The small pond that I fish most has, in addition to great bass fishing, other notable things which contribute greatly to the experience.

There is a pair of nesting Ospreys. While the Westport River, East and West Branches. have many pair, and I've spent much time on the river, I've never paid attention to the communications between them. In fact I could not have told you what they sound like.

But in a canoe, or any other boat for that matter, it's a great experience to watch them soar ever higher, calling to each other with a high pitched tweee, tweee.

A couple of weeks ago, I cast a green senko around a bend into a cove from under some trees. An Osprey came swooping down at it. Then it looked over directly at me, apparently startled to see me there, and soared away. Gotta be something 'bout those Senkos.

There is also, what I assume are two pair of Great Blue Herons. Most of the time, they are standing in the shallows or perched on one of the rocks along the shore. Occasionally they will perch high in some of the large cedar trees along the shore. When they light in one, the branch supporting them will sag several inches, over a foot in some cases.

When forced from one of their haunts by an approaching boat, they let their displeasure be known with a cry that can best be described as the sound of a badly rusted gate pivoting on its rusty hinges.

There are also several Kingfishers that get their sustenance from the pond, and I have seen them "fighting" over invisible territorial lines, screeching at each other.

On calm mornings, when the mist is rising from the water on a cool day, it is possible to track snapping turtles from their bubbles rising to the surface. I've seen bubble trails that have to be over thirty feet long.

The pond has many large snappers. It is common to see them anywhere in the pond with their nose, part of their head and back above the waterline.

Sun turtles, box turtles, sometimes several on a rock abound in and around the pond. I've never seen sun turtles as large anywhere else. I'm sure they exist, but I've never seen them. Some are the size of small snapping turtles, being more than twice as large as the commonly seen variety. I'm talking maybe 18 inches or more from the tip of their extended head to the back of their shell.

This past year, I've seen another first, for me. Common terns working schools of baitfish like they do in the ocean. Not a lot, but about a dozen. Casting beneath them produced nothing for me.

Never got a mosquito bite all year. Hundreds, maybe thousands of insect eating birds swarming the pond every day, from skimming the water to swooping fifty feet or more overhead kept any potential insect problem under control.

Never saw a fly until I put some slimy fish attractant on my bait.

I can however inform you that the iridescent blue dragon flies love certain types of plastic baits. I had one worm rigged, dangling from the spinning rod while fishing with the baitcaster. It didn't take long before the worm was covered with several pair of the dragon flies that were coupled up in what I assumed was the mating act.

The colorful show of nature at sunrises and sunsets are something I never tire of seeing. While not as dramatic as some I've seen on the ocean, they are marvelous in their own right.

It's not just about the fishing. It's also about everything else that brings peace and joy to the soul.

Amen, Brother.

i always notice more wildlife when im in a canoe quietly floating down a slow river. for me its all about good company, zero noise pollution and good smoke. fish are a bonus.

All those things mentioned are the exclamation points after FISHING!!!

                        As Ever,

                         skillet

I couldn't agree with you more.  There are some hawks on my pond that can be seen diving in the water and pulling out a small bass often.  Sometimes I'll just forget my worm is in the water waiting to watch the birds dive on another fish.

Not a mosquito bite all year...  That is something I have no concept of, if I didn't get bit by a mosquito I probably didn't make it out of bed or off the couch.  ;D