Believe me, although I found this photo today I sure didn't take it today and I didn't even know I had it actually. I was going through a bunch on my little reader thingy in my camera and mostly they look gray because I don't have a fancy camera with fancy lenses and it's hard to see anything until I change the contrast. This changes the color but at least you can see the fish in the photos. I can see them just fine standing on the bank though with my trusty Walmart polaroid fishing glasses. I need a new pair as I'm real hard on them... Anyway, I was going through a bunch of gray photos and changing the contrast when up popped La Torpeda!!!!!!! I finally got one of her and isn't she just grand! I am so pleased to have gotten a photo of her next to my cement building blocks too so everyone can get an idea of her size. Although she's facing towards me kinda so you can't see her in all her glory she's about maybe about one and a half times as long as a block however long they are. The blocks are stacked two high and are out there as I plan to put a little platform out there to sit on because I'm way up on the bank taking pics and throwing food down. I'm getting real good and accurate at throwing though... except for venison which tends to stick to my fingers.
Anyway! Isn't she BIG and PRETTY! No one has ever caught her in my pond - at least as long as I've lived here. I just love to see her and she's getting to be more and more at ease with me and here lately she seems to be coming in everyday. She is my only bass (I think) that eats commercial fish food. She won't take anything else from me and isn't happy at all if I even try to feed her anything else. (She kinda acts like I'm throwing rocks at her.) I've watched her hunt in the past and it's pretty awesome. Winter is coming so it's too late to do much more out there but next summer watch out! If I can just get her to eat something else and get her tamed a bit maybe I can teach her some tricks!
Today was spittin' rain and gray and when I arrived at the pond I only found a few pals looking up at me. What is fun though is before I even pull up and get out of my cart and can look over the edge, they know I'm coming and are on their way. I can see ripples in the pond heading my way as I'm driving down my little gravel road. Ahhh, it sure is great to be so popular ;c) My cart is electric and doesn't make noise but they sure know when I'm coming. That may tell some of you fishermen something as you belch your way over to your spot... Don't even begin to think they can't see or hear you...
I was met by only a few regulars today. There was Crybaby and George and a few smaller bass I haven't named. La Torpeda was there much to my excitement and right up to the edge where I could see her well. She looked to be hunting but never did make a rush at anything. I threw in some commercial feed for her and she ate some of that. There were hardly any of the large bluegill about - only some very small ones - don't know what happened to the big and medium ones today but they were a no show. Seems it's like that sometimes, but as of yet, I have no idea why. I can't seem to find any factor that keeps them away on any particular day or time. I fed and then went around to the bluegill nesting spot and threw some bread in there (no one likes commercial food there and it just goes to waste or snapping turtles come get it).
I headed on to the back of the pond to see the babies. I have a hundred or more back there at any given time from 1 inch to 2 inches I guess. That area is heavily patrolled by bass I haven't named. The bass seem to be about a foot or more long. (You can click on pic to enlarge and maybe see babies) There are three different groups of babies back there. One group is for sure bluegill. Another is bass and there aren't a lot of them. Another might be either baby tiny bluegill or perhaps even fathead minnows - I just don't know. In any event when they see the cart coming the cute little things make the water wiggle. I just put that floaty fish food from Walmart in there for them - you know the flakes stuff you feed to goldfish. They like it and make the cutest little noises eating when a bunch of them have their little lips on the surface munching away. I throw bread in for them too. Usually while I'm there a bass or two will come calling and they never seem to see me they are so intent on getting a meal of a small fish. I've tried to offer them different things but the bass over there never take anything from me. They'll swim in real close and look over a group of babies, then swim on to the next group but sometimes they take one coming right up out of the water too shallow to swim. Amazing they get back in. One day I just might figure out what exactly they look for and why one looks tastier than the other. When I'm around other areas in the pond that area always stays active with bass chasing and eating the babies. Seems like about every few minutes there will be a run and major splashing over there. Needless to say I don't name the babies...
I'll write about the other side of the pond another day. I feed Ole Sam Bass over in another spot. He's mad at me again - I forgot to bring the grasshopper net today.... I'll probably have nightmares about the evil eye he gave me today... He's taken to making a run at me now when he's mad... Jeez... What nerve...
See ya back at the bass pond.
