Another New Pond and First Open Water Fish

This is the pond Brenden's been fishing. The other one he hasn't tried yet. 

I couldn't stay into dusk last evening, because my wife came with Sadie the black Labrador, who is almost 13 and has severe arthritis. I decided to keep morale up by being with them as Sadie struggled back to the car. I guess I fished about 20 minutes, not long enough to really get a handle on the fishing, but long enough to take the Beetle Spin harness off and just fish the jig, lose that to a snag, and then tie on another jig and stupidly yank the tail off one of my 8-inch blue Chompers. I have six-inch green ones. Blue Chompers aren't on the market anymore, last I checked, and I managed to get three packs off ebay, though I might not be able to find any now. 

I did spot a nice 13-incher pretty quick. It didn't care for the Beetle Spin so I switched to a jig, the water dropping off quickly. The little one I did catch rushed that jig as I retrieved it for the next cast, and that next cast meant it got whalloped by the bass instantly. 

I like the place. Bigger than I expected, too. A lot of wood in the water, always a good sign, although not so much wood as Mount Hope Pond where I used to fish. Water color is well balanced. Does not have the off-color tinge the pond I fished the other day has.

Temperature was 72 when I arrived.

 

Laurie's Report

 Laurie Murphy:

Open water season has started out on a good note for yellow perch & crappie.  The 2 snowstorms have wreaked a little havoc, but the nicer temps should get things back on track. Aaron Graybill of Lake Hopatcong Guide Service has reported water temps of 39 on the main lake and up to 47 in the shallower sections of water. The perch bite should remain hot for the next couple of weeks and the crappie should continue good into May.  Also caught in the shallow water were some Largemouth Bass, pickerel & white perch.  The water level is still down about 15 or so inches, but continues to rise with the dam closed. Aaron ’s guide service is available full time now with multiple boats available to book. (856) 577-0653 We are open early 7 days at 6:30 AM with bait & tackle and boat rentals will be available sometime early April. Call (973) 663-3826 for more info. Have a great week !

Tried a Pond New to Me for Bass

 

Got news of action here in Clinton, but I've left it to the youthful talent to show me up once more. Brenden caught 10 or 12 largemouths that warm day just before it turned cold, on a little jig and Z-Man plastic. One or two them 16 inches, he told me. I got over there early in the afternoon when it was 64 degrees, and very soon felt it would be a late bite. I saw no evidence of any fish, as I worked my way around to the back where there's a flat.

I was throwing an old favorite, the Johnson Beetle Spin, my "Beat Spinner" as I play with the name, which is basically a spinnerbait, but you can detach the spinner arm and just fish the jig, if you want. All 1/8th ounce of it casts pretty well on my St. Croix, the reel loaded with 6-pound mono. 

Something little did whack it, because I saw it carried to the side, though I didn't see the fish! I continued further around the pond, fishing the side that had got the most sun, and as I say, it was shallow and that muddy bottom was warming. I saw three large carp wallowing in that warmth like pigs. A pleasant thing to see. 

Saw no bass. No sunnies. No crappies. And Brennan had also caught a 13-inch crappie.  

Later on, I was at Round Valley shooting photos, and after I left, I got 70 degrees. Maybe it will hit 80 on Friday, and if so, that will be some evening to fish.

Beaver Cuts and a Coot

Now I felt determined to see signs of life, and I found that easy. I guess I just didn't notice these recent beaver cuts yesterday, unless they were done early this morning. Notice how one of the beavers got up there pretty high on the tree cut down some three feet or more from the water surface. Down below, it almost cut through but abandoned doing so for some reason. 

Otherwise, I did see a coot. I got photos of coots with my 35mm film camera at the Bedminster Pond more than 10 years ago, and I've never seen one since, except for today. 

I fished the same Rapala. I just figured I'd keep playing with that. I did get into tight spots, the two photographed below, figuring that if any bass finned in the warmer shallow water, these corners would easily hold one or two. Sixty-seven degrees out. Some sun, too.

But for the most part, the water's cold and nothings moving. When the frogs begin making song, you count on at least a little bass action, but not a sound yet. 

The Township has been working on the pond. Treating the heavy algae buildup and other aquatic vegetation. I'm surprised that includes water chestnuts, only because they take over rapidly and thoroughly, and I haven't seen that happen. Only the algae. 

Tight corner. To the immediate right in the top of the photo, the bank forms a little buttress against water that has a couple feet of depth or so.

 Here there's a shallow and tiny little cove I tried out in front of where the picture begins.

No Sign of Life Yet

No sign of life at Bedminster Pond, besides light itself. Cast a #5 Rapala Floater. Worked it on the surface and slowly underneath. Wanted to get a taste of the fishing before the warming weather comes. Didn't fish more than 10 minutes, and I hope to return tomorrow.

 

Sheet of Ice on Round Valley Reservoir Cove

Went over to Round Valley for photography yesterday, and I found the corner at Lot 2 frozen over by a thin sheet. The photo makes the scene appear, perhaps, as if the height from the ice to the top of the point across from where I stood is maybe six feet, but it's close to 26 feet. When I got there, a man and woman walked the edge of the ice, and though I tried to snatch a good shot, I blew the shot and they were gone. But before I trashed the photo, because out of focus, I marveled at how small they seemed. You can see a black space just above the whitish edge. They weren't even as tall as where the brush begins to appear.

I was surprised there was any ice on the reservoir at all, but it would have a long way to go... 

Later...I stand corrected. I still had a copy of the image:

They're to the right near the iced-over cove corner.

Paradise Fishing Club Ice Derby Winners

Big Swartswood Lake's Paradise Fishing Club had an ice fishing derby last Sunday. The amazingly big first place largemouth is the new club record.

Results:

1st    Place:     Ryan Bradley         6.98 #    Lg Mo Bass

2nd  Place:     Tim Soja Sr            5.22 #     Lg Mo Bass

3rd   Place:     Troy Valdez           4.82 #     Pickerel

Panfish:           Ryan Catton          1.98 #     Crappie