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Fishing

Fishing at Pacifica

Pacifica’s Heron Pond is a lovely spot to spend an afternoon fishing! The pond, stocked with bass and bluegill, is available for catch-and-release fishing any time the grounds are open for visitors (please check our Events Calendar for any closures). Read below for more information on these types of fish, and how to responsibly treat a fish you will be releasing. Enjoy!

Catch-and-Release Fishing

Fish you will be releasing should be treated gently. Following are some basics of responsible catch-and-release fishing:

  • Land the fish quickly.
  • Use hooks that are barb-less and do NOT use treble hooks.
  • Use a net to keep the fish wet, in water.
  • Avoid excessive handling and make sure hands are wet.
  • If you must handle the fish, cradle it below the belly and only remove it from water a few seconds at a time.
  • If hook is caught deep in the fish, cut the line, and release fish with the hook still inside.
Basics of Catch and Release Fishing

Pacifica’s Fish Facts

BLUEGILL

  • A member of the sunfish family sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose.
  • Bluegill normally measure between 6 and 12 in. and weigh less than a pound.
  • Bluegills are not picky when it comes to food. In the wild they feed on insects, zooplankton, worms, and small fish. They will eat almost any human food scraps, such as bread, corn, and crackers.
  • Best Bluegill Bait: night crawlers, leaf worms/red worms, wax worms, minnows, sweet corn, white bread, crickets, hot dogs.

BASS

  • The word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning “perch”
  • Bass can get very big, ranging from 1-20 lbs, and can reach over 2 feet in length.
  • Bass can be found all over the country and are the most popular game fish in North America.
  • Best Bass Bait: Lures or live bait will work – lures that mimic bait-fish, worms, crayfish, frogs, and mice are all effective.