CTFishTalk.com: Spring Pond 08/01 - Connecticut Lake Reports ( CT Lake Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I can't believe that it's August already. . . anyway, last night, I caught the last couple of minutes of one of those Shark Week television shows in which researchers got other great white shark populations to breach (i.e., leap clear of the water) like the ones off of the coast of South Africa. Of course, this got me thinking of Boomatt's post about landing largemouth bass with a buzzbait. So while my son was at his Driver's Ed class this morning, I headed over to Spring Pond to throw a buzzbait. Yeah, a sunny, hot, windless morning is not the best time to be throwing a black Booyah clacker buzzbait, but I figured, why not?!?! Rolling Eyes

I launched in El Habañero at 8:10 am from the culvert on the west shore of the south cove and headed across the cove to the shadows off of the east shore. I began throwing the buzzbait ahead of me as I slowly paddled north up the shore. It was nice throwing a big lure 60 feet! Just when I began to wonder how fast I should retrieve the buzzbait, I got a hit from a two pound largemouth bass about 40 feet from my kayak. It leaped into the air as I reeled it in. Somehow, during it's second leap out of the water, it shook loose from the buzzbait. Although I was a little bit upset about losing the fish, I was still laughing in amazement at how much fun it was to have a decent fish hit the buzzbait!

I had only one setup with me and continued to throw the buzzbait as I worked my way up the shore. I didn't get any hits when I reached the shallows by the water hyacinths in the middle of the east shore of the north cove. I decided to tie on a wacky rigged five inch green pumpkin/red flake Senko before I reached the somewhat deeper little cove in the northeast corner of the pond. There's a spot where the shoreline drops off a little more steeply than it does in most of the pond and I figured that a largemouth might hold there. Sure enough, a fish very subtly picked up the wacky Senko off of the bottom. When I began to reel it in, it began to pull my kayak around; left, then right, then forward. When I finally boated the fish, it was a 17 inch, two pound, seven ounce largemouth:

I kept the wacky Senko on as I worked my way across the north shore of the north cove. It wasn't until I got to the shallows in the northwest corner that I realized just how low the water level is in the pond. It's less than a foot deep over much of the corner. It's so shallow that weeds aren't even growing over most of it. I decided to tie on a frog because the water was so shallow. I paddled around the west shore of the north island when I realized that it was 10:00 am and I had to go pick up my son. But there was a thick bed of matted weeds off of the southeast shore of the island that just had to shelter a largemouth. Three casts later, I boated my "just one more" largemouth, a 16 inch, two pounder:

Thanks to Boomatt for suggesting the buzzbait! Very Happy

Although I failed to boat the fish that I hooked, I had a blast fighting it. I think that a buzzbait would be perfect there in the evening, especially since the water is so murky. I gotta get out for some night fishing soon.
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DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

Not bad...a couple of nice fish!

slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

Good work! I will make it out there this week
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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

It's 10:10 am and I'm already late to pick up my son. As I paddle back to the culvert, I see a kid fishing from the shore, just north of the culvert. When I ask whether he's caught anything, he says that he hasn't. I suggest that he throw a frog and he says that he doesn't have any. So I give him my last bullfrog colored Zoom Horny Toad frog and a Gamakatsu 4/0 Offset Shank Worm EWG hook, and tell him to throw it over any weedbeds that he can find. I also suggest that he fish from the east shore, where the water is still in the shade.

After my daughter and I get out from the matinee showing of Cowboys and Aliens, I get a facebook "Friend Request" from the kid on my iPhone with a message saying that he caught a 15 inch largemouth bass with the frog after I left the pond. Very Happy

I have no idea how he found me on facebook, but figure that he must be lurking here.

Hey, DJ! Are you addicted to frogging, now?
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slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

Nice! Throw me one Phil! I'll throw you one of these

http://alluringbaits.com/strokintoad

And a facebook friend request LOL Very Happy

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MarkO · Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 330

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

Hey, Mark. The kid said, "prob one of the most exciting fish ive got this year." Very Happy

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Fishface · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 308 Location: New Britain

Nice job Phil. I was able to turn my daughter on to a frog fish. She is only seven so I casted it for her and started reeling for her and when the fish sucked it in I gave her the pole. She set the hook and reeled it in. It was a 14" LMB her first fish ever. i was super stoked. I got one next cast 3lb-8oz. She asked if she can reel it in and I said this one is big daddys. I only had my phone to take a picture of it. She is hooked we go to batterson everyday. Most importantly is she has gained some patience. I thought a 14'er would spell disaster, with unreal expectations.

Tim

slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

Phil! Cabela's is SOLD OUT of Zoom Horny Toad's in Bullfrog Color...

Coincidence? Wink

I had to settle for Black and also Green Pumpkin or Watermelon
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TurtleKiss · Joined: 09 Mar 2010 Posts: 1200 Location: central CT

slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

I like all frogs. After fishing the scum frog a few times it really is my favorite. When you pause it it mimics the likeness of a frog so well and its pretty weedless too. The pro for me w soft frogs is the ability to quickly switch from frog to worm on the same hook/rod/line and vice versa. I didn't see any Stanley ribbits @ cabelas either.
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