High School Pond - 4/20/08

[Buzz Wing]

"No, dad, the canoe is not going to tip over..."



Well, I hit the pond behind the high school today. Got to the waters edge around 10:00 AM and was fishing by 10:20 AM. Brought the trolling motor and all the tackle today - I was set!

Took off to the first location, a point of sand and cabbage dropping into 10' of water. Figured the spinnerbait would be up to the job since I was marking 59-64 F water temperatures on Friday. Seeing as the slight cold front yesterday brought some wind and rain, the fish seemed to be deeper. Nothing on the spinnerbait...

Threw on the 'Red Craw' Trap and flung it all over the sunken wood over the main lake - nothing. Tossed it to some deadfalls - nothing. Ahh, let's try some flippin'...

Broke out the flippin' stick and threw on the 'Big Texan' Sweet Beaver with a 1/2 ounce 'Plain' Picasso Pro Metal bullet weight. Too bad I didn't have a leader tied on since dad backlashed it so bad Friday... Anyway... Started to beat the brush like a bat outta hell without any luck. Came up to a nice sunken bush and put a flip only God himself could've guided.

BAM!!

Too bad I was diggin' out the cellular to call Mom and tell her I made it out safely. Well, the phone cost a fish and that was that until I ended up headin' home with nothin' to show two hours later...

Some fish were cruisin' the shorelines along with the millions of 2-5" bluegill and sunnies. Most of the bass were bucks I assume, as most of them were small-bellied and only in the one pound range, 8-12".

Any tips you could give me as to where and what I should be throwin' around now? My temperature gauge was readin' 59-64 F on Friday; that was in the 'big muddy' though. See: Lake Hudson...





Although it is surface temperature, I assume they should be in a pre-spawn stage, right? Oh, here's some of the cover that lines this pond I fish..



I'll post a few more later, Dial-Up isn't the fastest web-surfing provider...

-Buzz

[Rebbasser]

Hmmm....chocolate milk and water temp around 60?

A spinnerbait with a big, single Colorado blade, a Trap with some chartreuse on it or a big jig up tight to cover.

[Buzz Wing]

Tried them all, Reb! Tried every single one of those lures you mention and didn't get bit. Maybe the bass are still down deeper? We were only fishing in 4-10' of water around a sunken roadbed and weeds. Sounds good doesn't it?

-Buzz

[Buzz Wing]

As promised...





-Buzz

[Rebbasser]

Buzz, sometimes they just don't bite. Might be deeper, might be tighter to cover....that's why they call it fishing and not catching!

[bamabassman]

probably like here buzz, all aon bed. give it a couple of weeks. i am.

[Buzz Wing]

No beds, Bama. I searched the whole pond hoping to see some; nothing turned up.

-Buzz

[BigBassin144]

They aren't bedding up here yet, and Buzz, that pond, even tohugh it's smaller, may warm slower than Hudson because the water is so much clearer. Hudson warms up faster than other lakes because it's so dang muddy. We're still working on hardwood floors, and haven't the boat oe trailer liscensed yet, but when we do, I can't wait to get out.

BB

[JB]

that water looks perfect to me, not really that muddy

[MIbasser]

I'm glad you went poaching. Be so proud of yourself. It's people like you that give bass fishing in Michigan a bad name be glad that we actually have catch and release here in April. Why not do a report when the season actually opens?

[Buzz Wing]

Originally Posted by JB

that water looks perfect to me, not really that muddy

He is referring to Lake Hudson being the muddy lake, JB. This pond is behind our high school and has about 8' visibility. Do you consider visibility looking through your polarized glasses, or is that cheating? Lake Hudson in the muddy one shiown in the other pictures, with about 4" visibility, glasses or not.

-Buzz

[keithdog]

I've had the same trouble Buzz. I've been out two times this spring in my boat so far and only one crappie and one small bass to show for it. It's been the worst spring I've ever experienced ever. I'm guessing it's because winter stayed around MUCH longer than normal and was more severe this year that the past 30 years. I've tried all the things you did, plus crankiing some deeper weeedbeds, working the jig n pig in those deeper weedbeds, etc. The only bass I've taken was in brush with a jig in about 8 inches of water. Plus, checking with many other anglers over the past few weekends, I have yet to meet anyone who has been able to even so much as draw a strike from a bass. Just a few panfish here and there, and not many of those either. What a strange year it has been here. I guess it's just going to take a couple weeks of warm stable weather. They are talking more snow here tonight in northern Indiana, which is insane!!! It's almost May for goodness sake.