PB for bass on a fly rod

[Big J]

So I heard from a friend about a small pond in the woods that never gets fished and is 5 minutes off campus (He's a big time marathon runner and not a fisher).  Not having much expectations for the pond, I decided I'd check it out after classes.  Boy was I wrong, this pond is a gold mine for large bass.  It is shielded from the road by a small row of trees and it looks like it doesn't get fished very often.  The pond is small, but has crappie, bass, and a ton of bream.  Needless to say, I've been back three times this week.  Yesterday I caught the biggest bass on a fly rod to date. 



On this day we decided to take out the canoe and anchor it in the middle of the pond and fly fish.  From the middle of the pond you can cast to just about every shoreline.  It was getting towards the end of the fishing for that day and I already had caught 20+ fish of all kinds (Bass, Crappie, and the majority being bream).  I caught all the fish that day on a size 12 cajun tickler.  I made a long cast towards a fallen tree and saw my line barely twitch as it had been on any other bite that day.  I set the hook and could see from a distance a bass open his mouth and start shaking.  I was thinking it was a 1 to 2 pound average bass, but about half way to the canoe my line started taking off and I knew it was a bit bigger. It was by far the biggest fish I've had on my fly rod and fought hard.  Fought him for close to 4 minutes (which seems like a life time) and had him under the canoe and all over the place.  Ended up landing him and now have a new PB for my fly rod.  I was using a 7 weight and was sure glad I was.  Still makes me laugh though that I caught it on a size 12 fly I tied.  Who says small flies don't catch big bass? haha





My friend who is new to fly fishing managed his first slab crappie on a fly rod and brought in a decent bass as well.  I got him hooked on fly fishing now and off that spin rod.

So overall it is an amazing pond with lots of big fish and wildlife.  I have never seen so many frogs and salamanders in one pond, which explains the big fish.  Will be making several more trips here and hopefully will get a bass over 5 pounds on my fly rod soon.  Here are some more pictures from this week.




And one last look at the bass before I threw him back

[croaker]

Congratulations.
Nice pictures...

[diaz dassie]

Dayum Jacob, you campus lads have it good. Wanna trade up a week? You can stay in raleigh and do shitty work, while I gas the shit outta that pond!

[Jfey]

Nice work.  The good thing about ponds like that is that there is always a lunker or two or three hanging around.   Get there right at dawn or right before it gets dark and you will find them.

[Big J]

Thanks guys

Dayum Jacob, you campus lads have it good. Wanna trade up a week? You can stay in raleigh and do shitty work, while I gas the shit outta that pond!

And Mike, I'll trade ya in about a week and a half.  Got finals right about then haha

[jwgnc]

Congratulations.  Sounds like you've found a place to ... study.

[diaz dassie]

I'll trade ya in about a week and a half.  Got finals right about then haha

What you studying. I got a PHD in talking shit You'll be fine, we'll fish soon.

[Big J]

I'll trade ya in about a week and a half.  Got finals right about then haha

What you studying. I got a PHD in talking shit You'll be fine, we'll fish soon.

Accounting, luckily only got a year left.  Going back home to Atlanta for the summer so I may have to hit you up this summer to catch some NC trout.