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1 member likes this:
Augie |
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 5
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 5 |
Good job!
Last edited by tabeeR; 02/19/21 09:18 AM.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
Water temps in the pond have been about right for the YP to spawn, but I haven't seen any ribbons yet. Thought I might test the waters this morning to see if I could stick one for a condition check. Nightcrawler on a floating jig, split shot up the line ~18". Five minutes later I had the answer as to why no see-um ribbons - they're still in the fish! From the looks of this little girl I would say that ribbons are imminent. Her belly was tight as a drum head.
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 129 Likes: 11
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 129 Likes: 11 |
Wow that is cool! what a nice fish.
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470 Likes: 107
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470 Likes: 107 |
Are you sure she didnt swallow a football. Holy smokes she looks to b ready to blow 4 sure. Surprised she didnt have them right their on ur dock lol.
Last edited by RStringer; 04/05/21 09:39 AM.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
Back on the pond dam project over the weekend. I put the smash to a pair of last summer's muskrat dens, placed ~8 cubic yards of 3"x6" crushed limestone, and started filling the low spots. I'm not looking to make the cover of Better Homes and Gardens, but I do want it to look like somebody cared about what he was doing. I bought another twin-screw load of stone in February and I've just about used it up. It's going to take one more load to finish the job. 4/4/2021
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1 member likes this:
RStringer |
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,146 Likes: 488
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,146 Likes: 488 |
Since my pond is near a creek, I constantly fight muskrats. They are persistent and very hard to deter.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,110 Likes: 76
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,110 Likes: 76 |
Looks nice, I wish I had some of your level ground!
Bob
I Subscribe To Pond Boss
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
This pond is ~400' from a seasonal creek, and there are six other ponds within a quarter mile.
We've killed 8 muskrats since last July.
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470 Likes: 107
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470 Likes: 107 |
That looks nice. Someday I would like to do some around my place. I bet your back is sore.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
It's been a year since the SMB and HSB were stocked. Water temps have cooled to the point that the HSB can be caught and released without killing them, so Mrs. Augie and I set ourselves to catching out some of the accidental BG. We put a dozen or so in the fish fry cage, and another 20-ish in the bait cage. I wish that I'd been set up to do weights and measures. Mrs. Augie caught two SMB, and five HSB. This is the smaller of the two SMB she caught - ~12", which I think is pretty good growth considering they ranged 5"-8" when stocked. I didn't want to over-stress the HSB, so didn't take the extra time to get pics. They were 8"-10" when stocked, and are now running 15"+ and thick across the shoulders. I'm probably going to need to take a few of them out next year.
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1 member likes this:
FishinRod |
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470 Likes: 107
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470 Likes: 107 |
Those HSB are a blast to catch. Mine are in the 10" range and fight like a pissed bull.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,748 Likes: 295
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,748 Likes: 295 |
You've got to appreciate a lady who 'dresses up' to go fishing!!!!
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,952 Likes: 184
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,952 Likes: 184 |
That fish for sure not gonna escape!
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
22 accidental BG, one GSF, and one hook-swallowing RES joined us for the first fish fry since the cow pond renovation. 7"-9" slot were released to the grease, <7" went to the bait pond, and the >9" size went back into the drink to grow some more. I did post-mortem weights and measures on the fish that were kept to eat. The fish were caged for 1-3 days after being caught, then iced down for ~3 hours before being butchered. I expect the live-weight numbers would be slightly higher, but still aren't half bad, with only two fish under 100% RW. All but one of the fish that I butchered were males. Species Length Weight Standard W Relative W Date Bluegill 8.00 0.47 0.42 112.75% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 7.25 0.34 0.30 112.76% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 7.50 0.37 0.34 109.02% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.50 0.54 0.51 105.06% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.00 0.40 0.42 94.91% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 7.50 0.41 0.34 120.21% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.25 0.56 0.47 120.72% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 7.50 0.38 0.34 110.49% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.75 0.65 0.57 114.87% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.50 0.54 0.51 105.06% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.75 0.60 0.57 106.74% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 7.00 0.32 0.27 116.67% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.25 0.52 0.47 110.84% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.00 0.51 0.42 120.60% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.25 0.43 0.47 92.79% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.25 0.55 0.47 118.79% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.00 0.43 0.42 102.29% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.25 0.53 0.47 112.77% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 7.50 0.42 0.34 123.75% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.25 0.58 0.47 125.44% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.00 0.46 0.42 108.47% 10/1/2021 Bluegill 8.00 0.48 0.42 114.89% 10/1/2021 RES 9.00 0.66 0.52 126.35% 10/1/2021 10/2/21 10/1/21 All of these went back in the drink to get bigger.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,384 Likes: 606
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,384 Likes: 606 |
Good job, Augie!
+ 100 on your first pic.
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470 Likes: 107
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470 Likes: 107 |
Man couple of those were just about round. They have been eatin good for sure. Sounds like a good few days.
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Joined: May 2019
Posts: 77 Likes: 9
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Joined: May 2019
Posts: 77 Likes: 9 |
Augie, try the bluegill cake recipe that is in the last issue of PB. As my grandson said one time- puhwishush!!
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
That recipe has been recommended to me a few times. Shouldn't be difficult to source the materials needed to make it.
I know a good spot to catch some BG.
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Joined: May 2019
Posts: 77 Likes: 9
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Joined: May 2019
Posts: 77 Likes: 9 |
When I first read the recipe, I thought it was a waste of BG, but we were culling some small BG, so we diced them up and made these.
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1 member likes this:
Augie |
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
Did a bit more work to the gully wash spot at the top of the pond. It needs another foot of cobble added, and I've used up what I had on hand, so I'm going to have another load delivered this week. I'm pondering the idea of clearing the brush off of this spot and excavating a proper settling basin. There's enough room to go 20'x30'-ish, and a couple foot deep. If I wind up doing that, and it holds water, it would make a nice production pool for FHM. Wouldn't be much trouble to add a solar panel, battery, and 12vDC pump to keep it full and semi-fresh during dry spells.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
As the water temps have begun to cool this fall the BG and RES have slowed down feeding, but the HSB and SMB have been absolutely crushing at pellet time.
Tuesday evening when I fed it was like they had vanished. Wednesday wasn't much different.
Thursday I get a text message on my phone, "Hey, it's Adam. We delivered your minnows on Monday."
Mystery solved. lol
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276
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OP
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,137 Likes: 276 |
After enjoying mild temps for most of the month of December, we've been tossed into the freezer. Christmas weekend we were in the 60°s. We've seen single-digit lows the past few nights. The shallow-suspended ring diffuser is doing a great job maintaining open water. 11/8/21 1/3/22
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2 members like this:
Bigtrh24, azteca |
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