Pond Fishing for Bass

When my wife and I purchased our house, we were fortunate enough to have a large retention pond on the county property adjacent to us. After a short time in our new house and an abundance of trash left by visitors to the pond, I inquired about purchasing the pond from the county. After all, who doesn't want a pond on their property. A little paperwork and a few dollars in cash later, I was the proud owner of a pond stocked with bass, bream and catfish. Since completing the purchase, I have discovered fish are smarter than I gave them credit for. We have a couple of 8 to 10 lb. bass that follow us as we fish, and will not bite a lure regardless of what you are presenting.

Recently, I changed my presentation from the soft plastics to a Bagley lure that represented a small bream. As the late afternoon shadows began to fall on the pond, I fished the darker, deeper areas where I thought a bass might be lying. Little did I know that I would latch on to an 8 pound female that would give the light tackle with 4 pound test a hefty workout. The excitement I felt was unlike anything I had experienced since purchasing the property.

This weekend, I was treated to an even greater experience. While I was working a dark colored soft plastic slowly towards the shoreline and experimenting with the retrieve speed while letting the bait sit on the bottom for a moment, I saw an ever-so-slight lift in the fishing line between the rod and the water. Testing the line, I began a slow pull until I realized I needed to set the hook. I knew by the fight that it was a small bass, but just as I reached the shoreline, another bass decided she wanted my catch for a meal. For the first time ever, I was treated to a double hookup on a single large hook. This time I was prepared with 20 lb. braid with a 15 lb. fluorocarbon leader attached. Needless to say, the drag was screaming as she made her best effort to escape the clutches of the hook, but I was pleased to bring both fish to the shoreline and take a quick photo before releasing them.

I use my fishing time at home to clear my mind of everything that I've dealt with throughout the day and hopefully add a little excitement that I can share with my wife. This provides me with an opportunity to try new lures, learn new rigging and experiment with retrieval techniques. It's also a time that I absorb all that God has blessed us with and thank him for it. As much as I enjoy fishing, my time spend doing what I love is about more than catching a few fish. It's time that I need to give anything that is troubling me to God.

Although your beliefs may not be the same as mine, regardless of whether you believe Christ can calm the storms that may be raging within you, you will always need an outlet. That is the motivation behind my founding of Casting for a Cause Disabled Veterans Foundation. Regardless of what issues you may be dealing with, we want to provide an outlet so that you can let it go. If you need counseling, whether it be with a minister or a therapist, let us know and we will do all we can to help. The mental health of our veterans is our highest priori