Post Your Forage 2024
BigSkyBasser reply :
Woke up this morning with bad cabin fever as I found 3 inches of fresh snow on the ground and no sign of an early ice out.
I thought this would be a good time to give some homage to the baitfish that make your local fishery so good.
My favorite here in Montana is the Redear Sunfish Pumpkinseed which get quite big and are absolutely gorgeous.
fissure_man reply :
webertime reply :
Smokinal reply :
I'm awestruck by the colors in that Redear OP! Just gorgeous. Our Bluegill have a little of that aqua blue on them but nothing like that. Thanks for sharing that today.
A-Jay reply :
Top one's in most of the better Brown Bass Lakes and the bottom ones from over by the Nuc Plant
A-Jay
Team9nine reply :
On 3/9/2017 at 11:58 PM, BigSkyBasser said:
My favorite here in Montana is the Redear Sunfish which get quite big and are absolutely gorgeous.
Honestly, that looks much more like a pumpkinseed to me, and not a redear (shellcracker).
BigSkyBasser reply :
On 3/10/2017 at 1:37 AM, Team9nine said:
Honestly, that looks much more like a pumpkinseed to me, and not a redear (shellcracker).
You're not the only one to tell me that. I've suggested that to the fish and game folks that I talk to who claims we don't have pumpkinseed in that particular body of water.
WRB reply :
On 3/10/2017 at 1:40 AM, BigSkyBasser said:
You're not the only one to tell me that. I've suggested that to the fish and game folks that I talk to who claims we don't have pumpkinseed in that particular body of water.
Look up Pumpkin Seed sunfish. Red Ears have verticle bars and larger mouth then your fish in the photo.
Tom
Team9nine reply :
On 3/10/2017 at 1:40 AM, BigSkyBasser said:
You're not the only one to tell me that. I've suggested that to the fish and game folks that I talk to who claims we don't have pumpkinseed in that particular body of water.
Tell them they're obviously wrong and need to go back to fish identification class 
lol. Don't see how they could argue with the picture as you have living proof right in your hand. Maybe a couple others will chime in with an opinion.
They might not be native to the lake, but they could have been accidentally introduced. Like Charles Barkley says, I may be wrong, but I doubt it 
webertime reply :
I thought it was a pumpkinseed too, and we don't have Redear up in Vermont
MTBassin reply :
It's all pumpkinseed around here that I know of. Of course there are also crawfish and yellow perch all over here too that bass feed on heavily.
Turtle135 reply :
A Red Swamp Craw from the Tidal Potomac River. Not surprisingly Red Shad Ribbontail worms can get crushed by Largemouth Bass and Blue Cats when the conditions are right.
RoLo reply :
Based on its unequaled success percentage, this is apparently the most sought-after forage in Florida:
=> http://rolo-1.com/Prey.jpg
Roger
BassThumb reply :
Crawfish and Snicker's-bar-sized yellow perch are the staple of a Minnesota bass' diet.
Jar11591 reply :
I would say yellow perch and craws are the primary forage in my waters. Bluegill and pumpkinseed are in the bass's diet as well.
A-Jay reply :
On 3/10/2017 at 5:51 AM, BassThumb said:Crawfish and Snicker's-bar-sized yellow perch are the staple of a Minnesota bass' diet.
Definitely Two of my all time favorite's -
And learning as much as I can about the life, habits, food, needs & preferences of each, has paid off in Bass .. .. .. ..
A-Jay
XpressJeff reply :
I wish God would make that pretty little Pumpkinseed, Red Ear, Blue Gill grow to a bout 3 or 4 pounds.
That would be fun to catch!
WRB reply :
On 3/10/2017 at 7:28 AM, XpressJeff said:I wish God would make that pretty little Pumpkinseed, Red Ear, Blue Gill grow to a bout 3 or 4 pounds.
That would be fun to catch!
Red Ears do grow over 4 lbs!
Tom
BassWhole! reply :
On 3/10/2017 at 7:32 AM, WRB said:Red Ears do grow over 4 lbs!
Tom
Yeah, I used to fish them with a fly rod, got a couple about 2 lbs or so. Amazing how hard a little fish can pull. Oh, here is some of my favorite forage, Palta Rellena (shrimp salad stuffed avocado).
XpressJeff reply :
A 4lb Red Ear must pull like the 15lb Smallie I catch in my best dreams!
Excuse me while I take a nap!!!!
BigSkyBasser reply :
On 3/10/2017 at 1:49 AM, Team9nine said:
Tell them they're obviously wrong and need to go back to fish identification class
They might not be native to the lake, but they could have been accidentally introduced. Like Charles Barkley says, I may be wrong, but I doubt it
It's not even surprising. Their mentality towards bass is that they're a nuisance and an enemy to the trout. The concept of conservation for bass is often times ignored completely out here.
I've seen guys blow off the slot limit during spawn and keep females that they catch off beds. It's appalling.
Darren. reply :
On 3/9/2017 at 11:58 PM, BigSkyBasser said:Woke up this morning with bad cabin fever as I found 3 inches of fresh snow on the ground and no sign of an early ice out.
I thought this would be a good time to give some homage to the baitfish that make your local fishery so good.
My favorite here in Montana is the
Redear SunfishPumpkinseed which get quite big and are absolutely gorgeous.
Stunningly beautiful!!
MTBassin reply :
On 3/10/2017 at 8:39 AM, BigSkyBasser said:
It's not even surprising. Their mentality towards bass is that they're a nuisance and an enemy to the trout. The concept of conservation for bass is often times ignored completely out here.
I've seen guys blow off the slot limit during spawn and keep females that they catch off beds. It's appalling.
I've also seen some old guys at Ninepipes haul 3 or 4 full stringers up to their vehicles full of all different sizes. Probably double the limit for both of them. I think everything between 12-15" is supposed to be released. Most they had were that size.
Also, I've been known to put down my casting rods and target big pumpkinseeds protecting their nest with tiny hooks and small pieces of bright colored soft plastics. They sit just a few feet off the bank on top of the big rocks and can be sight fished quite easily. I have caught some pretty dang big ones that way. They fight hard when they get big!
Bankbeater reply :
Around here forage includes crawfish, shad, bugs, and anything else a bass can fit into it's mouth.
webertime reply :
Up here it's now Alewives. I'm not posting a picture, because I'd get myself in trouble with some St Paulie Girl picture or something.
UPSmallie reply :
Emerald shiners are the life source up here. If you can find where they are schooling, the pike, perch, walleye, and smallmouth won't be too far behind.
Yeajray231 reply :
N Florida Mike reply :
Copperheads and shiners !!
Bluebasser86 reply :
In lakes that don't have shad, these guys are a big bass' preferred forage it seems.
Obviously this one likes bluegills too 
Chris at Tech reply :
I usually do OK with pizza, steak and beer.
But my local fish eat bream, threadfin shad, gizzard shad and craws.
A-Jay reply :
On 3/11/2017 at 9:55 PM, Chris at Tech said:I usually do OK with pizza, steak and beer.
But my local fish eat bream, threadfin shad, gizzard shad and craws.
Chris, I thought you would have said weak margaritas & nachos with glue-like cheese for sure
A-Jay
Subaqua Adinterim reply :
Finger Lakes forage
afrayed knot reply :
In Ct. they feed on green pumkin senkos and bluegill
everythingthatswims reply :
These guys make for some fine fish food, but unfortunately they make a bass think he's a striper
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