Blue Raider Bob

Wow, that's so much more info than I was ready to digest.....thanks so much to everyone for their response. I'm sorry I did not give proper info at the beginning. I'll be 66 this year but can still walk with 100lb short distances if I have to. The canoe and kayak carts will be part of my kit. I will be in a pick up and possibly even pulling my 16' Alumacraft, so the canoe/kayak can piggyback. My weight is 195 and I'm I'm over six feet if that needs to be considered. Budget is not a big concern although I do not want top end as I may not use the craft often after I return to Tennessee. I would really like to stand to fish but that may be a pipe dream at my age and the cold water environments I will visit. If I can get lucky in the used market, (which is where I plan to be), a canoe and kayak could be a possibility. Katie, I'm really listening to you about the portage issue as this is a huge concern as I plan the Ontario adventure. Thanks again BR Family!

I have never owned a kayak and I'm deciding between a short one man canoe or a kayak for a trip to the far north after retirement this year. My canoe experience is limited but my canoe mentor has given great advice as to what to look for. My hesitation is I want my hands free while I fish. What are ya'lls opinions about a fin drive pedal kayak? Does it really give more convenience to the angler as opposed to a paddle kayak that paddles must be put down to use hands? Is there a budget kayak that receives good marks from users? I'm 66 so weight is beginning to become a concern. Is there a canoe or kayak terrain cart that is recommended? I like the idea of a pedal kayak with rudder steering but I'm open to what you experts view as a good way to experience new waters. thanks Bob

OMG! those are not the smallmouths that I tangle with! Maybe someday...it could happen! Gim, what is the forage? Are these the results of Gobies, or have your smallies always been this way? Looks like several trips to the buffet. My only smallies come from rivers but the rivers I fish have an abundance of Shad. My rare twenty inchers would barely make 4 lbs.

My wife used to refer to us with that verse......I wasn't the diamond.

I was fortunate enough to get to fish Katie's Lake (I'm Sorry Katie, I refuse to call a 165 acre body of water a pond!) I have a pond, you have an inland sea! What I observed is the Smallmouth are shorter than the largemouth but they are more robust. A 16" Smallie is shaped thicker and rounder than a 16" largemouth. I did not have a great sample size as I only caught a couple smallies, and I'm not sure if this is caused by the forage used/available, regional genetics, depths frequented, or some other factor that I did not consider. The largies, on the other hand, are long and lean but have very healthy shoulders, and often extended bellies which leads me to believe the body of water is a very healthy, and balanced ecosystem. My knowledge of smallies is limited but the ones I have caught in my latitude are usually the same body type as the largies I catch. I've never caught any of the "Footballs" that AJ, and Dwight catch. And NorcalBassin! FOOTBALLS!

I'm sure that was what she meant! Mine did the same, I was just messing with ya. Glad you've got a great one!

Sounds like you're getting on somebody's nerves! Been there done that! 😁

Well said!

Glad you got the hook out of that bass! Sounds like you're excited to be heading home but reluctant to leave. Sure wish you the best in retirement, I'm taking that step in four months. From all the pictures you've posted of Texas bass, them Maryland Bass are in deep trouble!

Alex, I can tell you from experience, five experiences.......Katie's Pond is the most beautiful place on earth! Water clarity is good, and we shared the pond and little rivers with beaver, loons, Kingbirds, Osprey, and nobody else! You pull up to her turnaround in the oaks and maples, walk a short way through the forest, walk out on duckboards made of the following.......large split logs flat side up.......pallets sitting on top of the logs which are pushed into the bog......rough sawn boards nailed to the top of pallets. This extends several yards over the bog until you arrive at the tiny inlet creek (just wide enough for a canoe). The inlet has a large enough platform to safely load, unload, and store materials. From there it is a short backstroke out into the pond but we caught bass in the little inlet. The whole pond is premium bass habitat. It doesn't really matter where you fish, these aggressive bass will find you!

Al, I see pure joy! Thanks for taking me along! I'm afraid to ask what is an upper plate....at our age it might be something we need!

Katie, I've fished with you five times. If you had anymore energy, you could power the eastern seaboard! Every time we quit it was because of me! You paddle constantly, toss between paddles, unhook bass between paddles, then paddle! Your upperbody could stand in the paint with Shaq and Barkley! ☺️ If we arm wrestled, I'd need another surgery. You fast walked me through miles of harbor towns until my legs turned to jelly. Katie, you having more energy is a scary thought! 😝

Those are brutes! Glad you went and shared!

Dang what a Wife!!

Those steps have a mysterious and enchanting look to them. I'm expecting to see trolls, fairies, and other netherworld entities at any moment. What an interesting spot!

Your tanks look fantastic! Yes, I have an air pump that pumps air through a diffuser. Not sure how much it controls algae but i believe it is beneficial to the overall pond health. It just wasn't turned on for the photo. Your tanks look fantastic! I run an 110V airpump through weighted lined through a diffuser. Not sure how much it retards algae but I believe it helps the overall pond health.

Minor victory! As usual, my pond succumbs to the yearly filamentous algae invasion. This is caused by the algae, which starts growth on the pond bottom, then through the miracle of respiration, CO2 is converted to oxygen, which because it cannot escape the dense filaments, gradually floats the algae to the surface. PH and nutrient levels contribute mightily to the scourge. The floating algae becomes an eyesore but it is not permanent and here's why........being that the algae sustains it's place in the top of the water column by depending on the released gases, once the gasses are re-released.....the algae sinks! I know I'm not the first to discover this but thinking this through, the light did eventually come on. After each hard rain, the algae partially, or wholly dissipates (depending on rain severity) due to the drops smashing the filaments and releasing the gasses. I proved these clusters of thought this way......by jumping in the pond and squeezing gobs of algae! I gathered handfulls and held them underwater and wringed them out like a dishrag, and to my relief, they release gazillions of tiny bubbles. The harder squeezed, the more bubbles until the handfulls sink! Now I don't fret to badly when the scourge begins because I know it won't last! Just another excuse to play in the water! Before and after photos.

If you remember the small crank bait I used our second trip was very successful but finally broke the lip. It caught bass but the problem with all crank baits is #1 they get snagged in the net everytime, and #2 they get snagged in my fingers every time. Nothing like lipping a solid, flailing momma bass with a mouth full of hooks! I'm a one hook angler from now on. Bad enough leaving Katies Pond with bandaids on both thumbs because of bass teeth, I don't want anymore treble hooks in my pinkie! 😀 Our third trip I tried the flatside shallow crank but didn't get a sniff. T-rigged craws got their attention.

That's it! That's the enigma that I have been struggling with! The whole time we fished your natural pond, I looked for baitfish and never saw any. I could not figure out what they were eating because they were not skinny, out of balance bass, but seemed to be well fed and healthy. I am not familiar with a white perch so I regret not seeing a picture, but it does give some closure to my curiosity. Do you have yellow perch? There has to be large quantities of something to maintain your food chain.

I love that rocky flat. Something we talked about that I will share with readers is that I believe bass don't like to chase when they don't have to. The first time we fished the shallow rocky flat, the wind was gusting at 17mph and you spent the whole time keeping me steady while I cast. I tossed a spinnerbait and caught several. The second time we fished the flat the wind was somewhat calm and I continued to toss the spinnerbait and had an occasional fish. Meanwhile you were tossing a soft plastic crawfish and were connecting 5/1 over my swifter offerings. When I changed to soft T-rigged craw, my bites increased dramatically. This tells me that I was pulling the spinnerbait through fish but they did not want to chase. They wanted something without much effort. Life has kept me off the water since our trip but I plan on exploring this theory in much detail when I am able. I have also witnessed this in my own pond. The clear water makes observation easy. The LM will have scads of BG swimming around but if they make the slightest movement, the BG scatter like bullets. Likewise, if I toss a piece of hotdog in the water, the LM will nail it with an attitude as they compete with each other for the easy meal.

What she calls "dinks" is what I post to BR! 😁 I'll put it another way, she does catch a few that are not as big as the ones she posts......but not by much. I catch dinks! No wait, that ones taken!

Yep, she's been here to, only her curses last longer! 😁 Please take her back! But we will next June!

If you and Al fished together, you would sink the boat. A boatload of ya'lls bass would spring a leak. That and your camera would melt!

I recognize that laydown! Man, do I miss that laydown! Way to go Swampy! One thing I noticed right away about your pond bass. They pull like the devil! Sounds like a fun way to catch'um!

See what happens when you don't have a clumsy seed tick sitting in the bow making all kinds of racket! You catch 50 instead of 40! 😁 I'll still be your net man anytime you want, (even though you didn't trust me to net last time) 🙂 maybe with some practice, I can earn your trust. But, honestly Katie, I don't get any practice here. It's only in Maine where the bass are so generous with their favors! My net will die of old age before I'll ever need it! Signed Rusty Old Gimpy Net Man from Tennessee