I can't wait for this weekend and an upcoming vacation to try all the new techniques for catching these HSB. Thanks everyone!
I have to admit that I typically keep 8# test on my rods and the pond is so muddy I don't see how the fish could see it, or even a length of paracord...lol. I do practice a very light drag as I have hooked into a couple of the HSB that just hit, run, & break (when I have forgotten to check the drag setting).
Harrison Fishery called me back yesterday and after a nice 20 minute conversation...he (Kurt, the owner) suggested this plan...
150 pure BG, 5-7" long (for getting the forage base back up),
50 RES, 4-6" long from his brood stock (at my request),
3 pounds of GSH (He wants to "make me a believer") , &
15 CC,14-16" long (for craw patrol).
The total for these fish delivered to a nearby town would be $280.oo. I would have to transport the fish maybe 10 miles in my barrels with my pond's water. This is a bit spooky as I like the practice of acclimating the fish and this option eliminates that option due to their much larger order needing all the water they can carry.
He could have supplied the larger CC, but the available BG and RES were small enough to be forage for 3-5 pound CC and he suggested the smaller ones with the idea that they would grow quickly with the supplemental feed and available crawdads.
I'm not sure about the Golden Shiners because my pond has no appreciable summered plant growth for depositing eggs. I do have a lot of pallets that were originally for the FHM whos numbers have declined to the rare spotting. For the extra $36, why not give them a try? Should I put in some dead cedar trees? Will that suffice in a pinch?
