# Pond Fish



## BensalemAngler

Got out for about an hour and caught this LM on a Berkley Beast and Tungston shakey head in about 2 feet of water. I need to start getting out more before the ice comes. I do not like ice fishing.


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## BassAddict

nice lil bass, how long do you have to fish before things start to ice up?


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## redbug

BassAddict said:


> nice lil bass, how long do you have to fish before things start to ice up?


calling for snow showers this weekend     
it should warm up a bit next week


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## Jim

Nice going geting out there. I wish I could too. Im really going to try Ice Fishing this year.


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## little anth

nice job way to get out and do some fishin


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## Captain Ahab

Nice job - do I know about this pond?


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## mtnman

nice little fish. do you guys not ever use live bait? it seems that i never here of anyone on here live baiting. we do much better around her on live than artificial. dont get me wrong we throw alot of lures and i think you get more saticfaction out of hooking into a fish that you had to catch and not the fish finds the bait and basically catches itself in a trap. it doesnt matter to me i just love fishing but i will say if i have nice live bait i will use it before a start throwing lures or soft plastics.


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## FishinsMyLife

I'll throw a live shiner or bream out sometimes. On this forum, I don't get any crap about it, but on all the other forums, people talk like I'm horrible when I say I caught something on live bait.


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## mtnman

i got yea. they would hate me then because i swear by and use live bait 90% of the time. the way i see it is, why use artificial when you can use the real thing. lures are made to resemble LIVE BAIT! tell them all to kiss your butt when they get that way.


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## Captain Ahab

When I am planning on eating the fish - which is only in Salt Water, I use live or cut bait 90% of the time. I will use live bait in fresh water especially if the bite is tough, like in the cold weather.

I still like to cast a shiner for bas, using the dead or alive shiner just like a lure - I just hate buying and carrying the bait.

If anyone gives you a hard time - well you know what they can kiss and HOW!


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## BassAddict

Ill admit it the thought of using live bait has crossed my mind lately, maybe with something live i could catch a bass over 3lbs. But I dont think I could ever change totaly to a live bait kind of guy, I get a certain satisfaction out of tricking a bass into biteing a piece of plastic that seams alive.


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## SMDave

BassAddict said:


> Ill admit it the thought of using live bait has crossed my mind lately, maybe with something live i could catch a bass over 3lbs. But I dont think I could ever change totaly to a live bait kind of guy, I get a certain satisfaction out of tricking a bass into biteing a piece of plastic that seams alive.


Nothing like a fish taking a topwater!!! Or buzzing a buzzbait next to pads! Or watching a jerkbait/senko do it's magic! I too get more satisfaction out of knowing I tricked a fish!


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## FishinsMyLife

In one pond, I'll usually have a rod out with a shiner on it just because recently I've only been fishing after coldfronts and I've been wanting a good many pickerel to keep and put in a different pond (private pond). I love topwater fishing more than anything, but the weather hasn't been providing ideal topwater conditions recently. I just fish for fun, and even if a friend and I were having a contest to see who could catch the most fish, I wouldn't use live bait. If I caught a 12 pounder on live bait, I wouldn't get it mounted. Also, every time I'm using live bait, I'll be throwing something artificial on a different rod.


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## Waterwings

> do you guys not ever use live bait?



My wife uses nightcrawlers, does that count? lol


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## little anth

its a pain for me to get and to carry around but in the salt ill use live most of the time


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## redbug

I haven't used live bait in years Heck sometimes i don't even use hooks
If I get the chance next spring I will try to catch some herring and go for the monster stripers on the tidal Delaware in front of the rancocas creek. I think catching a 40 plus pound fish would be fun


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## little anth

does gulp count???? :roll:


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## Captain Ahab

redbug said:


> Heck sometimes i don't even use hooks



Hmmmm, I think you must talk those bass into surrendering then :shock:


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## FishinsMyLife

I used live shiners today and still caught the big zero  . Thats really saying something about my fishing skills


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## little anth

that stinks. i really dont have patience for live bait in freshwater.


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## SMDave

FishinsMyLife317 said:


> I used live shiners today and still caught the big zero  . Thats really saying something about my fishing skills


Livebait takes skills?!! :?


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## little anth

SMDave said:


> FishinsMyLife317 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I used live shiners today and still caught the big zero  . Thats really saying something about my fishing skills
> 
> 
> 
> Livebait takes skills?!! :?
Click to expand...


i was thinkin the same thing it takes patience skills that i dont have i have to keep movin ( i guess its the adhd :roll: )


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## FishinsMyLife

SMDave said:


> FishinsMyLife317 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I used live shiners today and still caught the big zero  . Thats really saying something about my fishing skills
> 
> 
> 
> Livebait takes skills?!! :?
Click to expand...

Nope, I was saying it takes no skills, and I still didn't catch any.


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## jkbirocz

Live bait takes a lot of skill really. I only use it for cats and when its freezing out. Its not just putting the bait on the hook and letting it sit, there are many ways to rig a shiner or baitfish, not to mention be able to cast it far enough without tearing it off. If you told guides down in Florida, that use shiners religously, that it takes no skill using live bait, I am sure you will get an ear full. I suck at live bait fishing personally and envy anyone that knows all the rigs and special techniques. Skill is not only being able to work a rubber worm or spinnerbait, its got a lot to do with knowing what presentation to use and when to use it.


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## FishingCop

I've been jigging crawlers and minnows all my life but I also love to cast spinners, lures and jig a plastic. On plastics, larger hooks and Texas, Carolina or Lindy rigs for deep water. But, when using crawlers or minnows, I always use a #4 or #6 Aberdeen with a very small split shot about 20" up. Cast towards shore and let it sink then jig it down the structure. Most of the time when a walleye hits, you can't feel anything - but maybe a light "tap, tap". It take a long time to get the hang of hooking walleyes on live bait. They have a knack of rolling the bait around in their mouth then spitting it out if the feel the hook or line. Most people don't eaven know they have a bite until they miss one or check their bait and find it all chewed up. Bass will sometimes do the same thing (spit it out) but usually they'll run with it in their mouths a little. The trick is to let them run just enough to insure that they have it in their mouth then set it before they spit it out. Of course somethines they'll just swallow and swin away - I hate gut hooking them, but it does happen. Catching 5-plus pounders on a #6 Aberdeen with 4-6 lb test is a lot of fun  Just my 2-cents worth, I certainly don't claim to be an expert and I only started fishing again last year after a 25 year hiatis and, I'm very sure many of you also jig crwlers and minnows in the same fashion.


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