primetime

I use fast action for cranking and it works just fine....but one companies fast is another's medium etc...I usually just gravitate toward faster tip rods in general, I buy what feels good, the rods labeld Cranking Rods are often way to whippy for my liking but to each person they may have a different opinion....Fish what you like and you will be happy, just play the fish correctly with your drag set properly and you will be good imo with a fast tip...

I have a tendency to keep my tension knob super loose, and I have lost it on many reels, and when your knob falls off, you can easily lose a spool bearing, and the felt pieces and little anti friction pads that fit inside the knob. I have found that simply making sure you check the schematic, and making sure you have all the right pieces in the reel makes a huge difference. Sometimes people will remove these things from reels at the store as well, I have purchased Combos with the cheap pieces missing that are free if you call the company. I use Red label on one of my casting reels and have not had any issues with it, I use 20lb which has diameter of 17, and I find it is a good line for the money. Invisix is better, but RL is for sure manageable line. I also use Stren Fluoro without issue since I found it at K mart on sale for $3 and it was new line from 2015. I only use Fluorocarbon Leader for leader since it is more stiff and abrasion resistant on anything over 10lb test even though it is expensive. I coudn't imagine trying to cast Seaguar or P-line Leader since it is like wire and the knot strength is crazy...Triple Fish Fluoro leader is a good value and never lets me down unless I rush a knot... I would say that the easiest line I have ever used for casting reels is Berkley XL or Original Stren in 12lb test...If that is having issues, then it is maybe the reel, or maybe you need a swivel for line twist. I also have noticed when using Fluoro on casting reels, It handles better if I don't put alot of muscle into the casts...Once it stretches, it stretches for good and never comes back....

I found one exactly the same way when I was looking for a flipping stick..I found the HMG and I loved the way it felt in my hands and it had the tip I liked etc...I have been using it for about 18 months now, and I couldn't be happier. I almost purchased another Okuma rod but glad I purchased the Fenwick. I have 100% confidence in the rod pulling any fish out of nasty cover, and now would buy Fenwick anytime I see a deal....Good Luck, Sure you will love it, Fenwick is good stuff...

You can order them in bulk from the Mr, Twister Website at a reduced price and they are often in the $1 bargain bin as well. They are actually really good for z-man baits and I usually put glue on the pin, after I heat it for Elaztach, but When I was a kid I fished only keeper hooks with all plastic worms, never used any other type of hook. They also make a Kahle style weedless hook with the pin, I still try to use them as often as possible except on heavy braid for flipping etc...Worth a try, they are better than Screw style hooks imo and do less damage and they will hold a worm or swimbait in place easily and fast to rig or texpose...Mr. Twister has good deals on their site and are nice people if you call, they send out sample packs of baits when you buy direct.

Yea, you can get any soft swimbait through grass I guess it comes down to matching the activity of the fish this time of year, and the baitfish even here in Florida are sluggish after the cold, So a light 1/16-1/8 bullet weight on the caffiene shad swimbait is finesse enough and not too much thump, swing, and has a nice glide on the fall...I actually prefer to use an open jighead as often as possible on a soft swimbait in sparse grass and I fish them similar to a rattle trap meaning I want to snap it off and get reaction strikes from fish that may not be active. Right now I am using the Bass Assassin Elite Shiner on a J-will Jighead since it is super finesse like the Keitech shiner not sure of the length though, it is maybe 4". Either way, Good luck on your next trip, so many good baits out there to choose from and so many cool ways to rig them weedless these days.

They sure do work...and if the legs come off..Just put in a skirt and you have a nice frog...or glue in some floating worm pieces for legs...want Rabbit fur for legs like the Furbit? Then get some strips and put them in your favorite frog...Rabbit fur really seems to work well at times, and every brand has its flaws, but you can fix anything to make them salvageable....I am guilty for just liking to buy frogs and use different brands, but they all work, some are just different looks.

This is why you will start seeing more companies start popping up with great lures like 6th sense, Duo, Jackal etc...The market dictates which lures sell for what, so when Pure Fishing purchased Sebile, they quickly ended all of the Sebile lures that were designed and perfected by Patrick Sebile and then started the action series, which are good lures for the price, but apparently not enough people purchased the original Sebile Lures which I really liked. I have noticed that so many of the new lures are simply knock offs of lures that I would have figured would be trademarked, but if people don't buy expensive lures from small companies who truly put alot of R&D into them, then it will hurt innovation I guess. I just don't like the trend I am noticing which is a race to the bottom in many cases...I see *** lures at Dicks for $3, Frogs from Jawbone for $3, Strike King making a banshee series etc...Nothing wrong with that for the average guy or for anyone, but I like to see innovation since buying lures and trying them out is half the fun of fishing.... The free market always corrects itself and will go through trends....It seems that all companies are starting to produce a value series of lures as well....

I once purchased the Para Bug by Megabass.....they were the coolest looking bait I every puchased but the only problem was that every fish in the lake also agreed, and crappie tore them to pieces....3 cost $10 plus $5 shipping....If only they were more durable, but then again, making a more durable senko makes it not as good imo....I am sure these work great, but will get attention from turtles to bluegill etc...

It happens....After using braid for a while it all loses color, which does not bother me personally, but I usually flip it after half a year and the bottom stuff should be fresh color if that is important to you..Sometimes I like a white braid....Easy to see.

Pinnacle and Silstar are the same company...or were.....

One brands Medium heavy is another brands Medium, and another brands Heavy.... Med Heavy usually is for lure weight of 3/8-1.5 or 1/4-1 oz....Heavy is usually 3/8 up to 2 oz or more... I would say that a Medium Heavy is the rod you will end up using the most and it can double as a frog rod and a good quality worm/jig Med. heavy rod at any length will usually handle most of your fishing except punching with weights over an ounce, and or fishing in crazy weeds and cover like we get in Florida at times since you need the horsepower to get the fish turned fast... A heavy action rod is often too heavy for feeling the lighter baits, and will not cast them as far....Also look at the line ratings...If you fish with punch weights over an ounce, you need a heavy action rod simply so you don't break your Med Heavy pulling in tons of weeds, and all the pressure the rod has to deal with on every hook set and fish...I try to find a good quality rod that is light, since using a heavy action rod with a standard 7-8 ounce reel can get you tired very quickly, and unless you are throwing the Spro Jungle Frog, or huge walking bait, you won't get the action you want on the lures...However, to get a good hookset with a big frog, or huge topwater, you need a heavy action rod to drive them home, but I use a medium heavy as much as possible and I rarely need to go over 1 ounce when Punching, I will use a 1.5 oz if punching through a floating Island of Plants, but usually most of the day I do fine with a good quality Med Heavy if that makes sense....You can find heavy rods that are light now a days for under $100 easy, I would look for older models, closeouts, or in the flea market...I trust buying stuff from this site since most people take care of their stuff and would not put up junk.....Glenn has a video on how to choose rods, and Aaron Martin has a great video on when and why to use what rod...You tube is great for these questions and getting different opinions, just remember they are trying to sell you extra stuff in each video...

I recently stopped by the BPS classic sale and they had a Browning Midas for $59 and $10 off if you trade in a reel...I notice it retails for 99 bucks and the specs on the reel seem to be really good..lightweight, almost similar to the white Morris reel.... Has anyone used the Browning reels and are they good? They all felt nice at the store and I could use a $50 baitcaster to go with a rod I have, and I have never had any experience with Browning...They also had a GT for same price, but then again, I see the Black Daiwa Laguna going for $29.99 and thinking maybe that is the better deal? Any input would help...Does anyone know when the Mettle reels from Academy go on sale usually? I remember them being $29.99 at one point and I really want to try that reel out since it only has great reviews, I can't find a review for the Midas since 2010....Thanks.

I have messed around with adding a blade as I was told it works well if you wake it slowly over grass and when I tried it the lure kind of had a jitterbug kind of action, and I didn't think I had the right sized blade or type. I know they sell the blades, but the package is like $10 for the kit, and if I am going to be fishing in open water, Personally I would use a lure with treble hooks as much as possible. My buddy loves to fish that Optimum Furbit frog with rabbit hair which also has a blade...he says he catches fish on it with the blade, but also said it gets filled with pond weed/moss and fouls up the action. I would love to hear any reviews of how the blade works and what size and ring to use, swivel to get the best action. I love adding flash to soft baits and lures when possible...Ever since I watched Timmy Horton Demo the MJ rig on the senko, I have been putting blades on worms, hooks under swimbaits, and on rattle traps removing the rear treble and putting a blade and testing them out..I guess for frogs I just think it may interfere with a good cast at a bad time if you make that perfect skip, then all of a sudden it starts rolling etc...Any advice appreciated...

These are REAL MEGABASS Lures...if you purchased 4 you would end up paying $30 each since you have to use air shipping.....No way the blanks from same place that are less than a buck are legit...Not possible. Verified Supplier FOB Price:US $9 - 12.5 / Piece Get Latest Price Min.Order:4 Piece/Pieces Description:* Megabass * Fishing Lure * "POP X".. I also noticed the blanks never say Megabass, Japan, or anything, one broker says Sammie but that means they are not Sammies from my experience. Honest sellers will call lures OEM lures or china brand...If it is too good to be true, it is....

I see a guy who sells lures that are custom painted but be careful calling them knockoffs, even though they could very well be.... I believe they are factory seconds/blemishes since the same OEM's make baits for many companies so internals are hard to measure, same with line tie angles, hook hangers inserted properly etc.. I have recently noticed one OEM who makes baits for High End Companies selling blanks now for popular models at prices that are very low. they have a small MOQ of only 200 and they also do LH frogs, so I think I know the guy you are referring too.. You can import Expensive lures, but they are usually just as expensive, or come in crazy colors, different hooks, and I have always suspected that they are simply factory seconds. Every company has a ton of blemished baits, and anyone who is really good at crankbait fishing, or jerkbaits will tell you that if bearings or internals are off, sound is different, or the line tie is off by a few degrees, hook hangers maybe not perfect etc...then the lure is not going to work as well as it was intended.... I once found a deal on blemished lures that were a top brand, and picked up a bunch of them only to find out that every time a fish larger than 3lbs grabbed the lure, you would soon get slack in your line, and pull in a really nice oval split ring....The company never claimed they were x brand, they just say China brand and we all want to hope they are Megabass etc. but how could you tell a Strike Pro Thunder pop from other top lures or a Megabass walking lure that Canis X vs. the Owner Tango dancer which is probably what you are getting, since you still get what you pay for. Lures that are discontinues always flood the after market. Factories never throw away seconds or defects, and they never risk losing their contracts with major companies.....When you buy a Megabass lure you are paying for quality control and the fact that it is perfect out of the box.... I don't know if the person selling them is dishonest, and I would never throw out that accusation since he may have a connection to get the legit blanks from some broker etc...But I know for a fact that the lures that are actually Megabass, will cost you maybe $12 instead of $14 to import and that is with a high MOQ in one size, one color, and blanks are a new thing recently overseas I am noticing. Blemishes would be spotted before painting, so that is my opinion.....Then dump them cheap since they won't pass inspection, the person buying them probably doesn't know or care. You can buy blanks on Barlows that look identical to a Sammy etc...I don't think most people would know the difference, especially if custom painted really nice...Just be careful, you don't want a lure failing when you have the fish of a lifetime by saving a few bucks. LC cranks at Bass Pro are now $5.99, so that maybe explains the blanks selling for cheap, but why not just by them from LC and get the sure thing? Many lures for Matzuo look like expensive lures, a good example is the Bully wa frog..take a look at your matzuo popping frogs next to a bully wa 65...They look to be the same lure....Obviously the same mold, but the plastic is different, obviously the poppin mouth etc.. BPS kermit frog comes from same place as spro Frogs...But you will notice a few differences in the 2 if you fish them, the Spro just moves differently and has subtle differences, not saying they are better, but they are just the same mold, not the same bait... Lure Prices are coming down anyway, which is a good thing, so I would rather support LC for selling us an $ Gunfish 117....Just my opinion, but dealing direct overseas is a tricky game, and deals are never as good as they seem unless buying Bobber stops, hooks, and terminal tackle, soft baits imo....

4"-5" Swim Senko is hard to beat, or a Rage Cut'r Worm..It can be fished as a swimbait, all the above answers are good choices...I would add that I like to use the Skinny Dipper style as well, but I like the Bass Pro Swim Sally since they are softer and have the best action out of that group imo. Strike King makes a nice swimbait that is the perfect weight and texture as well..the Caffiene shad swimbait-Not as much as a swing, or joint, different look. Creme makes the Screamer I think it is called, I had a bag and they worked well, just hard to find but they are legit. A Swim Senko is hard to beat in grass...Keeper hooks from Mister Twister are really good at times especially on thinner baits and I believe the weighted hooks are all light like 1/16-3/16.... Another good option is the Z-Man Minnowz and Diesel Minnowz with a Wieghted Trigger Hook From ZMan which has a baitholder and will never bend..They make a bait called the grass Kicker which is thin and all baits are floaters for most part, I just picked some up and have not tried them yet but they are similar to a swim senko in design-5" long..I used to struggle with hooksets on hollow bellies until I started rigging them sideways, now I have confidence in them, but here in Florida, Guys love to throw the Gambler EZ swimbaits...They make 3-5" in awesome colors and that bait excels in grass. I would guess they are the most popular in my area and it seems everyone throws Gambler swimbaits and flipping baits... I like the Keitechs rigged weedless, or the speed shad and other knock offs, but if I had to pick 1, I go swim Senko 4-5" any color that is a laminate or has contrasting flake....

I fish a few ponds that have banks that are high up and it allows me to pitch heavier jigs and texas rigs/punch rigs without spooking the fish since most bank anglers walk right along the bank. I have found standing back and pitching as if in a boat with raised seats is often really effective. I would say that I use a 3/8-1/2 jig most of the time when the weed growth gets thick, and often the steep banks are the best shorelines to fish, if you pitch your jig right at the bank, standing back 10 feet or more, you will get the fish that take off way before most people even get close..Big fish in ponds or lakes that people fish from shore learn the sounds of people, and will take off if you fish to close to the bank many times... I also figure that most big bass in ponds have not seen a heavy fast falling jig or creature before, so you can still have success...I agree with the deep diving cranks for the most part since I am not good at using them anywhere, but I have seen people using them in the deeper strip pits with success, especially the deeper running shad raps...They seem to work anywhere and are nice and subtle.. I believe Pond fishing makes me a better fisherman since the bigger bass in small ponds are really tough to catch, especially when they get pounded by angler's...I have had success over the years using colors and baits that are not "Popular sellers" at local retailers as I believe that fish get conditioned to the same lures and presentations...I also like the fact I can usually go much lighter with line in ponds.... Some of my favorite ponds/lakes in Florida are the one's that are public that have docks and get stocked, for some reason people never fish many of these places assuming they get too much pressure, but those docks attract fish since guys spend all day using live bait for panfish, catfish etc..At night Docks on bigger lakes can be awesome....You don't need a boat to have a great day of fishing, and it is nice to be able to leave without having to pack up a boat....A cheap kayak is never a bad idea either... I also like to use the ramp for fishing on weekends after guys launch their boats...Everytime they start up the outboard it blows a hole in the sand, and stirs up the bottom which gets a chum slick going and you can have success dragging a soft bait right down the middle where you can see a few ditches created by the engines...It works during busy days as the fish get conditioned to the sound of the motors and know that crawfish and small baitfish will be moving in soon....I read that in an article years ago and it truly works, I believe Dock's do the same with lights as well, and with all the guys who dump out their bait before they leave... Nice fish in the picture above...Makes me want to go fishing right now...

Scum frog has an entire line of frogs that almost never get talked about and I don't know why as they are all top quality baits at a great price...The Trophy series has a walking frog, chugging frog that sits nose up, a Deep Chugging/popper style frog that makes a sound unlike any other poppin frog, and now they have the new Rattling frog..I still use the original Mouse and scum Frogs, the tiny frog, the one that comes with a trailer hook, and the trophy series frogs are like $4.99, just as soft as always, have a split ring, brass weight, huge hole on the bottom yet never fill with water??? and all have owner 4/0 hooks that are snug and good to go out of the box...yet on TW some have never been reviewed?? I wish more people would buy Scum Frogs since they are an American Company and if anyone visits their webpage, you can see they have a lineup that rivals any other company. The simple scum Frog will work as good as any frog and if you want a heavier frog, you can get one for only a few dollars more...Both Snagproof and Scumfrog make everything in America, and if you have an issue (I have a buddy who complains to companies all the time) Scumfrog will send you free trailer hooks, frogs, and skirts....Great company to deal with..I don't know why more stores do not carry them, people still see them as cheap and they are certainly not cheap anymore....

The Evergreen Frog I was talking about is actually the Kicker Frog, the Big Bite frog is also great, but that frog has 2 hooks and is really the same frog only with 2 hooks like most. The Kicker Frog with the one hook, is almost part mouse, part frog, but the ridges on the bottom seem to give off a sound on a mat that is different than rattles and fish seem to commit to it better than my other frogs, and I find that I hook up most of the time unless I make a mistake which is easy to do since the best strikes always seem to come when you are letting your frog sit still while scanning your surroundings looking for a new cast... Here is a picture, the material is Silicone I believe, but it has a different feel than any other frog I have handled, and I have tried just about every frog out there even hollow body frogs designed to sink like the Viva Mazzy Frog which will get you thinking about using a Frog in a million different ways. I would not pay for the Viva Frog again since it was demolished quickly & you can just let your frogs fill up with water and fish them like a sub walk, or walk on the mat and then after the hole opens let it slowly sink...You will be surprised...Here is a link to the picture of the Kicker Frog from Evergreen, I am a believer in the one hook being easier to set, which makes sense from a physics perspective....I just don't think Sebile did it right but then again, I have not given it a fair chance and never see reviews on it...I found a deal on these frogs and picked up a bunch, it is almost like a scum frog but with an even better design and more durable yet softer, more features...and I am not a big money guy when it comes to lures...I usually fish standard priced tackle but this frog is my absolute favorite and if you love throwing frogs, I would suggest trying it because it is killer.... https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.midacompany.ru/images/image/evergreen/Kicker%252520Frog/Kicker%252520frog%252520color.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.midacompany.ru/catalog/?section_id%3D732&h=402&w=600&tbnid=bNBWzhRNxAfrVM:&docid=i6lEvEyJS7LJLM&ei=A_vFVrbANobZecy6gcgD&tbm=isch&ved=0ahUKEwj2zcCL54HLAhWGbB4KHUxdADkQMwgiKAUwBQ

If you have confidence with crankbaits and get results, I would experiment with a few different types but I would suggest that you stick with what you know best if you can get a crank through it...I used to love spinnerbaits for years as my go to moving bait at almost all times, but I now prefer a Bladed Swim Jig in the same spots as it is more versatile for me, and can be fished like a crankbait.... Jigs are always a good choice, I would suggest buying a few of each and seeing what fits your style. Swim Jig Fishing may not fit what you like to do, but jigs will work almost anywhere anytime if at the right depth, speed etc... The articles on this site are really good as to how to "Junk Fish" or basically decide what to use when you have a ton of choices..Much of it is understanding the mood of the fish, water color, and structure and depth as mentioned above...If you catch fish on a crankbait in weeds where everyone else is using jigs, then why change? Some guys can do things with crankbaits that I can't come close to doing without getting frustrated, so confidence is the key to fishing imo....

You could use a loop knot I guess, with mono I would use it and not think twice, but I usually just tie a palomar with braid and that works well for me...If you want better walking action, some frogs like the scum frog walker come with a split ring, I know this pulls the nose down, but I would trust a split ring more than a loop knot with braid personally, but that is just me...

I like BPS reels and I believe they stopped making that reel last year, it is similar to the low profile Extreme, and the Extreme reels are good imo...I know that BPS always sold the Nitro reels "On sale" for about a year for $69.99 marked down from 99 but I never actually saw the 99 dollar price charged but I don't pay attention all that much. Some people have issues with BPS reels for the fact they have that cast control feature with 2 breaking systems and I have tried the Bionic Blade reel and it is nice but my buddy said it will not cast as far, but in the wind he loves it as it never over runs....I would imagine they would make good reels, I thought about bidding on one on Ebay but the price went too high...They are light if I remember, but I am a fan of BPS reels, I have alot of reels since I have been fishing a long time and I ended up with an older Tourney Plus which is usually the $50 Model, and I use it for pond fishing and it has held up to some abuse and good sized fish, so if you like them go for it...They are easy to fix, and parts are inexpensive if needed....

Right Now you can score a deal on a heavy action BPS rod with the trade in and you can get a Carbonlite, Extreme, and Bionic blade but make sure you put them in your hands as some have a power hump which many don't like, I don't mind it as I have smaller reels on them, But I have had a few Extreme Rods for over 10 years that are awesome.One is a heavy flipping stick I use along with a longer Fenwick HMG which will only set you back $100 and it is a great Rod...I like the Extreme for its weight, and the HMG Flipping Stick I like has a softer tip which I prefer for punching.... The BPS rods are good deals for Flipping, light weight is key so the Pro Qualifier carbonlight combo for $99 is a great deal, I would personally buy that and use the reel on a different set up since I would take advantage of the sales on other reels that are lighter..Light Weight Heavy Action rod with a light reel is worth it after a few hours...Med Heavy is often good enough depending on brand, but make sure to hold them first, not just order imo... I would not go less than 7' for a heavy action rod but that is just me...I like a med heavy shorter rod, for accuracy more than power...Its also hard to flip with a 3/8 and lighter with a large heavy action rod, I have tried many of the rods on the market and all have good things and all have a few things I don't like. I won't spend over $100 on a rod personally, I wait for sales, deals, and for punching and flipping, I rely on line watching more than feel, I buy better quality lighter action rods if that makes sense.I don't care if my frog rod is sensitive as long as it is long and light with backbone.... I will say Okuma is great with Warranties, so are most companies these days, Lews makes some nice combos as well I would buy in a heartbeat.

I have had a President Baitcasting reel for about 10 years and it is a heavy reel similar to the Pro Qualifier since it is a one piece machined aluminum frame (I believe Aluminum) but it is a tank(in a good way) and has been very good to me...I have never taken it apart for cleaning, I wash it a few times a year, lube it here and there, but it has always been reliable and has a great drag, casts as well as all my other top end reels, so I would be comfortable with any of their reels from the Purist on up...I have a friend who has a couple Purists 3lp? and Trions which are heavier than the Supreme and Patriarch, but are also work horse reels....The supreme is light, and right now you can buy the older models from the last 2 years on Ebay and other outlets for $69.99 and I have never heard a bad thing about them...The Patriarch is the high end model, and if you have ever handled that reel it is clearly a top quality reel... I don't know who makes what anymore, everything is outsourced in this global economy but we pay for the R&D, Quality control, and warranty etc..I know some companies use different countries for different reels which would make sense since they are always trying to cut costs since every year a new player enters the market or a new model that sell for a low price and performs really well. Many reels look the same, I know that my older Gander Mountain Reels have Pinnacle Schematics and I have fixed an old Pinnacle Inertia reel with gander mountain house reel parts, and at one time I believe Pinnacle, Ryobi, and Zebco were the major OEM's...Now there are a bunch, and a good example is *** here in Tampa where they do R&D in their facility, but also outsource reels and rods for Gander and make a few rods and reels for other companies as well, but they will switch factories all the time or use several, but yes, many reels look the same these days...I think that is because the goal is light weight, so of course they will all have the same shape.... Bottom Line, Pflueger reels hold up well, I used to have issues getting parts for reels and their customer service was difficult as I have lost pieces to a few spinning reels, but now they seem to have fixed issues, The Trion is a great budget reel in spinning and casting, I don't trust the Purist only because it comes in a sealed package....Not sure why that bothers me, but I hear they are good as well. I think the President casting reel was discontinued....You can find them used and I would buy one if you get a deal, they were well made.... Not sure who made them, but I have a president that is roughly 10-12 years old and is a great reel to this day....I wish I would have purchased more since they stopped making it....It is not light, but it is a beast and has been great....I would think my reel was purchased around 2005....

I agree with the post above....I think pond management is an important topic that I would love to learn more about and I am always searching out information since I have 5 ponds in the development where I live, and I have tried making 2 of them into really good spots with less bass but much larger fish, and then I put the slots in the other pond, along with stunted bluegills or any random fish I catch that do not belong. I notice the young Kids love fishing the 2 ponds that are void of structure, super clear, and are loaded with Bass in the 10-13" range since I remove most of the bass from 2 of the ponds with the goal of growing a few trophies... One cool thing to note...Here in Florida and I would imagine in most states, If you want to fish a pond that may be on Private property or on the side of the road etc...You can often call FWC or the DEC and we have a program called "Adopt a Pond" which basically allows you to fix a pond by adding structure, cleaning it, taking samples for Ph and Oxygen, and they work with you on how to fix the pond based on goals...Most developments have a retention pond or stormwater pond and they usually are one small part of a much larger watershed which leads to a large lake. Having permission to fish the "Watershed gives you the ability to fish and fix the ponds connected without tresspassing." Most owners who question you end up happy when you explain to them you are a "Volunteer" trying to keep the pond or ponds better for fishing. Managing small ponds is very difficult and it is amazing how fast fish will grow if you pay attention to the size of the bluegills and the bass, the shiners and other forage should take care of themselves if the 2 fish mentioned are in ratio....If you have a pond that is full of stunted bass and huge bluegills, then turn it into a trophy panfish pond, and then raise shiners in that pond as well, but it is so important to remove fish from good ponds, if you have a pond full of 4-5lb bass, that is great, but I promise in a few years you will have a few really big fish and lots of skinny bass unless you start a slot etc.. So growing trophy bass and pond management, ratios and what fish to add and how is a thread I would love to have since I know I am not the only one who tries to manage a pond to grow a giant...