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Hi folks, does anyone know of a good place to catch some big golden shiners?
I'm in Bullet county and I'm trying to help my uncle stock up his pond with some good forage fish. I contacted our fisheries biologist but although he said they are present in most of the waters he manages he couldn't point me to any specific places.
I had the same idea several yrs. ago. Figured that since goldens make such good bass food down in Florida, that they would work the same way here. I accidentally discovered a farm pond that had goldens living in it. Then the property changed hands, and I lost access to it.
But, I have checked the fish trucks, etc., and nobody up here seems to know anything about them. Sorry if it's not any real help. Good luck.
Buford bait company in Celina Tn.You can buy them by the pound.
There are both positives and negatives with gold shiners in a bass lake. I fish a lake that is overran with gold shiners and has an overall poor bass population. I've come to the conclusion that they aren't the favorite forage for bass, atleast in this lake they seem to prefer bluegill. During the spawn shiners gang up by the hundreds and swarm the bass beds. The shiners spawn in the bass beds and some reports online say they feed on the bass eggs. Some of the bass give up altogether. Its declined rapidly over the last 4 or 5 years. Now, you never see fry on the surface after the spawn. Bass beds appear one day and by the nexy morning theyre empty, with a few stragling shiners still lingering around. Most of the fish appear to be starving with giant heads and long thin bodies. I know there are other factors that have contributed to the decline of this lake, but the shiners have played a role. Now, a large portion of the shiners are 10" long or bigger and to big for bass food.
Just something to think about. I have never caught a bass with any indication that it has recently eaten a shiner, but Ive seen bluegill in their throat. I know theyre a popular bait, but if I were managing a lake shiners wouldnt be in it if I could help it.
[QUOTE=AndyG;461657]There are both positives and negatives with gold shiners in a bass lake. I fish a lake that is overran with gold shiners and has an overall poor bass population. I've come to the conclusion that they aren't the favorite forage for bass, atleast in this lake they seem to prefer bluegill. During the spawn shiners gang up by the hundreds and swarm the bass beds. The shiners spawn in the bass beds and some reports online say they feed on the bass eggs. Some of the bass give up altogether. Its declined rapidly over the last 4 or 5 years. Now, you never see fry on the surface after the spawn. Bass beds appear one day and by the nexy morning theyre empty, with a few stragling shiners still lingering around. Most of the fish appear to be starving with giant heads and long thin bodies. I know there are other factors that have contributed to the decline of this lake, but the shiners have played a role. Now, a large portion of the shiners are 10" long or bigger and to big for bass food.
Just something to think about. I have never caught a bass with any indication that it has recently eaten a shiner, but Ive seen bluegill in their throat. I know theyre a popular bait, but if I were managing a lake shiners wouldnt be in it if I could help it.[/QUOTE]
hell i would catch them and take them to the ohio and catch big hybrids or cats with them .. 10 inches is perfect for a big ol flatty or blue
[QUOTE=AndyG;461657] I fish a lake that is overran with gold shiners and has an overall poor bass population.
[/QUOTE]
Is this a public lake or private?
[QUOTE=fishassasin;461665]hell i would catch them and take them to the ohio and catch big hybrids or cats with them .. 10 inches is perfect for a big ol flatty or blue[/QUOTE]
That's one of the other reasons I'm looking to catch some wild shiners, the bait shops I've checked don't have anything bigger then about 5 inches, that's fine for 15 inch bass in the summer but big fish need big bait, and it stands to reason that if your trying to grow some big fish in a pond they need big food too.