Pond Fishing

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

I got out and went to an old haunt.   The creek I like to fish was blown out, and not easily accessible.   While fishing I met a really nice guy.  We talked for a bit, he seemed really knowledgeable about the pond inwas fishing.   He started to tell em a familiar story about a bass taking his bluegill.   I asked him "Are you Jungle Jim?"  Sure enough it was.  I seen many small bluegill and sunfish attacking my fly I had tied on, but no actual takes.   He advised me to use a smaller fly.  I was pretty sure I could get bit on the one I had tied on.  Before he left he gave me a few of his hamd tied flies.  Alas after we parted ways, I tied a smaller fly.   I couldn't keep them off.  I had a great day, I caught more fish today in one day than I ever had before.  Nothing of size,  but fun on the fly rod.   Here is a true fishing story.  I set the hook on a sunfish, about 15 feet from the bank.  I'm stripping him in, all of a sudden,  he got extra jumpy.  Then big splashing happened.   A catfish tried to eat my sunfish.   I didn't get a good view of the catfish.   I took a picture of the sunfish wirh the damaged scales.  It was definitely a first for me.  @Jungle Jim,  it was nice meeting you,  thanks for the flies.  

[BilletHead]

7 hours ago, Daryk Campbell Sr said:

I got out and went to an old haunt.   The creek I like to fish was blown out, and not easily accessible.   While fishing I met a really nice guy.  We talked for a bit, he seemed really knowledgeable about the pond inwas fishing.   He started to tell em a familiar story about a bass taking his bluegill.   I asked him "Are you Jungle Jim?"  Sure enough it was.  I seen many small bluegill and sunfish attacking my fly I had tied on, but no actual takes.   He advised me to use a smaller fly.  I was pretty sure I could get bit on the one I had tied on.  Before he left he gave me a few of his hamd tied flies.  Alas after we parted ways, I tied a smaller fly.   I couldn't keep them off.  I had a great day, I caught more fish today in one day than I ever had before.  Nothing of size,  but fun on the fly rod.   Here is a true fishing story.  I set the hook on a sunfish, about 15 feet from the bank.  I'm stripping him in, all of a sudden,  he got extra jumpy.  Then big splashing happened.   A catfish tried to eat my sunfish.   I didn't get a good view of the catfish.   I took a picture of the sunfish wirh the damaged scales.  It was definitely a first for me.  @Jungle Jim,  it was nice meeting you,  thanks for the flies.  

            Good story Daryk! OAF members are everywhere. I have some of @Jungle Jim Jigs. Never met in person but lots of PM visits. Have some of his jigs and heads. He does good work.

[Quillback]

That's pretty neat!

[JUNGLE JIM 1]

It was nice meeting and talking with you, hope you heal up soon and we can meet up for a trip. Sure gets the heart rate up when a big one attacks the little fish you have hooked. Something about the way they struggle while hooked that trips the trigger on them big fish and they just have to eat it. 

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

I was so confused I had the sunfish out of the water before it all clicked and I replayed the scene.  

[bfishn]

Careful Daryk, you'll be branded a bait fisher and scorned appropriately. 😉

[FishnDave]

I agree, Jungle Jim makes great jigheads! 👍👍

[trouty mouth]

It's interesting you had a chase from a big cat, Daryk. 

I've been catching quite a few short catfish out of there. Like, maybe <9" I'd say, but then again I didn't get the measuring tape out. 

I know that MDC stocks it regularly, but I don't think they'd stock anything as small as that. What's the chances that the big old catfish in there are having some babies of their own? That lake might be the healthiest concrete pond we've got. 

Most of the stockers I catch have their fins beat up pretty bad and this recent batch of little guys looked much more healthy. 

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

7 hours ago, trouty mouth said:

It's interesting you had a chase from a big cat, Daryk. 

I've been catching quite a few short catfish out of there. Like, maybe <9" I'd say, but then again I didn't get the measuring tape out. 

I know that MDC stocks it regularly, but I don't think they'd stock anything as small as that. What's the chances that the big old catfish in there are having some babies of their own? That lake might be the healthiest concrete pond we've got. 

Most of the stockers I catch have their fins beat up pretty bad and this recent batch of little guys looked much more healthy. 

I seen alot of those small ones floating, usually was an indication of recent stocking.

I haven't been fishing there since I was a teenager. I really dont know the health of the lake, or the status.  That may have been the legend of the lake. And all I got was a guick glimpse of him along with a story of the one that got away.   

I was surprised to see a "new" dock and level sidewalks.   It just may be another 25ish years till I make it back. Hopefully not, but I have a lot I want to see and do.