Quote Originally Posted by redearhoosier View Post
It's been a tough redear season for us. I'm a serious redear fisherman and thought I was decent at catching them but this season has humbled me.

What makes redear fishing on Barkley and Ky Lake so difficult, at least from my experience, is that it's hard to pattern them. For example, we caught 22 one day, went back the next morning and caught 11. They were gone the third morning when I returned. Their disappearing act is frustrating and puzzling at the same time.

The first year I came down here we lucked out and caught between 50-70 big redear in a short trip. These fish were studs, several big males that pushed the 2lb mark mixed in with big 1.5lb sized fish. That very spot has been a bust since that first year...talk about frustrating!

My son and I went out today and I guess the high sky had them tight lipped. Here it is the May new moon and could barely find a bluegill...I just hope these Asian fish aren't finally taking a toll on the bluegill and cracker population. I'd like to hear about any recent creel surveys/electro shock findings concerning the numbers of big bluegill and redear. It's been an odd season...
Ever give thought that you've caught all the aggressive fish from those spots. Not all beds will have two hundred fish in them every year. Have to remember that predator fish are eating their fry after you take large numbers of fish that would be guarding those spots. That could mean less spawners return the following year and after so many years, there just won't be as many using that spot anymore. Don't get me wrong. I love catching and eating them just as much as the next person. I just won't decimate the population in one bedding area. Find more beds to keep more fish or as MRDUX says, throw those females back to seed the area again. Don't blame the Asian carp for what we are doing to our bluegill fishery. We just have to use our heads when it comes to gillin. And chances are that you may not be the only one that takes fish from that hole.