Pond Fishing at my Childhood Fishing Holes

Hi Fishing Friends


I grew up on the outskirts of town, there were 6 houses on a mile and a half stretch of road where I lived. With a nice little stream running beside the road, that also flowed behind my house. To the east & west of my house were 4 pits, 2 clay pits to the east with 2 rock quarry pits to the west.

#3 H&W Claypit One of my
Childhood Fishing Places 

One of the rock quarry pits, is where I caught my first big bass, the ignited that fishing passion that I hold so dear. But it was the 2 clay pits that I fished the most later on. After a short quarter mile stretch, with rod & reel and my gear in pockets, I'd usually bring home a fine fish dinner. (After I cleaned them, of course)

I recall one trip where I even got a pierced ear. Using a mini-Lazy Ike, dual treble hooks, I'd been catching some decent 2-3 lb bass that day. The wind started blowing pretty hard in the afternoon, I was making a cast, had too much slack in the line, and the wind caught it. The next thing I know I have a fishing lure for an earring, ouch!!

It took a bit to gather my catch & gear up, but I did, then headed home, walked into the house shouted MOM! She came running, I told her, " Mom I caught the biggest one ever". Then I turned my head so she could see my new orange and black spotted earring. After she quit laughing, she scooted me to the hospital. (((-:

 I was pretty fortunate that the hooks only stuck in my ear, not my head. And lucky the doctor didn't trash my favorite Lazy Ike, he just clipped the barbs from the hooks, pulled the hooks from my ear gave me shot in the butt, then gave me my lure back.

And again Mom laughed, (behind her hand this time) So I squalled a bit, sit funny on the way home, but was back fishing the next day.

I still hate needles!!

Well folks that happened over 35 years ago, now for the fun part of my story.

I started fishing that pit again this spring, and the catching was even better.  When I got to the water, it was still a clear lite green. At first, all we caught were a few small perch, but after walking around to the far side I started to see the bass..

And that my dear fishers, is tomorrows story. ;-)

Hey happy fishing to you folks, see ya soon. (-: jono

Catfishing in the Extreme

Hi Fishing Friends

Pursuing catfish on a regular basis can be an extreme sport. On  Sunday Oct. 19th that's what I did.

I was at a new pond that I fish from time to time and at first the catching was slow. After about an hour and making one round of this fishing hole, I'd only caught a couple of perch. So not being a quitter, I caught me a few grasshoppers and walked around to the old dock.

<(;HF+< (Tip) Now here's a very important 'how to' tip, my friends. Catfish love grasshoppers!!

I set up a catfish rig, with my favorite live bait, and put it out there. I secured my pole on the dock, then picked up my other rod already setup with a crappie jig and started casting. Then the fish start biting, so I toss a couple in my bucket.

Spring fed pond that I caught this Catfish from
 (pic taken- 3-11-15)

Seeing movement out on the surface, like a big catfish swirling, I reel in my cat rig. Recasting it near that splash I secure my rod back down and start catching nice sized perch with my other one.

Making a cast, my jig gets hung in a tree, I break my line and begin to retie. Hearing a noise, I look up. My catfish rod is bent over, hanging by the biggest eyelet on the dock rail.


Quickly dropping my rod I run the 25 feet to my rig. Grabbing my rod, I set the hook and the fight is on. WooHoo it's a bigun' too. With my drag singing to me, (love that song) I walk down off the dock to a good spot on the bank.

It takes a few minutes to bring in my fish, oh man, what a fish it is, a big fat catfish. When I pull it out of the water, flopping around, I know it's well over 10 lbs. Loading everything up, I head to the local bait shop to weigh my huge channel cat.

Now a 10 lb channel is a big fish, I've caught many under 10 lbs. This monster weighed in at 14 lbs with a huge belly on her. Biggest channel that I've caught on a rod & reel. That's some catfishing in the extreme to this ole country boy. :-)

Hoping you have a great day my fishing friends.
Jon

The Fishing Time Poem

Fishing Time

First rays of sun, through the lakeside trees. 
The sweet smell of lilac, mixed with the breeze. 
To the quiet of shallows, my craft I did ease. 
It's mornings like this, that make memories. 

A dip in the water, I give to the oar 
Pushing off smoothly, away from the shore. 
Another few yards, just a little bit more.
I'll begin my ballet, That's what I'm here for. 

I wind up my arm, to make my first cast. 
Just as I've done, many times in the past.
It's moments like this, I just want to last. 
It's "fishing time", and it surely goes fast.

An Original Poem by Jon Wright <(;HF+<
See More Great Poetry Here @ https://www.tsu.co/jonow

Photo taken on 2-16-15 by Jon Wright at a new lake I got permission to fish last year 

Again At The Pits

Hi Fishing Friends

Do you ever have the urge, to just get away from it all. Away from people, no tech, just you and a fishing pole, a little bit of tackle, some snacks maybe.  Well now you're talking my kinda fun.

Whether in a small boat, or from the bank, whichever I choose it's probably at a pond of some sort.

A couple of Sundays ago we (my sis Lois & I) did just that. We packed a few things, grabbed some snacks, and headed out to my brothers farm.  Now, about 4 years ago he had a pond built, it's a nice little pond about 12' deep, he and his sons stocked it themselves with bass, perch, crappie, channel and flathead catfish.

<(;HF+< (Tip) See my fishing pole there, if you see the bobber, it's one of those weighted ones. They're great for helping you cast farther, and without any extra sinkers, your bait has much better action too.

Anyway that is the first pond we hit that day, not much luck there that time, but we've caught some decent fish there before. Dave got home and we jumped into his truck loaded gear, and set out for another place.

               Here's a photo of this beautiful pit, it's too big to show it all, but you get the idea.

So we get here, unload boat, gear, trolling motor, battery, get everything ready, we all jump in, and a few minutes later, we are fishing. The simple life, luv'in it!!

I took the 1st pic right here, this is where Dave caught his first fish of the day, a nice keeper bass less than 3 lbs. This ole pit is SO clean, since Coal, like Clay are both good filters the fish from here taste amazing.

We caught a dozen good keepers from here, bass and big perch, loaded everything back up (the wind was getting fierce) and 'hopped' to the next place.( no worries next time I'll take pictures of the fish too!!)

For my family 'hopping' from pond to pond is great family fun, and usually we catch plenty of fish to eat.

So... to the next one, just a couple of miles away by gravel road.

We arrive at this small lake, and decide to leave the boat on it's trailer, it's just too windy!!
We're not fighting the wind, and ruining a fine trip. We grab our gear, walk a short distance to the water, and in 5 minutes we're back to fishing.

This is such a beautiful little lake, clean and very well taken care of too. The crappie weren't biting this trip but we caught many bass and large bluegill, one 'gill' at 13."

We ended the day at this place, took home a fine bucket-O-fish, and had some great fun and quality family time.
                        Thanks for visiting folks.
                                            Jono <(;HF+<