Frozen Pond

Last night after picking my son up from his friends house, we past a local park with a pond I've only fished a few times. I knew it would be iced over, but had to stop. I was surprised however to see that someone had placed traffic cones on the ice. I'm guessing someone was playing out on the ice....now way you'd get me out there. Of course, the fisherman in me took a mental note (and this picture) to mark the location of the cones, so I can try and hook a fat bass that might call the cone its home this summer!

A few bass and panfish

Over the weekend I had about 30 minutes to fish a local pond. It was one of those deals where my wife and kids would wait in the car, then sneak off to the park and bathroom.

I saw one kid and his dad tossing a Mr Twister on a spinning rod and before I started Dad asked me if there were any fish in the pond. I always am surprised when people think ponds DON'T have fish.  So, on my first cast, I pulled in a bluegill and proved I was right!

A few minutes later I had a few bass and a few more bluegill and red ears! 

I then put on a rather large foam popper and started stripping it quickly. About 8 casts of that and this decent 12 incher came up and took the fly. He got to keep it as a souvenir....even with the barb mashed down I couldn't get it out!