Bluegills were rippin this afternoon


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D4o2FwbX4AINMvP.jpg

Damn. Nice one.

That would be a blast

I'm SOOOOO wanting to get out there. I just live in a god awful place. there are no ponds or small lakes. Lake Meredith is 30 miles away and sux but is the only place remotely close. They are trying to restock the lake after they basically pumped it dry 5 years ago for Amarillo water supply. I'm heading to Lake Texoma in 3 weeks and plan to stay for at least 2 weeks , thats a 7 hour trip. Ugh!

When I moved here to the panhandle of Texas to go to work I noticed right across from my farm there was a big pond embankment and a draw leading into it. Looked like a great farm pond but you couldn't see into it from the farm road. So one day I caught the owner at the gate and asked him if he would mind if I fished it. He said go right ahead but don't let anybody see you. I said why. He said because there ain't no water in it and they'll think you're stupid.

I had just moved here from Holdenville OK so I was a n00b.

Damn, thats a chunker... couple nice filets right there

I got out to the local lake yesterday, didnt catch much more than a buzz... the water is way high, muddy as hell and still very cold

Its really taking its time warming up around here

mmm tasty.

Fileted 14 awesome BG's. I need to get into the 10-15 in bass but...how sick is this...lots of 20 plus and under 10 yesterday on plastic worms...bass are off beds and cruising

How big is your pond, and how long ago was it stocked?

What are your top pond management keys?

3 1/2 acres

Pond was built in the late 60's...26 foot is deepest

Was horribly managed by last 3 owners

When I bought it, I refenced all cattle off of it and started a census...had decent BG's, small bass, no cats, and horrific weeds

3 years later all the bass died...experts said disease/virus/fungus....thats Fishery Biologist for we dont know.....I restocked bass, added 20 grass carp, and started a feeding program

Feeding is a huge boost to BG and bass, takes a while for bass to learn but once they do they love some high protein high quality feed

Today I have bass 5-8 even 9 pounds on the trophy end, the BG's are amazing, I added 30 Channels every 2-3 years and the weeds are under control

My professional background is in weed management, crop and rangeland, my real specialty is rangeland and wildland weed and invasive species. I knew jack shit on pond/fisheries but have had a lot of great help from smart people.

Next level will be to add redear sunfish this summer late for control od=f snails that are the vector for worm parasites that attack bass and BG

Great post full of detail, thanks!

You may not be a fisheries expert, but it sure sounds like you went in with a plan and stuck to it with great success... it’s funny you mention that virus spreading snail, I watched a YouTube video of a guy busting the dam on his pond and starting from scratch because of those things

Blue Gills should be called Blue Jill's so you can say you got a nice BJ.

This guy gives some really good fishing tips

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ROFL

632 barbarions. Im all about some of them

Record eye in ND