The larger turtle that I caught escaped in the night before I could take him to the lake. He crawled right out of the cooler and off he went. I don't know if he headed back down to the pond or where he went but he's gone! The smaller one I took and released. Unfortunately I caught Rocky. This is the third time I've caught this turtle and this is the turtle I want to stay in my pond. He still has a bit of red paint on his back from where the little girl across the street marked him some time ago. I won't be putting him back right away. Rocky is an especially nice snapping turtle and likes to dance and smiles a lot. I want him to stay in my pond!
Rocky is in my kitchen right now in a cooler as a cold front is moving through right now and I'm not about to leave him outdoors where he'll most certainly get cold. I have liver and hot dogs in the cooler with him but he doesn't appear to be interested. I imagine he has quite the tummy ache as he has a hook inside his innards. I hate that and wonder how long it takes to dissolve or pass or whatever happens. I know he's had a couple previously and lived through it but I don't want him to have any more so I'm keeping him out of the pond until I catch the big catfish creature. Seems I can't catch anything with those livers except for my turtles so I suppose I need to fish up a couple of bluegill tomorrow and sink them to the bottom and hope to get the catfish with them. I really want him caught and I really want to put Rocky back. I don't mind having him around but I'm positive he'd be much happier back in the pond.
You can click on the photos to enlarge them. 
The pond was clear and beautiful today. When I got there I didn't have a lot of bass or bluegill waiting but many more came gliding up later. I took this photo when I first got there because if I wait the water gets a little muddy from the fish thrashing and jumping for food. Diamond Jim is out there but he's the only one I recognized of the first bunch that were there. The other came after about ten minutes and Meanandlean showed up to run out all the other bass except for one that he did let stay - but only one...
Meanandlean ate well today and didn't give me any problems as he only spit out one bite of hot dog which happens to be a big improvement for him. I'm sure that was just to keep me in line and to show me he was still in charge.
The weather change has made a big difference in the bass who really appear to be trying to eat everything in sight. I was told they are working to get stored up for the winter as they'll go deep and quit coming for food before long. The leaves are falling and when my husband was down at the pond checking the lines this morning he said that just about each time a leaf would hit the water a bass would jump and chomp at the leaf. I'll give them as much as they'll eat - but I always do. I'm thinking I should feed two times a day now until it gets really cold and they quit taking food.
The larger bluegill are still hanging way out - past the deep edge and not coming on in. When I finish feeding the bass I throw in commercial feed for them way out and they'll eat that. I did take a little video of them feeding today and I was hoping the giant creature might come up but I didn't see it . Some of those bluegill are ten inchers and it's time for them to come out.
Well, until tomorrow.
