Honestly I don’t mind the bass being low numbers. I would like to keep it that way until I get some bluegill numbers I like. I just don’t understand why we can’t catch the bluegill or channel catfish. Unless they just aren’t big enough yet. But that doesn’t seem likely. Otters are possible. It’s not a very remote location. I can see the pond from my living room and I have never seen one
Use a very small hook and tiny bait. I like the ones with a long shank as the fish are not as likely to swallow them. Like a size 10 long shank.. Or a tiny jig head hook like Flys are tied on. When I say tiny bait I mean like a Gulp Alive Waxie that is about two or three times the size of a grain of rice. Or pinch off a quarter inch long piece of worm.
We had a get together for friends and family once and told them to bring kids and fishing gear. A few brought gear but most didn't. I anticipated that and made up a bunch of cane poles with just a small no. 10 long shank hook and let the kids bait with Gulp Alive waxies. Gobs of BG were being caught one right after another. Couldn't get them off the hooks fast enough.
I noticed one little girl not catching anything. Her dad had brought a rod and reel with a fairly big hook attached. Don't remember the bait. I cut it off and installed a small hook and bait and she immediately started catching fish.
Try a tiny hook and bait. I have caught FHM with that combo all the way up to decent size LMB. But if your BG are only 4 or 5 inches long, they don't have a very big mouth. I catch 4-6" long SMB on a small hook with a tiny Gulp bait (to transfer to other ponds for stocking).
