I fish in my neighborhood retention ponds. All stocked about 10+ years ago. The ponds have crappie, bluegill, bass, carp catfish and shad. There are plenty of crawfish and snakes as well. These ponds are low pressure when it comes to fishing. Fish few years I could barely catch a bass. Now I'm pulling in all sizes. Is it the practice, patients, skill or a combination of these, who knows? One thing is for certain, the knowledge gained from fishing in such an environment has added in my ability to catch fish in public waters. I enjoy both, I consider myself fortunate to be able to walk out my back door and fish, mind you it is on the bank, no boats, so I river fish in a kayak as well. To each his own I like to say, Fish on!