Fish That Prowl Topwater Making Wakes?

[mddrew88]

Hey guys. I've been noticing some strange activity by my fish in our acre pond, strange to me anyways. I was paddling out near the bank vegetation and kept seeing long trails that would pursue baitfish. Normally I see bass come up fast and pop the surface, but whatever these were would sit about an inch or two under the topwater and prowl. They were definitely too fast to be snapping turtles. I've never seen bass make trails behind them, they almost looked like sharks prowling the surface except no fin sticking up. They'd just cruise around for about a minute then go under. Whatever it was wasn't shy at all of our boat. We couldn't make it out because of the stained water.

 

Think it's possible I have a few gars in the water? I can't imagine what else would be that long and create such a trail.

[crw]

I have seen LM, White Bass, Bream (Sun Fish) , Gar do this.   Cast with topwater/shallow crankbait and see what happens.

[Mccallister25]

I agree with a shallow runner. Id throw one for the hell of it. Maybe a pop-r or spook also.

[Kevin22]

I've seen carp do that. They swim just under the surface and make a big long wake. 

[AK-Jax86]

You should have thrown some top water lures

[mddrew88]

You should have thrown some top water lures

 

I threw out a popper right in front of its path and it passed it right up several times. This was about ~6:30 am, so I'm guessing a LMB. If I snag it I'll post it up. This is a natural pond and from what I know nobody has fished it properly in over 10 years. Hoping for some monsters.

[NEjitterbugger]

I have seen LM, White Bass, Bream (Sun Fish) , Gar do this.   Cast with topwater/shallow crankbait and see what happens.

 

Just saw a carp do it the other day

[Sam]

I see this phenomena all the time.

 

I pass it off as bluegills or Crappie swimming close to the surface.

 

I have thrown just about everything I can think of at these fish but they are not interested.

 

So as stated above, maybe a carp, bluegill, Crappie, gar, shark, Shellcracker, trout, perch, Walleye, Muskellunge, Chain Pickerel, catfish, snake, possum or what ever.

 

If you do catch it please let us know and post a pic.

 

As with you, they drive me crazy when they do that.

 

I even thought of bringing my casting net and standing there just waiting for them to pull that stunt so I can throw the net and try to catch them.

 

(As do the carp that jump out of the water and sound like bass hitting the surface while feeding.)

[AK-Jax86]

I threw out a popper right in front of its path and it passed it right up several times. This was about ~6:30 am, so I'm guessing a LMB. If I snag it I'll post it up. This is a natural pond and from what I know nobody has fished it properly in over 10 years. Hoping for some monsters.

If the pond is over 10 years old there is definitely a double digit swimming around depending on how big maybe a couple.

[Crestliner2008]

Probably carp. But go for it anyway!

[buzzed bait]

Seen this from carp.  Is it one fish or a school that seem to be doing this?  If a school I'd almost definitely say carp.

[Hyrule Bass]

the only time ive seen bass make trails across the top of the water was when i was fishing top water. i would see a trail honing in on my bait then a couple swirls around my bait right before the strike...

[MarkH024]

I believe it was probably carp as well. I witnessed the same thing a couple weeks ago fishing except they were making a ton of racket...so I jut trolled past them. I could see the scales and color so I did know for sure it was carp.

[mddrew88]

If the pond is over 10 years old there is definitely a double digit swimming around depending on how big maybe a couple.

 

That's what I'm hoping for.

 

I've never caught a carp out of it before, just bluegill, bass and crappie. The water is always stained so I'm starting to wonder what's on the bottom. Definitely no catfish in this pond so maybe carp. I thought carp didn't eat other fish though.

[Smallmouth Hunter]

I would say its a carp. I see this lots of times with carp.

[wakeeater]

my money's on a carp,  those d**n things get me all fired up until i realize..........it's a carp....

[mddrew88]

I don't know the first thing about fishing them. I've heard of sourdough bread rolled into balls on a hook. Sounds pretty boring to me.

[buzzed bait]

I don't know the first thing about fishing them. I've heard of sourdough bread rolled into balls on a hook. Sounds pretty boring to me.

 

yeah i don't see much point in it.  caught one on a jerkbait before on an ultra light set up with 4# test and that was fun.... aside from that no fun.

[Kevin22]

Carp will eat minnows, crawfish, bugs, vegetation, anything really. But yes, we do catch a lot of them fishing with live shiners for white bass in the spring. 

 

They will cruise just under the surface looking for bugs/larvae on the surface. 

[aqualkinbush]

My guess would have been gar originally but normally you see gar's fins when they are cruising shallow like that.

[Smallmouth Hunter]

Carp will eat minnows, crawfish, bugs, vegetation, anything really. But yes, we do catch a lot of them fishing with live shiners for white bass in the spring. 

 

They will cruise just under the surface looking for bugs/larvae on the surface. 

If its a grass carp it will eat flies (sometimes, VERY tough to get em to bite a fly), doughballs, cereal, dog food, corn, etc.

[gallowaypt]

You'd be suprised at how big a wake can be made by a bluegill in shallow water. I've been fooled into thinking they were bass more than once.