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HITTIN' THE POND'S AND CATCHING FISH
By: Ron Wilson
April 5, 2011.... The pond bite has been on since the last rain
deluge hit us. What I found out while we were
staying dry during one of the biggest and brightest moons of the year
the black bass and
crappie were on the beds spawning.
Bill Donaleski of Bob's Marine used spinner baits to catch 38 bass
from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds on the private pond that he is a member of.
I took my grandson last week to the pond for a days fishing before he
headed to Montana
to take a test to become a law enforcement officer.
We started the day catching bass. No big ones, but lots of them in
the 2 pound class. That is what I get for using small baits I guess,
small fish.
Derrick had a ball and as we went around the pond he was busy trying
to catch the crappie that were on beds spawning. He threw a white beetle
spin every time he saw one and all they did was move out of the way as
he drug it past them.
I finally showed him how to catch one. I told him all you have to do
is drop your lure in front of their nose and shake it up and down a
couple times and they will nail it.
It took him a couple minutes before he nailed his first one. We
caught 42 bass and then it was time to head for home as I had to get
ready for a fund raising tournament at Kelsey Bass ranch the next day.
 While
I was getting the boat ready to travel Derick went down the bank by the
boat launch and caught another 8 crappie in short order.
The best part of the day for me was on the way home. He said, "thank
you grandpa for taking me fishing". I couldn't help but think that my
son and daughter-in-law has raised one fine kid. Of course I can't help
but think it might just be in the bloodline and he is the only one left
to carry on the Wilson name on my side of the family tree.
The next day Ron Spence
and I fished a "Take A Kid" fishing Fundraiser put on by Kyle Spence as
a school project. He did a great job of raising money after expenses. He
raise around $1500 for the kids. Kyle had a great supporter who lent him
her expertise, Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sports.
The tournament was fun and the fishing was so-so as the fish are
starting to come back in size. The majority of fish in the pond are 2 to
3 pounds.
I was amazed at the lack of weeds in the pond and I asked Jon Kelsey
how he got rid of them, he said they just went away. I couldn't
understand how they did but it sure made using an open hook a lot easier
to fish.
Ron Spence and I had over 8 pounds for 3 fish while the winners had
over 10 pounds with a 4 1/2 pound egg filled female that didn't look
like she came from the pond. I know I would of felt a lot better if
there had been a live well check just to make sure everyone was kept
honest. After 20 years of writing outdoor columns and hearing all the
stories about cheating and catching some of them first hand, I just
don't trust bass fishermen in general.
All in all it was a great event and the best time I had was
harassing C&C Marine owner Jim Moulton. At one point I was following an
angler as he went into a cove and Jim was on a point across the way. I
hollered at the guy in front of me to watch out for that white
Ranger Boat as he
will cut you off. Jim's partner said who is that asshole? and Jim said
that's Ron Wilson
as he turned his boat out in front of me and said hey did I cut you off.
I said nope. heck we'll let you even fish in my live well if you want
to. About that time I stuck one over 3 pounds and told him that I
canceled that last statement.
Jim said to his partner that he had fished Nor-Cal Bass for years and
never got to draw me but he had drawn some that he could of done
without. Jim's biggest complaint was that a lot of the non-boaters never
even offered to pay for gas for the boats. He said more than once he
caught all the fish and the non-boater got a check and never even
thanked him. I guess that's why the pro-am's have all but died.
Jim and I talked about business during lunch. He has his hands full
with his plumbing business going from 50 to 3 people and working at his
second boat shop in Sacramento. He couldn't have picked a worse time to
go into the boat business with the recession that's going on. Hopefully
he will make it through these tough times as he is one of the nicest
guys I know. |
