I took a break from quantity fishing to target some quality bass. I launched at a pond that begins and ends with a bog. Here's the beginning:

 

 

However, I launched in the dark, around 3:50 a.m. Here's where it started to get light enough to take a photo and you can see the bog is giving way to open water.

 

 

The sky was as pretty as an evening sky.

 

 

The Pickerel rush was in flower and as pretty as the sky.

 

 

 

There were thousands of bees feeding on the flowers. And there were thousands of frogs singing when I launched. Bees and frogs might be the best barometers of a pond's health.

 

I caught some bass too, 24 in all, the usual suspects:

 

 

The biggest was 18.25", not who I was hoping would be my dance partner, but she still whirled me.

 

 

I caught my bass in open water and in places like this:

 

 

I'm catching fewer bass than I caught in June, just like I did in 2023, but still having fun. I saw two deer, an eagle, an osprey, an opossum, beavers, and two herons. I feel so lucky to live in Maine where I can paddle and fish ponds like this.

 

P. S. - I fished with @gimruis today, in a way, as I usually fish from a chaotic boat, but I remembered what gimruis wrote a long time ago about securing hooks, so I did that today and quite liked not having to worry about tangles. Bob(@Blue Raider Bob) was also in the boat with me, in spirit, enjoying the Pickerel rush as much as I did. 

Stunning beauty out there.  No doubt about it.

On 7/10/2024 at 12:08 PM, ol'crickety said:

I took a break from quantity fishing to target some quality bass. I launched at a pond that begins and ends with a bog. Here's the beginning:

 

 

However, I launched in the dark, around 3:50 a.m. Here's where it started to get light enough to take a photo and you can see the bog is giving way to open water.

 

 

The sky was as pretty as an evening sky.

 

 

The Pickerel rush was in flower and as pretty as the sky.

 

 

 

There were thousands of bees feeding on the flowers. And there were thousands of frogs singing when I launched. Bees and frogs might be the best barometers of a pond's health.

 

I caught some bass too, 24 in all, the usual suspects:

 

 

The biggest was 18.25", not who I was hoping would be my dance partner, but she still whirled me.

 

 

I caught my bass in open water and in places like this:

 

 

I'm catching fewer bass than I caught in June, just like I did in 2023, but still having fun. I saw two deer, an eagle, an osprey, an opossum, beavers, and two herons. I feel so lucky to live in Maine where I can paddle and fish ponds like this.

 

P. S. - I fished with @gimruis today, in a way, as I usually fish from a chaotic boat, but I remembered what gimruis wrote a long time ago about securing hooks, so I did that today and quite liked not having to worry about tangles. Bob(@Blue Raider Bob) was also in the boat with me, in spirit, enjoying the Pickerel rush as much as I did. 

Please send me the Pickerel Rush Picture!

I can't wait to show my daughter. The ones I planted this springs are beginning to bloom. Yours are putting on quite a show. Mine....well not the effect of yours but beats an empty flower pot.

On 7/10/2024 at 12:08 PM, ol'crickety said:

I took a break from quantity fishing to target some quality bass. I launched at a pond that begins and ends with a bog. Here's the beginning:

 

 

However, I launched in the dark, around 3:50 a.m. Here's where it started to get light enough to take a photo and you can see the bog is giving way to open water.

 

 

The sky was as pretty as an evening sky.

 

 

The Pickerel rush was in flower and as pretty as the sky.

 

 

 

There were thousands of bees feeding on the flowers. And there were thousands of frogs singing when I launched. Bees and frogs might be the best barometers of a pond's health.

 

I caught some bass too, 24 in all, the usual suspects:

 

 

The biggest was 18.25", not who I was hoping would be my dance partner, but she still whirled me.

 

 

I caught my bass in open water and in places like this:

 

 

I'm catching fewer bass than I caught in June, just like I did in 2023, but still having fun. I saw two deer, an eagle, an osprey, an opossum, beavers, and two herons. I feel so lucky to live in Maine where I can paddle and fish ponds like this.

 

P. S. - I fished with @gimruis today, in a way, as I usually fish from a chaotic boat, but I remembered what gimruis wrote a long time ago about securing hooks, so I did that today and quite liked not having to worry about tangles. Bob(@Blue Raider Bob) was also in the boat with me, in spirit, enjoying the Pickerel rush as much as I did. 

Don't laugh, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was Katie's Bog!

I'll send you all the pickerel rush photos, Bob. What you can't see are the bees. They were far, far beyond counting, Bob. I have never seen bees so thick and I'm a gardener. 

I didn’t know that stuff is called Pickerel Rush.  It’s beautiful.

 

And I’d agree that lots of frogs and bees make it sounds like a very healthy ecosystem. 🙂

11 minutes ago, The Baron said:

it sounds like a very healthy ecosystem.

 

That's what you get when humans don't swarm the shorelines with houses. At least this shoreline is protected. 

Your water is so cool looking and different than what I fish out here. I love all the pictures of the weeds and swampiness. Looks like so much fun to fish. Thanks for all the cool photos!