East wind = lots of small bass

[BilletHead]

      Decided to visit a pond for awhile today,

  East wind, cold water. It was 26 this morning in BilletHeadVille when I awoke. Started warming up nicely so i grabbed the long rod and a few streamers. Have not fished this location for a couple of years. Talked to farmer the other day to make sure it was still ok to go. Yes was his answer. Also told me there was a boat there if I wanted to use it. I was not going to use it but after walking to the pond this is what I saw ,

   I about cracked up. I sat on the side and the whole boat twisted as I tied on a streamer. 

   With the cold water I knew my retrieve would need to be slow to no movement. I stripped some line and dunked my fly into the water to get good and wet. Stripped some more and went to casting. Fly hit the water and slowly sank. I would strip and then pause like working a jerk bait. The pause was two to four seconds long. Then a hit and miss. I let it sit and another hit and hook up. One down and first fish. Not big but I don't need big to make me happy,

 

       And I repeated this process again and again from the same place. Gently sloping bank and I would guess the fish were coming out of four to fife foot of water. Seventeen fish between ten and fourteen inches long came from the same place. I missed several and they wanted it slow. I watched the floating line on the pause to detect the bite. They were hitting so light i would not see it. When I did the next strip is when I felt the fish on,

  They liked the little streamer engulfing it at times,  

         The bite quit here and I began to move around the pond. Caught one in another spot. Fly fishing a non manicured pond presents problems,

  Line management at your feet can be a pain in the rear. I think a stripping basket would work good here.

          No more fish around the pond until I completed the distance around and back to original spot. I tied on an articulated worm and made a few casts. Missing another and then a catch. Worn good for one I then changed back to the minnow streamer. A few more casts and more fish. Last fish and finished count. Ham would be proud of me as I used my clicker,

     This pond is packed with many, many fish this size. Owner encourages us to keep fish or throw them on the bank. Hard for me to do that but may take a fillet knife next trip. I do know that larger ones show up time to time. Several years ago I caught an eight pounder out of this place,

     BilletHead

[JestersHK]

Nice job buddy!  Looks like a good day out there.  Still need a lesson on strippin those BH streamers!  

[Ham]

I’d keep a few and /or transport them to a new home. I’m not gonna “Bank” a largie in the name of conservation. 

A clicker is the only way for me to honestly say how many I have caught on the good days. I would quickly lose track of what number I was on. You be you. 

[Flysmallie]

I'll always love farm ponds over anything else. But you have to manage them. Taking a few fish to keep a healthy population is just good management. 

[fishinwrench]

29 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

I'll always love farm ponds over anything else. But you have to manage them. Taking a few fish to keep a healthy population is just good management. 

I've always heard that, but the best fishing always happened at the ones that hardly ever get fished.  

[Flysmallie]

2 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I've always heard that, but the best fishing always happened at the ones that hardly ever get fished.  

I grew up fishing them in Oklahoma. My dad had exclusive permission to a bunch of great ponds. Great memories and awesome fishing. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

My son and I hit our little honey hole Saturday.  Hard wind out of the east and bluebird sky.  We weren't expecting much.  I put on a brown Bandit square bill and it got whacked on the first cast.  He switched to red WW and we put it on em for 3 hours.  His biggest was 5.4 and mine 4.9.  Plus a bunch of just nice 2-3 pounders.  He's still texting my how fun that was.

[fishinwrench]

On 3/2/2018 at 4:24 PM, BilletHead said:

      Decided to visit a pond for awhile today,

  East wind, cold water. It was 26 this morning in BilletHeadVille when I awoke. Started warming up nicely so i grabbed the long rod and a few streamers. Have not fished this location for a couple of years. Talked to farmer the other day to make sure it was still ok to go. Yes was his answer. Also told me there was a boat there if I wanted to use it. I was not going to use it but after walking to the pond this is what I saw ,

   I about cracked up. I sat on the side and the whole boat twisted as I tied on a streamer. 

   With the cold water I knew my retrieve would need to be slow to no movement. I stripped some line and dunked my fly into the water to get good and wet. Stripped some more and went to casting. Fly hit the water and slowly sank. I would strip and then pause like working a jerk bait. The pause was two to four seconds long. Then a hit and miss. I let it sit and another hit and hook up. One down and first fish. Not big but I don't need big to make me happy,

 

       And I repeated this process again and again from the same place. Gently sloping bank and I would guess the fish were coming out of four to fife foot of water. Seventeen fish between ten and fourteen inches long came from the same place. I missed several and they wanted it slow. I watched the floating line on the pause to detect the bite. They were hitting so light i would not see it. When I did the next strip is when I felt the fish on,

  They liked the little streamer engulfing it at times,  

         The bite quit here and I began to move around the pond. Caught one in another spot. Fly fishing a non manicured pond presents problems,

  Line management at your feet can be a pain in the rear. I think a stripping basket would work good here.

          No more fish around the pond until I completed the distance around and back to original spot. I tied on an articulated worm and made a few casts. Missing another and then a catch. Worn good for one I then changed back to the minnow streamer. A few more casts and more fish. Last fish and finished count. Ham would be proud of me as I used my clicker,

     This pond is packed with many, many fish this size. Owner encourages us to keep fish or throw them on the bank. Hard for me to do that but may take a fillet knife next trip. I do know that larger ones show up time to time. Several years ago I caught an eight pounder out of this place,

     BilletHead

You're probably gonna get blamed for wrecking that Jon boat.   "It was in fine shape before YOU got ahold of it".   This is why it's hard to get permission to fish so many places.     

[BilletHead]

         You may have that right Wrench. The young Farmer, I say young because he is only a few years older than our son is very easy to set off. Good guy but feel like I need to tread lightly on his places. Because of a deal I have not hunted his place for two years now. I may next year if I choose. Yes I made the no hunt call on a deal.  If the boat needs repairs I know where to take it "Simms Marine" That guy can fix anything!

    BilletHead

[Terrierman]

I really miss farm pond fishing.  They are pretty rare around here.  When I lived closer to you, the ponds were plenty and I had lots of permissions for frogging, fishing and duck hunting.  Thankful to have had it when I did.  Glad you have it now!