Texas Transplant
Well-Known Member
Man, I saw the most interesting thing today at the lake. My wife and I were eating at T-Bones on Lake Wylie (lunch). It sits out over the water (it was where ESPN had it's camera/crew hdq's when the classic was here several years ago).
You have to cross a long cross-walk over the water to get to the resturant. We were watching the bluegill/bream working the shoreline going in. Coming our, we saw a fairly large school of baitfish (either small shad or decent sized minnows - couldn't tell for sure). It was sitting around 20feet off the bank, near the surface. The 'school' had surfaced as we were walking back to the car.
All of a sudden I see the flash of a tail, and the next thing I know I see about a 6lb LM snacking down on the baitfish. That big boy just stayed under the baitfish for about 5-8 minutes, and occasionlly would pick off another snack. For the entire time, the LM never moved more than several feet out from the edges of the school. Just cruisin' and snackin'.
It was the most interesting thing I've seen like this in a very long time. A real lesson in how they prowl and eat.
Then, about 25 yards down the shoreline, I watched a 1 to 1 1/2 lb male guarding a bed (obviouisly a late spawing female had laid eggs there). The bluegill and bream were trying to zero in. That male would chase some of the 'gills 12-15 feet away from the bed and then zoom back to stand guard. Watched this for another 5 minutes or so.
Tex
You have to cross a long cross-walk over the water to get to the resturant. We were watching the bluegill/bream working the shoreline going in. Coming our, we saw a fairly large school of baitfish (either small shad or decent sized minnows - couldn't tell for sure). It was sitting around 20feet off the bank, near the surface. The 'school' had surfaced as we were walking back to the car.
All of a sudden I see the flash of a tail, and the next thing I know I see about a 6lb LM snacking down on the baitfish. That big boy just stayed under the baitfish for about 5-8 minutes, and occasionlly would pick off another snack. For the entire time, the LM never moved more than several feet out from the edges of the school. Just cruisin' and snackin'.
It was the most interesting thing I've seen like this in a very long time. A real lesson in how they prowl and eat.
Then, about 25 yards down the shoreline, I watched a 1 to 1 1/2 lb male guarding a bed (obviouisly a late spawing female had laid eggs there). The bluegill and bream were trying to zero in. That male would chase some of the 'gills 12-15 feet away from the bed and then zoom back to stand guard. Watched this for another 5 minutes or so.
Tex
