Winter Neighborhood Pond Surprise! 2025
Jay Ell Gee reply :
It was a gorgeous day today, low 40's in the am quickly heating to low 60's in the afternoon. Bluebird skies, light wind. It would have been a shame not to get out, and with the girlfriend sleeping from her night shift at the hospital, I had the perfect excuse to go piddle in a neighborhood pond that Matt V. introduced me to not 10 minutes from her house. I'm glad I did!
After some frustrating tests with a shaky head in the test tank, I decided to try some Owner Shaky Heads. I decided to make a quick stop to pick up some Big Bite Baits Squirrel Tails recommended to me on my shaky head thread and decided to start with those. I just brought a single rod and a small bag for simplicities sake, my Sahara 2500 on a St. Croix Mojo Wacky Rod, 6'8 M/XF.
Two casts in, my line starts moving. Never felt the hit.
A few more casts in, my line starts moving again. Again, never felt a thing. No telling how many more I missed!
I didn't have a scale on me, but the fish measured seventeen and a quarter inch, but I am not really going to attempt to guess the weight. Nothing compared to what a lot of you guys post on here, but for a half acre neighborhood retention pond, I'll take it any day. I can also say for a fact that this is my biggest fish from a pond without a doubt. Just thought that I would share, so get off your behind and explore your local ponds, even in the winter!
-Joshua
Broke bass fisherman reply :
Thos are some nice fish. Seems like a great day.
Tuckahoe Joe reply :
Way to go man! Im still going after trout till it warms up a bit more. Weathers been back and forth. 50's for 3 days then back down to 30s for a week. Supposed to be 40's next week. Its getting there I suppose but it seems like its taking forever.
Silas reply :
Wow, Joshua!
Looks like a 5 pound plus! Great fishing in a small place, as you say!
Good luck on the fishing this morning! See you later!
Mitch
Bankbeater reply :
Wow! Good looking bass!
Darren. reply :
Nice fish!
MCS reply :
Good looking fish.
jignfule reply :
Had a buddy that caught a 6 # LMB ice fishing through 5'', a few weeks ago
gripnrip reply :
Awesome man! I know I said squirrel tails second, but they work!
Bluebasser86 reply :
I had one that looked a lot like that last spring, 17 1/4" and really fat, she went 3lbs 14oz and I'd say that fish could easily be around that weight. A very nice fish sir!
WartownBassin reply :
great bass man! cant beat neighborhood ponds!!!
SGT Rico reply :
Great job man!!
Jay Ell Gee reply :
Thanks everyone. I will agree with Blue, this bass seems like it was full of eggs. It was certainly a chunky fish and I was darned glad to bring it to hand the morning after a crazy cold snap followed by bluebird skies!
And gripnrip, I didn't undermine your suggestions by any means. The squirrel tails are just the only ones I saw where I stopped to look for some worms, so I grabbed those. Great suggestion though!
Hope you guys get out and nail some as well. Hopefully my girlfriend will land a similar one out of there soon. Boy would she be tickled.
Hyrule Bass reply :
.but....but...but...all that money for the extra sensitivity of a st. croix and you couldnt feel the bite?? LOL, sorry couldnt help myself, but some might get this...
anyways, nice fish, im dying to get out but i want warmer weather lol...
tugsandpulls reply :
lucky all hard water in mass
Jay Ell Gee reply :
On 2/20/2013 at 12:39 AM, Red Earth said:.but....but...but...all that money for the extra sensitivity of a st. croix and you couldnt feel the bite?? LOL, sorry couldnt help myself, but some might get this...
anyways, nice fish, im dying to get out but i want warmer weather lol...
Haha. You know, I'm actually really impressed with this St. Croix Mojo. I recently got quite a few free spools of Trilene XL from a rep at work and have been using their 8 lb test with this rod. I have lost some real sensitivity compared to other lines.
However, I was working the shaky on relatively slack line, and I probably should not have been. I was hoping that I could add some wiggle without moving it much. While the bites were the lightest I have felt in a long time, I certainly wasn't helping any. I was more experimenting with the whole shaky technique.
I really wouldn't trade the rod in for anything, though. It was my first high-end (for a college student) rod and I can't imagine replacing it. I'm actually thinking about running straight braid on it for enhanced sensitivity, but for now it will probably go to Yo-Zuri.
I am about to add a St. Croix Legend Tournament to my arsenal as well!
Tuggs,
I would hate to have hard water. Louisiana has some CRAZY weather swings, but even after a really severe cold snap, I was able to bring three bass to hand in under an hour. I only fished half the pond. Five minutes down the road, another BR member and his buddy are throwing freaking A-Rigs at their pond bass and catching 5 or 6 an afternoon. Crazy! Makes me wonder if I am wasting time finessing these bad boys!
AK-Jax86 reply :
nice fish that last 1 looked like it ate the other 2
Jay Ell Gee reply :
On 2/20/2013 at 6:17 AM, AK-NJ1986 said:nice fish that last 1 looked like it ate the other 2
I kind of wonder if it did!?
Thanks AK!
Hyrule Bass reply :
On 2/20/2013 at 6:15 AM, Jay Ell Gee said:Haha. You know, I'm actually really impressed with this St. Croix Mojo. I recently got quite a few free spools of Trilene XL from a rep at work and have been using their 8 lb test with this rod. I have lost some real sensitivity compared to other lines.
However, I was working the shaky on relatively slack line, and I probably should not have been. I was hoping that I could add some wiggle without moving it much. While the bites were the lightest I have felt in a long time, I certainly wasn't helping any. I was more experimenting with the whole shaky technique.
I really wouldn't trade the rod in for anything, though. It was my first high-end (for a college student) rod and I can't imagine replacing it. I'm actually thinking about running straight braid on it for enhanced sensitivity, but for now it will probably go to Yo-Zuri.
I am about to add a St. Croix Legend Tournament to my arsenal as well!
Tuggs,
I would hate to have hard water. Louisiana has some CRAZY weather swings, but even after a really severe cold snap, I was able to bring three bass to hand in under an hour. I only fished half the pond. Five minutes down the road, another BR member and his buddy are throwing freaking A-Rigs at their pond bass and catching 5 or 6 an afternoon. Crazy! Makes me wonder if I am wasting time finessing these bad boys!
haha, i dont doubt its a good rod. but i am of belief that the difference in sensitivity between high dollar rods and cheaper rods is so minimal that it isnt worth the extra cost (based on sensitivity as people often use as a reason for buying a high dollar rod). but anyways, i dont want to get way off topic, i was just trying to get a rise out of people.
Jay Ell Gee reply :
On 2/20/2013 at 7:13 AM, Red Earth said:haha, i dont doubt its a good rod. but i am of belief that the difference in sensitivity between high dollar rods and cheaper rods is so minimal that it isnt worth the extra cost (based on sensitivity as people often use as a reason for buying a high dollar rod). but anyways, i dont want to get way off topic, i was just trying to get a rise out of people.
It's no big deal, certainly no rise from me. I learned to fish on $15 Abu Garcia Conolon Premier rods when I got my first two Citicas. They did absolutely fine. Sometimes the bites are just light, as was the case that day. Except for the fatty, of course!
Sam reply :
Fantastic outing and great report.
Those Thin Normans are great.
Interesting to read how the cold water (cold by Louisiana standards) had the bass picking up your plastics and walking with them.
Keep those reports coming. We are looking forward to rain and ice in Virginia on Friday so it is nice to read that some places have good weather to go fishing.
Jay Ell Gee reply :
On 2/21/2013 at 1:47 PM, Sam said:Fantastic outing and great report.
Those Thin Normans are great.
Interesting to read how the cold water (cold by Louisiana standards) had the bass picking up your plastics and walking with them.
Keep those reports coming. We are looking forward to rain and ice in Virginia on Friday so it is nice to read that some places have good weather to go fishing.
Hey Mr. Sam! Thanks for stopping by!
I must unfortunately admit that my fair weather is gone for at least another week. Rainy, poopy days ahead. With the Fishing Classic sale starting tomorrow at work, I won't have time anyway. At least I can take comfort in knowing its storming anyway.
I should thank you for the flat sided crankbait suggestion. I saw you recommend them on multiple occasions, saw these Normans, and thought they may do the job well. So thanks for that!
quanjig reply :
Very nice! Like you said it's tough to catch them from the sofa so get out and give it a go! I'm a mojo fan as well, to get a little more "feel" for the bites, jump up to some floro in the same test and you will be happy you did!!
gripnrip reply :
On 2/19/2013 at 1:19 PM, Jay Ell Gee said:Thanks everyone. I will agree with Blue, this bass seems like it was full of eggs. It was certainly a chunky fish and I was darned glad to bring it to hand the morning after a crazy cold snap followed by bluebird skies!
And gripnrip, I didn't undermine your suggestions by any means. The squirrel tails are just the only ones I saw where I stopped to look for some worms, so I grabbed those. Great suggestion though!
Hope you guys get out and nail some as well. Hopefully my girlfriend will land a similar one out of there soon. Boy would she be tickled.
At least ya like them! 
fishin fever reply :
Nice!! You didn't say which neighborhood but you do know you aren't supposed to fish in the pond at the bass pro shop. Lol.
Jay Ell Gee reply :
Actually, I work at bass pro shops and am allowed to fish it whenever I like.
I'm just not a fan of showing up to fish at my place of employment on my day off.
Now, tossing a fluke and frog on lunch or after work? These things may happen...
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