pleco fishing

[kaianuanu]

hi i live in central florida in a suburb of orlando. there is a spring where plecos have been ilegaly introduced. they are about 12-17 inches. what could i use as a bait to catch them on a hook & line.

[Dave66]

Earthworms would do it, but make sure you use a barbless hook if you want to keep any of the plecos. You'd have to weight the worms, and use a bobber.

Dave

[kkevvy]

You don't have to use a bobber. Depending on the depth, use weight accordingly. I would advise against the bobber, in fact. You probably wouldn't feel the bite. Just keep the line tight and wait for something to nibble at it. Also, you don't have to buy barbless hooks; just get hooks and you can flatten the barbs with needlenose pliers or file them down. Make sure they aren't too big for the mouth of the fish.

But of course, you might already know all this.

[Drumachine09]

I wouldn't plan on keeping one in a tank. Not only is it probably not legal, who knows what kind of junk it is going to bring in with it?


I would suggest culling them. They shouldn't be there, and are probably damaging the ecosystem.

[kaianuanu]

its not ilegal to take them or keep them as pets it is ilegal to set them free unless your in the amazon

i dont want them as pets' theyre huge

[Drumachine09]

Ok, just making sure.



So, you are going to cull them?

[kaianuanu]

what does cull mean

[Drumachine09]

Basically, to kill.

[kaianuanu]

no

:4: i just fish for fun

[Drumachine09]

If you catch them, you really shouldn't be putting them back in. You have the chance to take out an invasive species, take it.

[OscarFan]

Follow the Diagram i
W=sliding Wieght i
()=Swivel i
g=gum drop hook W
First cut off about a foot of ()
leader .then put your weight i
and swivel on.Finally add the
line with the gumdrop. i
i
i
G
This should work .Keep me updated

[OscarFan]

Uhhhhhhhh:c11:
My Diagram didnt work.

[Drumachine09]

This forum takes out spaces.

[krisisdog]

could always ask a lfs for credit if you bring in a big pleco... just dont tell em where you got it from

[YaYgoldFish]

They'll definitly want to know where you got it..

[kkevvy]

You don't need a leader for a 17 inch fish.

But don't put them back in.

I remember back in the day when people introduced those Chinese catfish things that would walk on land, they said if you found one, immediately cut its throat, put it in a bucket, and bleed it to death. Then call the Fish and Game department.

[gm72]

Take them out and leave them out, totally agreed on that.

[Dave66]

You don't need a leader for a 17 inch fish.

But don't put them back in.

I remember back in the day when people introduced those Chinese catfish things that would walk on land, they said if you found one, immediately cut its throat, put it in a bucket, and bleed it to death. Then call the Fish and Game department.

Just to clarify Clarius batrachus is the walking catfish that caused the Genus to be banned in the US, and they are endemic to the Congo in Africa. Shame that, as other Clarius species are perfect large aquarium cats, and they don't walk around.

Dave

[cocoa_pleco]

you guys cant have walking catfish? LFS here are full of them

[OscarFan]

You don't need a leader for a 17 inch fish.

But don't put them back in.

I remember back in the day when people introduced those Chinese catfish things that would walk on land, they said if you found one, immediately cut its throat, put it in a bucket, and bleed it to death. Then call the Fish and Game department.


You need a leader to get the worm off the ground.

[OscarFan]

Someone did the same thing in a stream near here.Except with Swordtails. I
catch them on micro midge flies. Its fun

[kaianuanu]

micro midge flies?????

like a sabiki

[OscarFan]

Yeah.............