# Looking for private pond to catch big gills for bait



## jhouser (Jul 8, 2013)

Just wanted to know if there is anyone out there that would be willing to let me fish there pond for some bluegill for flathead bait. I currently have a good spot on a lake but would just like to find somewhere different. I am a very respectful person and will treat your property likewise. Leave a comment or send me a PM. 

Thank you.


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## Sevelan (Jul 23, 2015)

Out of curiosity, why does it have to be a private pond? I can think of at least 5 public lakes that you could take hundreds of bluegill out of without issue.


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## jhouser (Jul 8, 2013)

As well can I, private ponds if managed correctly can produce consistent 1+lb gills. I'm yet to find a public water source that can produce just that. We like to have big baits that will produce a lot of movement (vibration) which will in-turn attract our target fish. Hope that answered your question.


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## Sevelan (Jul 23, 2015)

Yes, very much. I don't bait fish, that whole world is foreign to me. I was assuming cutbait, and couldn't figure out why public/private mattered.

I wish I could help ya, but I'm stuck on public waters as well.


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

ranger lake used to have and probably still has millions


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## Ttrout (Jan 14, 2015)

Use bullhead catfish lip there spines swim 100 time better than gills and literally will never die and flat heads love them


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## just perchy (Jan 16, 2005)

Matt he said big gills, not lots of gills, he wants 1 pounders.


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## Yakeyes (Jan 1, 2015)

I'm not really a flathead fishermen, usually only go once or twice a year. Mainly because I'm terrible at catching them lol. But I have thought about using bullheads. What size do you use?


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## Yakeyes (Jan 1, 2015)

Sorry I can't help you out on big gills jhouser. I've been looking for a pond I can catch some big ones out of too. Just for different reasons


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

Where you at? Sure you could get big ones by docks marinas of or something at mosquito


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Portage Lakes in Akron, as well as Mogadore has redears that usually are the biggest panfish you can find in our area. Wingfoot has huge golden shiners(I catch them regularly while gill fishing there) which, due to their shape, would be more desirable to flatties IMO.


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## exide9922 (Aug 9, 2010)

Kind of seems like a waste of a nice bluegill to me. as others have said you can easily get 8-8.5 inch bluegills from many lakes


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## jhouser (Jul 8, 2013)

This is not a waist of a big gill







or this


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## jhouser (Jul 8, 2013)

Yakeyes- we like to use big bluegill or big goldfish for bait.


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## Yakeyes (Jan 1, 2015)

Jhouser, if I could catch flatheads like that I would probably fish for them more often. Those are some hogs!! Every time I go I end up skunked or catching channel cats. I've used goldfish but nothing near that size. The bait store I got them from only had them about 4-5". Where do you get them that big?


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## canoe carp killer (Apr 2, 2014)

jhouser said:


> This is not a waist of a big gill
> View attachment 191200
> or this
> View attachment 191201


First pic looks like a pay lake lol


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

marinas in lake erie downtown cleveland usually have schools of big goldfish. Ive ften seen them trying to get rockbass and crappie.


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## jhouser (Jul 8, 2013)

I have tried to cast net them before with hardly any luck. They're just so dam fast! Any ideas on how to catch them ?


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

Ppl have caught them on a fly rod. I wonder if a maggot would work


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## SenkoGuy (Jul 24, 2017)

jhouser said:


> Just wanted to know if there is anyone out there that would be willing to let me fish there pond for some bluegill for flathead bait. I currently have a good spot on a lake but would just like to find somewhere different. I am a very respectful person and will treat your property likewise. Leave a comment or send me a PM.
> 
> Thank you.


Not to be a jerk, but isn't this against the law? You can't take a fish from one body of water in Ohio and use them in another body of water. It spreads disease.


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## Fisherman 3234 (Sep 8, 2008)

canoe carp killer said:


> First pic looks like a pay lake lol


Jake is the furthest thing away from a paylake fisherman...trust me. I used to have access to a private pond that had giant hybrid sunfish...unfortunately, they sold the place.


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## SenkoGuy (Jul 24, 2017)

What do you mean "giant hybrid sunfish"? What were they cross bred with?


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## Fisherman 3234 (Sep 8, 2008)

Its a hybrid sunfish comprised of Bluegill x Green Sunfish.


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## CaptainFishpond (Nov 28, 2016)

Bait trap. But that's not really fishing. Similar to sitting next to a pole that is not in your hand and waiting for the fish to catch itself. Not being sarcastic, or hating just the way I look at it.


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

SenkoGuy said:


> Not to be a jerk, but isn't this against the law? You can't take a fish from one body of water in Ohio and use them in another body of water. It spreads disease.



That used to be the law but I can't find it in the regs now. Also before you had to catch sunfish on a hook and line or you couldn't use them as bait. I don't see that in the regs either.


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## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

gbourne said:


> That used to be the law but I can't find it in the regs now. Also before you had to catch sunfish on a hook and line or you couldn't use them as bait. I don't see that in the regs either.


No keeping of gamefish in a cast net... includes sunfish.


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

buckzye11 said:


> No keeping of gamefish in a cast net... includes sunfish.


That covers catching Bluegill any way but hook and line. Where does it say no transferring fish?

They condensed the fishing regs a while back. They must have kept the law.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

gbourne said:


> That covers catching Bluegill any way but hook and line. Where does it say no transferring fish?
> 
> They condensed the fishing regs a while back. They must have kept the law.


On page 16 under general information it says its unlawful to transport and introduce any aquatic species - fish 
Ect-. So if you use gills from here and go over there and it gets off your hook then you introduced a fish from a different body of water. That's the way I read it. Lot of guys catch them at the lake they fish a lot easier than tranporting them.


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## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

The way I understood it the last time this conversation came up was if you are introducing a species to a lake that would mean it would be a new species to that lake. Since bluegill are in every lake now you were not really introducing them.


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

On the other hand its going to be harddddd to find someone let you come to their pond with trophy gills for the purpous of removing them for catfish bait. Go catch yourself some 10 to 14 inch bullheads and hang on. You WILL catch big cats on them


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

I'm a big live bait fisherman and always use bait fish...gills shad crayfish...etc...from the same body of water that I fish. I just try to present my offering of live bait in different manners...like the snipping of fins and the old poke 1 eye out so it swims in a circle. Flathead and big channel cats is what I'm after when doing this. Also want to just say this...please toss your minnows out on shore or hell in parking lot if you don't want to take home...I just started freezing mine.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Bullheads...I have yet use these as (flathead) bait...but will next year when I apply more time and energy to Mr. Flatty.


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## freighthauler (Jan 23, 2011)

I have ALWAYS thought it illegal to use bluegill/sunfish for bait. but I'm just an oldschool, old man.


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## kapposgd (Apr 10, 2012)

Jhouser, i see your original post is a few years old but if you're still looking I'd like to cull some bluegill out of my pond. Feel free to contact me if you're located in NE ohio


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## jhouser (Jul 8, 2013)

In certain states it is illegal to use sunfish but Ohio is not that way. The only regulation is they must be harvested by conventional methods. Since i posted this a few years ago my thoughts have changed on bluegill/sunfish and they have actually became a bait that is unfavorable for me. In the early spring a flatheads digestive system is unconditioned for a tough or rigid baitfish. Live shad though harder to keep alive can produce consistent activity. These bait fish are what the fish are feeding on this time of year. They are still largely schooled up and a small population is dead or dying depending on the harshness of the winter. This makes a simple and soft meal that is high in protein while not requiring much energy from the fish to hunt or digest. The time frame for me is usually from May- first part of June ( all depends on water temps). Once summer hits and the water worms bluegill will get soft and very weak resulting in fish ripping off the hook or a dead bait in the morning. Neither of these are acceptable. I tend to stay with medium to large goldfish for the entirety of the summer. When mid September through mid October hits these fish are only concerned with fating up for the time they sit dormant. Finding a bait this high in protien and easy to digest is key. I will not list the bait i am referring to because i must keep some secrets hahaha.


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

DHower08 said:


> On the other hand its going to be harddddd to find someone let you come to their pond with trophy gills for the purpous of removing them for catfish bait. Go catch yourself some 10 to 14 inch bullheads and hang on. You WILL catch big cats on them



How do you consistently catch bullheads? Bait, location? Thanks for your help.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

bullheads at ladue with simple hook line and sinker tipped with backyard worms...


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## tellthetruth (May 29, 2004)

jhouser said:


> Just wanted to know if there is anyone out there that would be willing to let me fish there pond for some bluegill for flathead bait. I currently have a good spot on a lake but would just like to find somewhere different. I am a very respectful person and will treat your property likewise. Leave a comment or send me a PM.
> 
> Thank you.


I had to finally ck out this post since it's drawn so much attention. Sorry. Pretty darn stupid.


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## steelhead steve (May 5, 2012)

what about suckers?


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

I have always heard suckers are very good. Never tried it though.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

I saw a show for flathead fishing down southern Ohio, and they used small carp like 8-12 inch ones for those 50# plus size fish and used a small Jon boat to take the bait out to mid river or lake to set the bait in rather than stunning them throwing in from shore or throwing off the bait. Made sense..


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

There is a guy down at Piedmont or Clendining who does that. This guy consistently catches huge flatheads. He is famous even.

One thing is for sure. Channels love live bluegill. I would like to try some of these ideas for bait on Flatheads.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

You may be referring to Roy hoops, I don't believe Roy fishes much anymore but I believe his son Allan does. Dropping baits have come somewhat popular to most flathead fishermen. A buddy of mine taught me back in high school. Sometimes we drop baits as far as 200 yards to reach to a creek channel, sunken bridge, roadbed, sunken brushpiles and other structures flathead will roam around in a night looking for a meal. Small carp are awesome bait but can be hard to find. Goldfish are just as good and really are just a small carp. Suckers are extremely good but using them is only effective when water temps are around 65 or lower due to sucker having a low tolerance to warm water and dieing.


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

You said it Ducky. I looked up those old articles and reread them again. I am glad Roy is still around. He helped a lot of people with Flatheads. He was telling one story where he noticed people in pontoons following him around the lakes.
I have always heard suckers are very good but like you said. Difficult to keep alive.
There is some good Flathead fishing coming up in October and November. Good luck to everyone.


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## Mickey (Oct 22, 2011)

ducky152000 said:


> You may be referring to Roy hoops, I don't believe Roy fishes much anymore but I believe his son Allan does. Dropping baits have come somewhat popular to most flathead fishermen. A buddy of mine taught me back in high school. Sometimes we drop baits as far as 200 yards to reach to a creek channel, sunken bridge, roadbed, sunken brushpiles and other structures flathead will roam around in a night looking for a meal. Small carp are awesome bait but can be hard to find. Goldfish are just as good and really are just a small carp. Suckers are extremely good but using them is only effective when water temps are around 65 or lower due to sucker having a low tolerance to warm water and dieing.


I worked construction with Roy back in the day and fished Piedmont with him and his son a couple of times. He really knows his stuff. We did row the baits out.


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## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

SenkoGuy is correct. Check the regs. Bluegill for bait have to be caught in the lake they are being used for bait in.

It is unlawful to transport and introduce any aquatic species (fish, invertebrate, plant) from one body of water to another.


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## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

gbourne said:


> That used to be the law but I can't find it in the regs now. Also before you had to catch sunfish on a hook and line or you couldn't use them as bait. I don't see that in the regs either.


It is there in the general section:
It is unlawful to transport and introduce any aquatic species (fish, invertebrate, plant) from one body of water to another.


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## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

buckzye11 said:


> The way I understood it the last time this conversation came up was if you are introducing a species to a lake that would mean it would be a new species to that lake. Since bluegill are in every lake now you were not really introducing them.


Not true. Our warden said introduce a species is used because they can't list every breed of fish in the regs. If you move a fish from one lake to another, that is introducing that fish to the second lake. Same as saying body of water instead of saying any pond, lake, etc. Sometimes the guys on this site tend to over think the regs.


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## REY298 (Apr 3, 2014)

Man!!! Can you eat those things??


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