Joe Budd Pond 7/20/13

[Poopong McPlop]

With windy weather and tough tough fishing conditions at Talquin we decided to head to Joe Budd Pond to tear up some fish. We started off by landing 8 Sunshine Bass before spooking the bite out of them on 3-4 missed hooksets. We could literally watch them stare at our bait and not take it while the little BG tore at the bait. At times they would charge at it and just leave it alone. With an hour of sunlight left we went to fish for the big BG offshore. We were able to pull a couple big ones including one that was almost 11" before spooking the bite out of them. We ended up catching about 10 BG, 12 Channel cats, and 8 Sunshine Bass in 2 hrs at Joe Budd. Another good afternoon spent at the Budd Pond.

[SS-342]

Thanks for the good and interesting report!

quote="Poopong McPlop"....... before spooking the bite out of them on 3-4 missed hooksets. We could literally watch them stare at our bait and not take it while the little BG tore at the bait. At times they would charge at it and just leave it alone. [/quote]

When that happens what is the best thing to do? Can you get the bite back by changing baits? Leave and return later or just leave and hunt fish somewhere else?

[Poopong McPlop]

There is nothing you can do. Dont miss when you know youre in a school of "larger of its kind" fish. They will eventually catch on a little, but you can continue the bite by not missing them. I also make a habit of hauling the fish quickly out of the school. I have pulled up to 12 bull BG from an offshore spot (not a spawning nest) and up to 12 catfish in a row before a miss. When you first miss, the school is noticeably shaken. They nibble a lot more and you better have a neutrally weighted cork or your bait on the bottom to keep the bite going. You can throw out what it is youre baiting to keep the frenzy going, or maybe switch baits depending on how old and smart the fish youre targeting are. I've pulled 23 Bull BG (not spawning) from offshore structure before spooking the bite completely, and I've seen about 100 catfish pulled out of a group of a couple hundred before they spooked for the day. Bull BG will allow you two misses before the whole school spooks from what I've noticed and those 1lb sunshine Bass allowed us 4 misses. They wouldnt bite even when we came back 2 hrs later. Now all of this is a little different in turbid waters. In turbid or stained waters with reduced visibility you get more misses, and you can take more from the school before the bite stops.

[SS-342]

Interesting! Hum.....that might explain a lot of my problems.