Pond fishing 4-23, Harpers Ferry, WV w/ pics

[Ricky]

I decided to do a little 3 hour late morning trip to a pond nearby that the owner has granted me fishing permission since I was no older than 12 or 13 years old (I'm now almost 23). These past couple years I noticed I was seeing more largemouth bass than usual in the pond. So I did the research on largemouth fishing and started targeting them. The pay off has been great.

Here's a picture of part of the pond and the owner's property. An absolutely beautiful scene.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a249/CatchingSecond/RickysPictures039.jpg

Anyway, it was slow. I tried eveything in my box. I started with my soft plastic jigs (crayfish, lizards, worms, etc) then went for some crankbaits (Rebel Crawfish, Rat-L-Traps, etc). Still nothing. I then switched up to topwater, even though it really wasn't a topwater kind of condition. On the 5th or so cast I landed it perfecty: just on the opposite bank. I was using a Pop-R. I popped it into the water and made a couple skips with it, then paused. A huge explosion about 5 inches from the lure. It was definitely one of the larger bass in the pond. He came up out of the water a foot or so splashing his head back and forth. A while later I switched to buzz baits. I had one hit on a white with a red hook. Just before I was getting ready to call it a day I switched to a white with the 'bleeding heart' red with the red hook spinner bait. I didn't tip it at all. On the 10th or so cast I finally got hooked up with about a 14'' largemouth.

Here he is.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a249/CatchingSecond/RickysPictures041.jpg

My tackle carrier is 14'' wide.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a249/CatchingSecond/RickysPictures043.jpg

[capt. walt]

Very nice pics. I don't what arrangements you have with the owner, but if it was my pond I'd allow taking of some of the smaller ones, say 10 to 12 inchers, and let the bigger ones grow.

[Ricky]

He wants it to be all catch and release. He doesn't fish himself. He just let's the neighbors and some of the others like myself fish. He treats the pond with chemicals for allgea, or however you spell it. I remember back when I first started fishing the pond he told me that was the reason he didn't want anyone to keep the fish (the chemicals could make the fish a health hazard if eaten). The pond had taught me a lot about bass fishing. The same tactics I've learned there I am now taking the Little Seneca Lake in Boyds, MD in my kayak. I haven't been out much yet due to the cold weather and other schedule conflicts. I'm anxious to try it out!