Bluegills, Cichlid, and LMB...HELP!!!! need ADVICE!

[nschaff20]

So I'm a pretty new fisherman focusing mostly on the ponds/lakes located in regional parks around West Boca. I've been learning as I go from the other fisherman around where I go.

So far I've identified: mayan cichlid, LMB, spotted sunfish, and bluegill in this lake I go to (and probably more I havent yet identified).

Usually I try and catch some tiny bluegill to use as bass bait and have been successful in that, but I wanted to know how to catch some of these big mayans too? I caught one so far, pretty decently sized probably 2 pounds, free lined with a piece of shrimp and a small hook (same bait i used to catch bluegill)

My issue is the mayans dont usually go after the shrimp, and if they do, the bluegill manage to nab the bait before the cichlid do. Any advice on catching these cichlids/what they like to eat?


-N

[mogenmyle]

i have too say either get live crickets or fish a beetle spin or crappie jigs or live worms

[cvstrat]

The little "lake" behind my place is filled with mayans. They'll hit almost anything to be honest. Probably the easiest way to catch them is to chum the water with bread until they go into a frenzy then flip a small weightless hook with a small bread ball on it in the middle of the chummed area.

I've caught them on tiny rapalas, crank baits, beetle spins, hell ive broken off a sabiki hook and tied that straight to my line and caught em on that, and crappie jigs.

Someone dumped a dozen donuts on the ground near the water and I used those to catch em too. I guess in your case it'd be more challenging with other species in the water as with me it's only mayans and nothing else.

I'd try a small rapala if I were you or bread.

[nschaff20]

I'm going to start experimenting with other baits out there. I hear hot dogs do the trick real well too.

Where is the lake you usually fish from?