Sometimes the best fishing can be found in your own back yard. No extra packing, planning or plane trips. Just pure and simple fun.
This morning I got up early and secured the kayak on the rack using 2 bungees. The one-mile trip on backroads to the local mill pond would be quick and the speedometer would never reach 30 mph. I had not visited the pond since the spring, and was eager to see how it would fish.
My weapon of choice was the 7′ 4″ fiberglass 4wt that I built earlier this year. You can’t beat the flexibility of fiberglass, and the softer presentation helps smoothe the delivery of otherwise clumsy poppers. The close maneuvering to the kayak that is needed during the release is also more comfortable with fiberglass.
When I arrived the sun was not yet over the trees. There was plenty of glassy water, most of it covered in shade, with just enough vegetation to form some interesting fishable pockets.
I was told that there were bass in this pond, but up until today I had yet to catch one. Early on I hooked this guy, who circled the kayak and pulled hard enough to remind me that he was not a bluegill.
There were also a number of healthy bream caught, most of them larger than my hand. Almost all were found in water not more than 4 feet from the bank. This was one of the more colorful characters.
If you’re like me and often just have a couple of hours to spare, use Google maps to explore some local blue lines and shapes. Enjoy!