My "secret" pond...

Last year while scouting for new locations, I discovered a pond that was just inside the bounds of a public park not far from home. This pond is a little gem - it's maybe 1/4 or 1/2 an acre, it's got a small island on one end, it's almost entirely surrounded by cattails or brush. It floods seasonally when the stream it flows next to (but is not otherwise connected to) leaves it's banks. That's how the pond gets it's fish - a few trout (that don't die when the o2 levels drop, or the temp climbs), but mostly warm water fish, which washed out of a pond many miles further upstream.

This little gem is hidden from view from any street, and from almost all of the park itself, except for one high spot on a hill. That's how I found it - and I talked to a home owner, who'se property butts up to the park - and he informed me that it was public property. I was ecstatic. Even better - he said his friend is a fly fisherman, and occasionally brings a rod with him when he visits, and actually catches fish!

That first trip - and most after it - I had my spinning gear with me - my long ultra light spin rods and 4lb line, and some finesse rigs for bass. I did pretty well getting a number of bass that ranged from 8" upto about a pound and a half. There were also crappies, bluegill, and one of my most prized catches - warmouth sunfish!

You see, warmouth are kind of rare here in Oregon. According to some of the official charts, they're not supposed to be in this part of the state. But they are - this is the 3rd pond I've caught them in! Those fish are a real delight to catch, even though their numbers are low in the ponds I've found them. They're like a perfect hybrid of a bluegill and a bass - that eagerness to destroy and consume anything, to chase it down and attack it that the bluegill has - with the basses' ability to consume things almost as big around as they are. And they're super pretty to boot!

The pond fished very well each time I visited it - I tried spacing my visits out as much as I could stand - as it's such a small water, and I don't want to over-pressure the fish, which would also hamper the homeowner's friend's fishing as well as my own.

I've taken my fly rod along a few times, and done well with poppers and dry flies - I never had to resort to subsurface flies unless I wanted a change of pace.

I've only shown two people the pond - my wife, and my nephew, both of whom were sworn to secrecy under penalty of water boarding, bamboo nails, and Burrito night like chemical warfare. So far so good!

My last trip out there, I didn't fish, as the water was getting low, and the weeds were growing pretty good. Again, I didn't want to stress the fish. With the weather warming up finally - I shall soon revisit my little pond, and see who is still home, and what new friends might have been deposited by the winter's torrents.

Here's some pictures of the last two trips, that I actually fished...









it wouldn't be right not to show at least one fly-caught fish... so here's a gillie caught on a popper







What a chunky little guy! Love catching little guys like this on my 3 weight...

Warmouth!

Secret holes rock! I have a distant relative who owns a lot of farm land on which he keeps cattle at different times of the year. This land is in NE Alabama on Sand Mtn. About 35 years ago he had it strip mined in 4 different locations (all within 1/4 of a mile of each other). These ponds have not been fished in for years. I snuck in there one afternoon, as he doesn't want anyone fishing at all since locals think that means it's open bar time on the water. I caught bass on most every cast for 45 minutes. I plan to go back, ninja style!

Sweet! Hey BADKARMA - are you the same BADKARMA from Glocktalk by chance?

Nope. I am on several forums under the same name, but that's not one of them. I thought the name was unique, used it since college (17 yrs) but have on occasion tried to use it for other forums and found out it was already used. They copied me, dadgumit! lol