How much fishing pressure did you put on the hsb when they were smaller?
How clear is your water, can they see you when your fishing?
Have you tried fluorocarbon lines and have you downsized your fishing line and hook size?
What about slowing down your feeding the hsb? Maybe bite might improve if they are hungry?
I ask this because in my situation, I did not add the hsb until the second year and then I started ladder stocking each fall and spring by adding 15 or 20 different sized fish each time. From 10" to to 17" sized. In the beginning I very seldom caught one and I almost never saw them come to the feeders. And very little fishing pressure at that time. Today, I allow little fishing pressure with most fisherman being children and the catch rates on the hsb are pretty good with about 25 hsb per acre. We vary the baits so we try to fish with baits they have not seen before. I just mention all this because this is what I see today but things may change as the world never stays the same from my experience. And I might be in your position tomorrow.
