My quest for a citation redear

Started by biggiesmalls, March 02, 2018, 11:58:27 PM

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biggiesmalls

Thanks y'all B)

This week is packed, prom is this weekend but I'm sure I could get up early and get a session at the pond in ;)
That fish was big but it's the bigger one that's been swimming around in my head.

Rivverrat

That is a nice fish.
You know it is the thoughts of bigger ones that powers the drive that has some of us continuing to go back. All while enjoying this thing we call fishing... Jeff

biggiesmalls

I think the thought that there's DEFINITELY a bigger one swimming right next to the one I just caught is driving me nuts... going to order some stuff from Charlie Brewer here soon to try out.

Drew

Rivverrat

The endless joy is...

Some Where Some Place There will Always Be a Bigger One.

My hope is you've found that place... Jeff

biggiesmalls

I got out today and... my fish was right there in the shallows. Casted a whole nightcrawler about 6 feet past him, he saw it falling and took off. Not sure if it was me that scared him off, the float, the bait, or the hook - but clearly something did. He moved to another spot in the pond, I did the same thing again except from much further away, and he took off again - after another 30 minutes, I couldn't find him again and went home.

I'm starting to go a little bit crazy over this fish. I will not stop fishing until I have this fish in my hands, that I promise you.
I saw him next to the hybrid I put in a few days ago, and he's an easy 2-3" bigger, possibly even more than that - I think this might be a 2 pound redear.

Does anybody have any more tips I could possibly try to catch this fish?

I used to do this crazy thing, we'd catch a turtle and we would put a gopro on his back and tie it with a rope - so we had a camera that we could take almost anywhere underwater. I might get out this weekend to try that, and see if I can just find where the fish stays. I can send a live feed of the GoPro to my phone, so I can see whatever the turtle sees wherever he is. At this point I'm willing to try absolutely anything I can.

Drew

Wally15

I used to love fishing farm ponds in central NC (Harnett County) back in the early 80's after I got off work. I caught some huge bluegill and redears on a small floating popping bug called a Moonglow (I think). At dusk dark I'd shine a flashlight on it and it would glow for 10 minutes or so. I guess they thought it was a lightning bug on the water. All catch and release. I caught the same huge copperhead bluegill maybe 10 times over a year or so. 12' fish, maybe 24 oz. And a lot more like him almost as big. Flyrod and 4 lb test line. Wasn't quite in the same league as catching a supercow, but it sure was fun. The Moonglow worked better than red wigglers.
Mike
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.
"Fire and Rain"
James Taylor

Rivverrat

#51
Drew, if this fish is as easily spooked as your saying I think your your right in reassessing your tactics.

It's been my experience that some of the biggest fish I've caught after locating them visually or on my electronics were also some of the most easily spooked.

Some of these fish I caught was using a stealthier approach. I would make my cast a good distance away but not so far I couldnt deliver my bait accurately. Some times I'd be a good ways from the water when doin this.

Also  I would cast well past the spot where I believed the fish was holding at least 15' bringing my bait slowly into the target area.

If you can see them they can see you. If there is not much going on around this pond the fish can tend to be a bit shy of any thing out of the ordinary
This can be people,  bobbers flying through the air & any thing that makes a splash.... Good Luck ! Keep us posted.

I've enjoyed reading of your adveture... Jeff

Gfish

The consummate/obsessed fisherman:" I will not stop fishing until I have this fish in my hands, that I promise you". I love it!
That's what sets us apart from other fisherman. I wonder how much time in my life I've spent casting away, when I know there's one out there..."If I just do something diffrent/right, I know I can get 'em!"
Have you tried night fishing Biggie? Large trout in rivers, surrounded by fisherman during the day, don't even seem to feed until it gets dark and the fisherman are gone(except me a number of times). Gotta check on the legality a that one, though.
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

biggiesmalls

Quote from: Wally15 on April 19, 2018, 12:28:11 AM
I used to love fishing farm ponds in central NC (Harnett County) back in the early 80's after I got off work. I caught some huge bluegill and redears on a small floating popping bug called a Moonglow (I think). At dusk dark I'd shine a flashlight on it and it would glow for 10 minutes or so. I guess they thought it was a lightning bug on the water. All catch and release. I caught the same huge copperhead bluegill maybe 10 times over a year or so. 12' fish, maybe 24 oz. And a lot more like him almost as big. Flyrod and 4 lb test line. Wasn't quite in the same league as catching a supercow, but it sure was fun. The Moonglow worked better than red wigglers.
Mike
I haven't thought about the possibility of getting him on the fly, I might have to try that. I need to find a 4-weight or so to do it.

Quote from: Rivverrat on April 19, 2018, 02:55:20 AM
Drew, if this fish is as easily spooked as your saying I think your your right in reassessing your tactics.
It's been my experience that some of the biggest fish I've caught after locating them visually or on my electronics were also some of the most easily spooked.
Some of these fish I caught was using a stealthier approach. I would make my cast a good distance away but not so far I couldnt deliver my bait accurately. Some times I'd be a good ways from the water when doin this.
Also  I would cast well past the spot where I believed the fish was holding at least 15' bringing my bait slowly into the target area.
If you can see them they can see you. If there is not much going on around this pond the fish can tend to be a bit shy of any thing out of the ordinary
This can be people,  bobbers flying through the air & any thing that makes a splash.... Good Luck ! Keep us posted.
I've enjoyed reading of your adveture... Jeff
This fish is on a new level of "easily spooked"... I don't think I've seen something quite like this fish before. In terms of size or wariness.
My new goal is to spot the fish and stealthily and quickly move far back from the pond, and just wait. Let him think I'm gone. Then cast a bait at least 15 feet past him, and just wait. I'm hoping I can out-wait him.

Quote from: Gfish on April 19, 2018, 06:20:46 AM
The consummate/obsessed fisherman:" I will not stop fishing until I have this fish in my hands, that I promise you". I love it!
That's what sets us apart from other fisherman. I wonder how much time in my life I've spent casting away, when I know there's one out there..."If I just do something diffrent/right, I know I can get 'em!"
Have you tried night fishing Biggie? Large trout in rivers, surrounded by fisherman during the day, don't even seem to feed until it gets dark and the fisherman are gone(except me a number of times). Gotta check on the legality a that one, though.
I have tried the night bite, it seems to have been non-existant. I will try again though and see what I can do with it, just in case.

New plan... live crawler tail-hooked on a #4 mosquito hook. Casted around 15-20 feet past the fish when I spot him, far from the bank. We shall see if this works.

Sidenote - I got in touch with a guide from Richmond Mill Lake, where 1 pound bluegills are caught daily and 3 pound fish have been caught. He advised Charlie Brewer Slider Grubs, rigged on jigheads with clothespin spinners, as well as cork float rigs with live crickets. Still talking with him, but we'll see what he advises. My problem with crickets has been that the smaller fish simply get to them before the bigger fish can.

Drew

biggiesmalls

Today, I fished with a #4 Gamakatsu split shot/drop shot hook, with a whole nightcrawler hooked twice through the tail. Nothing else on the line.
This combination resulted in a massive sunfish, I unfortunately got this fish to shore and the hook came undone. But, I saw it and it was large - but not as large as my fish, which has come to be known as Tiny. I saw him today but he was gone by the time I went back out there.
I wonder if the fish I caught was the one I put in there last weekend? Maybe the clearer water caused it's pattern to change, it was certainly around the size of last weekend's fish.

Anyways though - I think I may have found the winning pattern. I just need to be there right when the winning fish is there.
I can go out tomorrow, but the weather will present a unique challenge - rain and nearly 20 mph winds. I'll have to see if I can use it to my advantage.

Tight lines everyone,
Drew