Last Day of School, First Day of Fishing

Finals just ended yesterday with a tough physics final.  I can't believe that my junior year is over.   I'm going to be applying to college soon.  Things are moving way too fast.

Although I had to go take SAT tests the next day, I decided to just spend my time out on the pond in celebration.

As soon as I got to the pond, I saw a decent 3 pound bass on the bank.  Only, it wasn't there of its own volition.  As I continued watching it swim in small circles, I realized that it was attached to a line that was snagged in the tree.  I carefully went to the bank, grabbed the tree branch and pulled the bass ashore.  It had a Rat-L-Trap stuck in its lip.  I removed the hardbait and sent the fish out to its home.  I didn't catch it, but that counts as a fish!





I walked around the pond once with a craft fur minnow on my 6 weight and caught a few here and there.  They fought fairly hard, and most were over 2 pounds. 

While pulling in a decent 2 pounder, A massive shadow started slowly following it.  The bass had to be over 5.  I immediately pulled in my catch, released it and sent my fly back out to the big one.  After three quick casts, I got hit.  I strip set and began fighting the fish.  It dove deep, trying to bury me in the weeds.  After a few short minutes of tug, its tactic worked, and the fly pulled out.

While this was going on, a massive tail emerged from a weedbed on the other side of the pond.  It was the 13 lb carp that I transplanted from the carp pond across the street.  I made a mental note to come back with an 8 weight so I could handle the thick weeds.

As I made my way to grab my 8 weight, I saw the orange koi again.  He was sitting and sunning behind a massive bed of cattails, and I wanted to drop an egg pattern on his nose and see if he'd take it.  Unfortunately, he disappeared as soon as I came back with the 8 weight.

I walked carefully back around to the other carp.  I could tell this would be very tricky.  This weedbed allows about two places to let a fly hit the bottom, and any other presentation would have been ignored judging by this carp's aggressive tailing.  He wanted what was on the bottom, bad.

After I spent 10 minutes watching his tailing pattern, he lined up his head right at an opening.  This was my chance.  I put the fly right past his nose, and to my surprise, felt two strong pulls.  I strip set, but just a little late, and came up with nothing but weeds. 

I continued watching the carp for the next hour and a half.  I took a few casts with no takes.  Occasionally, the carp would disappear entirely for 10 to 15 minutes at a time under the weed mat.  When this happened, I took a popper and fished for bass.  I took casts when I had windows, but for the most part, my chance was blown.

I saw a bass tailing, and put a crayfish fly on my 6 weight.  Bass just charged it as soon as it hit the water.  I might have to use that more often. 

Hopefully I'll get to fish some more this summer, but for now, its back to work on Monday.