The Secret Pond

[roadwarrior]

I found a new pond. Fourteen years old, nine acres, professionally stocked and built with structure designed to promote a balanced bass haven.

The pond was built as the focal point for a private residential getaway community, located near Pickwick Lake but isolated from any established community. The developement died because of unusually difficult access. There are only three occupied homes and to my knowledge only one fisherman among them. The property is posted and with very little access, has not been fished.

Well, that's about to change! I received permission to fish the pond, but the banks are steep and heavily wooded (and probably full of snakes and poison ivy). So, I'll be taking a small boat, actually a two man kayak down soon and plan to fish this little spot extensively this summer.

I think there is the potential for great fishing and maybe some monster bass. I can hardly wait to give it a shot.

[BD]

Those type of waters are always VERY nice to find.

I found one the other day like that, but it's a dinky pond. I was walking up to ask this guy fishing it, if he had caught anything, and he was holding in his hand about a 4.5 lber.

[Raul]

Hey man, count me in for some "pond scouting", few things can make my blood boil but discovering an "unopened treasure" is one of them.  ;D

[Big_Bass_Rich]

That's awesome! Gotta love finding a gem like that!

[roadwarrior]

Raul, 10 lb bass are rare around here. I hope to post some pictures soon...But even a state record here would not compare to the fish you have an opportunity to catch. BTW, did I compliment you on those big bass pics? Those big fat bellies are impressive.

[Raul]

I can trade a 10 ponder LMB for a 6 pound Smalljaw, man I would love to put my hands on one of those.

[Rattlinrogue]

Nice to get away from the big waters and enjoy some pure fishing pleasure.

[chefxian]

Road Warrior is the bomb

[Sam]

You are very fortunate to locate a secluded pond.  Have a fun time and let us know what you catch.

[roadwarrior]

I just talked with the developer, the fellow who had the pond built. The dam was built on a tributary creek approximately 1 1/2 miles from where it empties into Pickwick Lake. The main creek drains several hundred acres of lowlands (swamp) and a secondary creek forms another arm that originally drained adjacent hills, predominately runoff, not year around flow.

During periods of heavy rain the tributary arms appear to back up over several hundred acreas and should provide a significant source of nutrients, specifically crawdads, frogs, worms and an assortment of bugs. Although there are times, during periods of heavy percipitation, when the pond will experience significant flows, the pond is designed with an overflow system that maintains a relatively constant level.

The pond is 27 feet at its deepest point and approximately 15-20 feet at the dam. The channels in the arms are 3-5 feet deep near their entry points and 5 to 15 yards wide to the dam. The steepness of the banks is indicative of the underwater structure and fall very quickly on the main body of water. A third arm near the road is shallow and formed from the flooding, not from another tributary. At the point that defines the shallow arm is a 19 foot drop. 15-20 yards out, which might seem to be the middle of the pond, is a 12 foot hump that was once a hill between the two creeks.

Seems like a lot of structure on such a small body of water. Most of the shoreline is heavily wooded, providing abundant underwater cover. Both tributary arms have scattered trees and in mid to late summer, grass, moss and other vegetation.

How's all that sound?

[cgs2004]

I love small lake fishing.  I live on a lake that sounds a lot like what you described.  There are 6 houses around this lake and of all of them; my family is the only one who fishes the lake.  The size makes it perfect.  With a smaller lake it's big enough to where you can fish it 7 days a week and have plenty of action but small enough to where you get to know the lake structure extremely well and can almost follow the bass movement and find where they are located at certain times of the year without too much trouble.

Make sure the bass population stays in check though.  We used to have troubles with our lake getting too high of a bass population and in result stunts the bass growth and you end up with thousands of 10" fish.

[hookset]

Would you all please hush I am drooling all over myself thinking of this place.  Good luck roadwarrior let us know how it is.

[roadwarrior]

I have a plan for fishing this little jewel, but I would really like to hear how you would approach this for the first time.

Saturday is my fist chance to get on the water. I'll have a follow-up post on Monday.

Thanks for you input.

[BD]

How does that place sound you ask?

Sounds like heaven!!!

Fish those senkos and pull a hawg out to show us ;D

[BD]

Since no one fishes this new honey hole, I honestly would fish a 6 or 7" senko. I wouldn't want to spook the fish with a buzzbait, or a spinnerbait (hitting the water that is).

Plus with those overflow areas, a senko is perfect for those lurkers.

You could also throw a jerkshad (plastic) but how is the water clarity?

[Hookhead]

I was going to suggest a Senko too, but I know how some people get around the 'S' word.  Aw well...

5/0 EWG and a 9L Senko weightless.  ;D

*ahem*, you wouldn't happen to know the exact GPS location of thie pond now would you?  :

[GobbleDog]

In Orlando, we've got ponds EVERYWHERE.

Me and my fishing partner used to throw the canoe on top of the truck - pull out the war map and look for ways to sneak into them. It was great. Of course, I've been kicked out of a bunch of them, but I've also found a lot of great little ponds/lakes full of fish.

The best pond we ever found was entirely owned by Semen corporation who had security gaurds drive golf carts around the lake kicking people out. But the fishing was incredible!

[Bassin101]

Roadwarrior, Man that pond has a lot of bass hideouts. Goodluck in the kayak, I will be in mine tomorrow on a lake that does not have near the structure, depth or cover.  That sounds like a real score to me.  Don't forget your weightless spider grubs. ;D ;D

[rumz3]

Dude, you have lucked into a fisherman's dream.  Just pulling up on this lake must make your mouth water.  The thing I would do first would be to take a day and simply enjoy whatever the lake had to offer, with or without electronics to guide your casting choices.  Its almost like getting back to the basics.  There is not anything on the line, nobody to impress, all the secret of the lake are yours. Take a few days and get back to the basics.  Re-discover what it is that make you want to do this day after day after day, etc.  Man, you will be rewarded with big shy bass, after big shy bass, because they won't know what the lure in front of thiem is, so they will give it a shot.  Are you ready to rumble!

[BD]

So R.W., did you fish it this weekend?

[roadwarrior]

I have a new post in the "My Fishing Tournament or Outing" category.

My First Trip to the Secret Pond.

[razyrsharpe]

i lucked out (with my wife's help) and got permission yesterday to fish an isolated, non-pressured pond in my home town.  there are no homes around it, it is owned by one family...about 20 acres or so.  the wife and father in law are friends of these people and used to fish there in the 70's and 80's.  hope that it holds some bass!  i can't believe my luck!!

[BD]

20 acres!!!

Man you are lucky. They'll be fish in it I bet