At the farm I work at they have this sweet 5 acre lake that is full of big bass. Well I went fishing there and I would know whenever a fish would be following my lure because a bunch of little fish would jump out of the water. Like they thought the bass was going for them. They didn't look like bluegill at all. I think maybe they're shad, but the owners didn't stock it with shad. Maybe someone put them in or the eggs hitched a ride on a bird or something? I think they are thriving in there cause the bass are sure fat!

Thanks,

It's always possible, the main habbitat for shad usually has a stream or river running through it. Migration pattern for shad.

they are probably golden shiners

I would guess some type of shiner as well. They swim in huge schools. Bring some bread next time you go and chum the water. You should be able to get a better look at them.

Try a cast net after the bread.

It only takes one person dumping a bucket of shiners in a pond for it to get a permanant population of them. They jump out of the water a lot like shad and are similar colors/shapes but if you can net a couple you'll be able to tell what you're dealing with.

Pretty sure shad couldn't live in there

Wow. Just had this problem yesterday, huge schools of fish in the lake I live on, didn't know what they were.. Me and my friend caught 2 and they were shiners the size of your hand! So crazy, bass and pickeral must love those. Didn't know shiners were in schools either.

Pics from yesterday.. From a golden Phoebe

Wow. Just had this problem yesterday, huge schools of fish in the lake I live on, didn't know what they were.. Me and my friend caught 2 and they were shiners the size of your hand! So crazy, bass and pickeral must love those. Didn't know shiners were in schools either.

Ya I bet the Shiners are really good for the fish population. They're food for just about everything!

Ya I bet the Shiners are really good for the fish population. They're food for just about everything!

Yeah for sure man! Just cast my lure a bit beyond the schools of them, and bass are all over it. It's a massive feeding frenzy of basically every fish in my lake haha!

Saw schools of gold shiners bustin' up like crazy the past week, unfortunately, there were about a dozen snapping turtles in the cove causing the commotion!!

Deep strip mine pits around here contain shad, some get huge.

 

Were they winged shad possibly? Maybe the queen flew in and set up a new nest in your pond.