2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Great photos Bob. If you could see bass eggs in there, you’ve got better eyes than me. They lay tiny eggs, way smaller than the salmon ones you put on a hook. I think a bass lays like 30,000-40,000 of them 

Thanks, I just hope to see something that looks like eggs. I may have to get on my belly with stacked reading glasses. Just hope junior doesn't take to much offence and nip me on the head. True story, last year we had a Mallard Hen swim near a known nest and the bass swam up and bit her on the a...., butt!

     Mid May and the pond is alive! Bass have spawned and the fry are free-swimming. The Bluegills are fat and going on bed. Also, the flora aquatic wonderland is putting on a performance. The vegetation creates the perfect nurseries for the young of the year, as well as the young of previous years. When I knock the bugs off the insect zapper, the little BG's come swimming towards the dock and leave the protection of the vegetation. They will disappear the instant a roving Bass is sighted, only to return shortly. I was pleasantly surprised to see a large school of Gizzard Shad remaining three weeks after the big release. There must have been a hundred swim by the dock yesterday. So glad they survived. Hopefully they will reach spawning age before the inevitable. The Bass follow the school and there are occasional surface explosions. Molly, the red-eared slider, has returned for the sixth year and is once again eating out of my hand. Life is good!  🙂 Now if I could just catch a bass over 15", my summer would be set!

A clean pond/lake with healthy vegetation is one of my favorite sights. I envy what you have in your backyard, I'd have a hammock out there and likely come in for very little. Looking real nice Bob. 

Bob, your prose is as pretty as your pond. I know you're the master of tools, but I didn't know that that included a keyboard too.

41 minutes ago, Functional said:

A clean pond/lake with healthy vegetation is one of my favorite sites. I envy what you have in your backyard, I'd have a hammock out there and likely come in for very little. Looking real nice Bob. 

     I actually have a floating dock but no hammock. Thanks for the kind words. The pond is so much more work than I imagined and it has constant leaks. I have a well pump that runs 24/7 that keeps the water level fairly stable. Another issue is algae. It covers the pond bottom (Chara) and it covers the surface at times (Filamentous), but even with the headaches, it still is my heaven on earth. I took the last set of pictures wading around the plants. They are planted in half barrels. I have a total of 44 planters setting on blocks to achieve optimum height depending on plant species requirements. The included picture is the dock in younger years. It is (we are) more weather-beaten now but still functions as my go-to at the end of almost every day. I really enjoy the BG coming to the floating feed. I'm getting to recognize several, and they seem to have different personalities. Some are aggressive, some not. Some will inhale and exhale the pellets over and over again before finally consuming, some gobble one after another. I got to enjoy the blooming plants this weekend because I worked on the farm. The lilies close in the evening so I miss them through the week. Try not to notice the otter in the picture.....(I do)......because that's the reason I haven't any large bass!

     Katy, you are much too kind! A compliment on prose from you is beyond appreciated. I don't deserve the love but I'LL TAKE IT! And, thanks again for the inspiration to plant the Pickerel Rush. I LOVE them!

     Mid June with temps in the eighties. Bass and BG have completed their spawns and the little'uns are active. Chara has taken over the pond but I must look on the bright side. It is providing a safe nursery for the young of the year be it piscis, insect life, or invertebrate. The aquatic plantings are flourishing and the fish use them to full advantage. When I toss feed, the BG come from under the dock, and from under the plants so I just confirm what we already know, which is.....the gamefish look for overhead cover for safety. The Gizzard Shad behave much differently. They school in the openings between the Chara and are always on the move. The school is always moving quickly and constantly changing directions, never knowing when a Bass will come bursting through the vegetation.

     Looking forward to observe through the seasons as the water continues to warm before the end of summer.

On 6/13/2025 at 10:25 AM, Blue Raider Bob said:

    Bass and BG have completed their spawns 

 

 Bluegills will actually spawn over and over all summer long, at least according to the literature. You might be in for even more spawning activity until the fall 

How's this been going Bob? I miss the updates.

I'm sorry Functional, it has been a very difficult year for us. I'll explain in a new thread. I have tried to spend a little time at the pond this year but it brings painful memories. I am hoping that life becomes worthwhile again someday.

Sorry to hear it. No worries at all, you dont owe any explanation. Hope things are as best as they can be!

Back by popular demand! Pond Observations.....

Well, as the seasons turn, and we hopefully approach warmer water, I will update the activity on Lake Lucy, (named after my daughters dog), Hey! If Katie can call a 160 acre lake a pond, I can call a 3/4 acre pond a lake! Well, anyway, the recent warm spell has the surface temps just above 50 Deg. On sunny afternoons, the BG and Bass move up to the surface and are easily visible in the clear water. Surprising thing to me is the water lily's continue to grow all winter. Not much leaf penetration of the surface, but the growing leaves are everywhere below surface just waiting on some warmer days. The immature fish of all species use the plants and there are gobs of little BG everywhere. The larger bass become more visible in the afternoons after spending the majority of their time in the deepest areas possible. They will see me, approach, then follow me around the pond. Whenever I stop walking, they with gather and stare. They are MUCH more active in cold water than the BG's. The larger BG's must stay put in the deepest areas because they go unseen, but the little one's surround the pond, holding close to cover. As the water warms, the larger BG's will start to show an interest in hand tossed feed pellets. Around the middle of March, I will connect the solar powered auto-feeder on the dock, and the larger BG's will go back to daily feeding. I will occasionally see a shellcracker in the clear water, but they do not use the pelleted feed, much to my regret. Also, when the water warms, it will trigger the phytoplankton blooms that will diminish visibility.

More later as we get closer to Spring!

22 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

They will see me, approach, then follow me around the pond. Whenever I stop walking, they with gather and stare.

They love their papa.

Lake Lucy...I love it!

I've missed these. Thank you for taking the time to give random strangers a little shared time with what many wish we had.

Strange phenomenon that I can't explain. I thin about thirty LM per year in late spring to reduce population because the LM have successfully spawned each year and overcrowding is evident. The profundity that I battle is this......with gin clear water, I can see everything that happens for a distance, and I can watch the LM chase the lures. Here is the issue, the LM will spot the lure, give chase, and hit the brakes inches from lure. As soon as the lure is determined to be non-food the LM will ease away, never to be tempted again. It is not a case where the Bass see me and scatter. They practically eat out of my hand when I toss Shad or insects. They follow me around the bank. The bass act aggressively until they don't. Obviously, this is not always the case because I caught seven, but I saw at least forty attack and then change their minds. Witnessing this begs so many questions. What is the trigger, and what can we do different? How many fish get really close to our offerings while we are on the water and do not commit? Changing lures may have helped because two were caught on small swimbait and five were caught on Mepps spinner but so many more just got close and backed off.

What are your experience with scents? Would that cause the commitment? I have never used scents but then, I have seldom witnessed what I witnessed Saturday of mass refusal.

One other profound profundity, several year ago I caught a nice pound size or better Crappie and took it home for the pond. Year before last I partially drained pond to repair multiple muskrat holes and caught the crappie again. It had grown and was at least 14 inches or better, Saturday I caught a 9 inch Crappie on the swimbait. I did NOT put more than one crappie in my pond! What the heck!

I got into my Rodin's thinking man pose and pondered that one!

Bob, I once tried to catch bass in a quarry pond and utterly failed. Again, the water was gin clear. However, when I hooked a nightcrawler in the head and lofted that out there, with it writhing for all the bass to see, they raced to it and swallowed it. The only challenge is casting a nightcrawler without a sinker. When I used a sinker, they ignored it.

Weightless lures always work best for me in clear ponds as well.

Bob, any pond manager will tell you crappies are a no no. To quote Jurassic park, “nature finds a way”

17 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Weightless lures always work best for me in clear ponds as well.

Bob, any pond manager will tell you crappies are a no no. To quote Jurassic park, “nature finds a way”

Yep. I got that. do not want Crappie in the pond but how the heck did the smaller one get in? No way someone is going to volunteer one. My daughters dog is 118 lbs and growing, and does not smile at strangers!

Here is her other pup laying on the pond ice a few weeks back. She may look fearsome, but she is a loveable clown who will break ice to get to swim. We have to close the pond gate to keep her out until the water warms.

Thank you Functional for getting me back to this! I needed this.

Before this weekends Polar Vortex, the pond temps had gotten to the upper 50's and the fish have come alive. Last years young'ns hold tight to the dormant Lotus while the LM ease through. The water lilies have already begun their growth and provide lots of nursery cover. The Spring Peepers are out of control and singing their little cold butts off, and the Bluebirds are checking out the nesting boxes. It is on the way!

@Blue Raider Bob , I’d guess either the one you put in there laid eggs and/or they are coming in from the creek

Glad it helps Bob!

I'm with TN on this one, I think what you put in the pond may have be pregnant? If I recall the pond isnt directly attached to the stream/river for another to swim in.

It’s funny reading through your thread after just welcoming a New Member

His knowledge may be helpful in keeping your pond healthy and strong. A coincidental introduction……..

I post this with great envy!

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

@Blue Raider Bob , I’d guess either the one you put in there laid eggs and/or they are coming in from the creek

She may have laid eggs but there are no other crappie. The eggs aren't self fertile. Also, the creek can't overflow the pond, at least it hasn't and we've had some serious flooding since I started this. I guess maybe I had a senior moment and thought I'd only brought one home. Not likely, but I've done stupid before! 🤨

Wild animals love to reproduce…… sounds like there is at least one other crappie…… that you know of…… they can hide too

Friday March 6th. Air temps 81 water temps 67.8

Afternoon before supper I observed beginning of spawn. The bass like to use my half barrel planters by my dock so I get unusually good viewing opportunities.

Went back out after supper and she was gone, but the proud papa was holding tight to thousands of light grey colored eggs. Sunday I noticed another barrel with a guardian of eggs, and another that is scraped bare with a hopeful showing off his talents for the girls. There must be something safe feeling with the elevated half barrels. Not all bass use them, but several do. They sit in 36" of water but are suspended 16" of bottom by two rows of 8" concrete blocks. The bass are only bedding in about a foot to 16" of water.

that's pretty cool to wintness!