[TurtleKiss]

I'm going to Black Pond (Middlefield-Meriden) opening day. I have NEVER CAUGHT A TROUT so I'm going to start with that as my objective, then proceed to bass when that gets old. 76 acres, use of internal combustion engines prohibited, bass management lake, stocked with channel cats. The bass in my profile pic came from there.

I need 2 electric or hand-powered vehicles and or shore anglers to declare an unofficial, no money involved, bragging rights-only tournament. Totally unofficial, so a livewell is not required. Just a cell phone and maybe a scale that hasn't been tampered with. And you must be willing to help me UNLOAD MY BOAT. It's frikkin' heavy.

Anyone?
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Kira

*~ "Not everything about fishing is noble, reasonable and sane..." -Henry Middleton ~*

[Rookie]

Black rooster tails and you will catch a trout. Me and my buddy will be hitting that pond soon. We have been looking up places for yaking and he seemed interested in going there
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Thar aint NO fish in here !!!!!!!!

[MarkO]

Kira, don't be dissapointed if the lot is packed. That place as well as most others on opening day will be jammed. Go later in the day or on Sunday...you will still be able to get a few trout.

[Bass Sniper]

that place is a ZOO on opening day!!!! if you're fishing from shore and dont get there at 6am, plan on walking quite a ways till you get pretty far into the rocks. The problem with that mostly is by the time you are ready to leave, there are a TON of copperheads and other nefarious snakes sunning them selves all over those rocks. I went there a couple years ago for opening day, it was pretty cool i built myself a little fire (i thought to keep warm) but the people a little ways down that live over there explained to me that they were all doing it to keep the snakes away(those people left just as the sun was about to be overhead for a reason). When I left at 1pm, it was sketchy to say the least and absolutely funny!!!! I was running(highstepping) with all my gear trying to avoid snakes which were EVERYWHERE!!!!!!! Funny stuff, really.....If you're in a boat you'll probably have better luck but like i said its a zoo....
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"Taco flavored Doritos
And my orange life vest
caught a hundred pound sturgeon
On twenty-pound test "

[Just4fun]

People will start lining up at almost any trout lake, well before daylight on opening day!! Some places,..they will be there all night waiting!! Obviously a lot of folks get into it,..but I try to stay away from those places for at least a week or two!

ps: If you want to still experience the "thrill" of catching some of those really stupid, freshly stocked fish,...you can avoid 90% of the crowd by showing up late in the day and fishing for them Sat. evening instead of in the morning!!
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"If people concentrated more on the really important things in life there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."
Mark

[SkeeterJim]

Ditto what Mark and Bass Sniper said. Some places will be soooo crowded you will be able to cross lakes by hopping from one boat to another!! A little exaggeration but not by much. Me, I'll wait until during the week to let the once a year yahoos get their thrill in and then go home.
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Eat, Sleep, Fish......I Love my SKEETER ZX225!!!
If I didn't have to work for a living....I'd be fishing.
If I'm not in my Skeeter then I'm in my Hobie!

[TurtleKiss]

Rookie - This pond is perfect for kayaking...good size, gorgeous scenery, wildlife, small hidden cove, plus the water is extremely clear. It would be a good place to film a commercial for Depends...lots of seniors kayak there in the summer. The launch area is nice & flat too.

MarkO - I can't wait until later Saturday or Sunday. I probably won't sleep the night before. Black Pond is my home away from home - I'm surprised they haven't issued a private parking space to me yet. The regulars treat me like I'm their bass idol or something.

Bass Sniper, Just4Fun & SkeeterJim - I'm one of those "people." I regularly have my boat in the water before 4 a.m...it's just calmer, easier to see, and the bite is insane. Never done it on opening day though, so I don't know what to expect. I just want to get there early enough to secure a close parking space. I was actually wondering if 4 a.m. was early enough to secure a parking spot. I can still have my boat on the water before 6, as long as I'm not fishing, right?
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Kira

*~ "Not everything about fishing is noble, reasonable and sane..." -Henry Middleton ~*

[Just4fun]

[metalfish]

I cant get the day off. I have to work till noon. I can go later in the afternoon. If you are hitting it up in the afternoon, post something. I will look at the site at work before I leave.
Thanks
I.W.
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I Love My Fishing And NASCAR. But When There Is ICE On The Pond Bet Your Britches I Will Be There.
Bassin In The Summer Perchin In The Winter Mr. Green

[TurtleKiss]

[TurtleKiss]

[metalfish]

[MarkO]

Kira
Just be careful. Alot of guys drinking and using drugs the whole night before "Opening Day".
You obviously seem like a cool gal and can probably handle yourself verbably as you do so well on this site. It's just the ahole that doesn't care and wants to take it to a different level; then we're all hoping that you have some kind of marshall arts type of training or better yet, a card carrying member.
Ever since my daughter came into our lives almost five years ago, I worry about the opposite sex more now than ever.
Like I said earlier, just be careful.
MarkO

[TurtleKiss]

[MarkO]

"Why am I not invited to these pre-opening day parties? "

You most certainly are. You have a fishing license, your boat is registered, you have a safe boaters license and most importantly, you have the passion to fish. I'm not sure where it was it was impressed that you're not invited to go.

"Why don't you share the magic of opening day with your daughter at Black Pond?"

I am in the middle of a 3 month, seven days a week work stint with the occasional day off. But I will live vicariously through all of your's and everyone else's posts.
Also, I consider myself a bass guy and the few times I did go out on opening day, I saw the worst that CT has to offer in fisherman who will probably not fish much more than that day or a few more in the following weeks. No need to go into the swearing, puking, or occasional fight that breaks out from an over crowded situation. Will I take my daughter into a situation like that, probably not when she will have just as much fun catching sunnies at the local pond.

Lastly, I apologize for showing concern where it appearanly wasn't needed. I promise you that it will never happen again.

I wish you the very best of luck and will be looking forward to your post on Saturday or Sunday.

Mark