So I'm fishing from Bank and 3 feet from me in about 8 inches of water is this huge red ear. No matter what jig I drop in front of him I can't get him to bite. He just backs up. What's the deal?
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So I'm fishing from Bank and 3 feet from me in about 8 inches of water is this huge red ear. No matter what jig I drop in front of him I can't get him to bite. He just backs up. What's the deal?
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He can probably see you!
But I'm catching gills all around him, they can see me
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He's obviously very smart.....that's why he got so huge:scratchhead!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty Lee
They ain't as "smart" as the Redear :RoflQuote:
Originally Posted by Rusty Lee
Or he may just be watching what he eats, try a lure with less carbs or saturated fats rotfl
Throw a Betts topwater fly over him. He will be in your livewell looking at you the rest of the day.
I used flies, grubs, worms, little minnow looking things, rooster tails. Nothing. It was impressive watching him flare his gills and run off other fish.
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He was taking care of business. When that is done he'll eat like no tomorrow. A live fresh cricket might have gotten his attention.
I'd let him "finish" his nest guarding business ... :twocents
There is a short period when red ear are on the bed they will not hit anything...it usually only lasts maybe for 3 days max.....but usually only a day or two. If you go back there and they are gone from that spot just cast out to deeper water...they will usually be there. I chase and catch a lot of shellcracker. I have witnessed this an untold number of times. I have searched and searched for a name for this phenomenon yet cannot find one. I have seen bluegill do this only twice in my 50 years of fishing. If you have the patience you can take a tiny minnow...kill it and put it on a hook. Make sure you get it in the bed. It may take as long as an hour but one will eventually pick it up and move it out of the bed...he will not eat it...he just moves it. When he picks it up set the hook. I was taught this years ago and have done it a couple of times just to prove it to myself....but the waiting is no fun. I just wanted to prove it to myself.
Regards
Try a cast net...works every time!!
As a kid fishing in clearwater creeks and lakes with very clear shallow water we spent a lot of time trying to catch bedded fish from the bank. They will sull up and not bite at certain stages. A lot of mean little kids use to snag them out of the bed when they would not bite. Not me but mean little kids. I have seen bluegill and bass do it too. Use to hang out over the water on tree limbs and bridge trusses sometimes to get right over them and not be seen. Fish use to bed shallower in general then they do now around here. It was very common to see the disturbance of fish on the bed as they chased off smaller fish,occasionally be so shallow you would catch a glimpse of the back fin on the surface. I rarely see that now.
bedding sunfish in general can be tricky ....bass, crappie, red ear, bluegills and the the others as well . have had a few drive me almost crazy ....yes i said almost .
dont know why they act that way for sure but they most certainly will do it ....seen crappie and bass act that way before on multiple occasions as well as some other sunfish .
that said i cant tell you what might make that fish hit . and if it does it might spit it out before you can even set the hook ....i have been done that way a bunch of times as well
After following this thread, we would like to know when you get him!!!:Rofl:popcorn(and how you got him)