Bass Ponds

I am a little late in getting to the bass ponds this year. I like to get up there before the grass is brown but the bass seem to bite better in hot weather so later does have advantages. I biked in this time. No trophies but there were a bunch of fish enjoying the plentiful water. I think someone got in there last year and hauled out all the trophies. Kind of a bummer but such is life on public land. I did catch a whole bunch of trophy smallmouth in Canada a couple of weeks ago so I am okay. No pictures of those so you will have to trust me.

https://i.imgur.com/lrZr4AYh.jpg
2001 Stumpjumper. 2009 Sage bass rod.

https://i.imgur.com/3BxSHH8h.jpg
This is how a pond should look - not all burned up by a wildfire and not a mud hole from a drought.

https://i.imgur.com/YhHvnJjh.jpg
Pond bass love the dragonflies.

https://i.imgur.com/3AjYvn0h.jpg
Take care of the fish and leave the trophies in the pond.

https://i.imgur.com/jTLQ4tDh.jpg
Not a trophy but I am happy.

https://i.imgur.com/KQy9JZHh.jpg
I used to fish these with a two weight but I broke it last year.

https://i.imgur.com/dS80rXjh.jpg
Mr. Snake cooperating for a photo. Interesting to see what they look like up close.

https://i.imgur.com/4M8WQD8h.jpg
Tasting the air with his tongue.

Hey John,
Great pics as usual. Gopher snake looks really shinny, probably just shed its skin before you happened upon him.

I guess it looks like a Smallmouth Bass?

Most ponds have Large Mouth Black Bass.

Beautiful photos John.....

This post gives the feeling of why we fish.

John H, great photos... the last two photos with the snake, lower right corner, those appear to be Venus flytrap plants. Can you confirm? Sign of a healthy, but odd ecosystem, as those are native to North Carolina wetlands.

John

Randy - you know your snakes. I passed a rattlesnake also. I was flying downhill on my bike and missed his rattle by no more than an inch. Also saw a garter snake in the grass next to the pond. Big snake day.

Bill - the property was a ranch before it was public and I am sure the ponds were built for watering cattle. There is a smallmouth creek nearby and I expect the rancher got few and put them in.

John - If I get back up there I will l look for that plant and see what it is.

Always enjoy your posts John. You've got a talent for cool pics.

Eric

That is a gorgeous pond.....

You can only imagine how many thousands of "stock ponds / farm ponds" there are just in California.

Many never get fished due to their location.

The ones with gin clear water are cool because you an see the fish.

Snorkeling in some of them would be so exciting.

If they don't weed over you can fish them spring, summer and fall.

Gorgeous photos, But you can have the the snakes! I was on the Middle Fork of the Smith yesterday trying my hand at cutthroat and saw 4 rattlers before the sun was even on the bedrock in the canyons.

Two rattlesnakes is my limit. I hiked up a creek last year in April and saw two - turned around and left. Both were in the tall grass and hard to spot. I was worried for myself but also for my dog.