To All My Memphis Pond Hoppers!

[WDE]

On 10/22/2016 at 5:44 PM, Vicdougle said:

Hey boss....as far as a good rod and reel, I just picked up a Falcon HD medium as well as an All Star medium fast from academy...  they are both one piece with quality guides.  Check em out.  Just picked up a Daiwa BG...excited to test it out.

I had an Allstar long ago, I believe I broke the tip in a ceiling fan. But I had no qualms with it prior. Thank you for the advice. 

[WDE]

Thought today was going to be another bust. Went to one of the above Germantown spots(with the coords) first around 3pm for about an hour. Fish were jumping and breaking all over, but they weren't interested in what I was throwing. Left there to head back to Collierville. Stopped at Grove and made a few casts, nothing interesting there.

Decided to spend the rest of the day at Johnson. Back pond had about 8-10 different folks spread out by the bridge, so I went back to the front two ponds. Once again those ponds were bumping, swirls all over. Landed my first bass after about 30 minutes, I'll say a pound or so. I saw a swirl off to my right so I started reeling in my lure quickly to throw at him. As I was bringing in my lure I thought I got hung up, but I yanked again and there was a fish! Hit it right at the bank.

Got bumped several more times and the pond started to die down, so I decided to start packing it in and throw a couple casts in the cove in the pond closest to the parking lot. 

It was literally my last cast and I got bumped, so I went to set the hooks and the lure jumped out of the water--bummer. Then as soon as the lure hit the water this guy just cranked it and caught me totally off guard: 

So I got him in on the bank and snapped this quick pic and went to see the damage. He completely inhaled the lure down to the gills. I started panicking and grabbed the pliers and started surgery in so little light. Finally freed the lure and got him back into the water. He swam around a bit, but I don't think I got the lure out in time, and he lost too much blood. I feel awful about it, but I suppose it's just part of the sport. He was maybe 1.5-2lbs, and definitely my PB(stifle your laughter) since starting back fishing...could be ever. 

Here's what was working for me, shad colored H20 Express rat-l trap(I think)bought on clearance at Academy for $3.99:

 

Got my confidence back in throwing things other than worms. Time to celebrate with a Wiseacre Ananda and pour a little out for the one I couldn't save.

 

 

[WDE]

Oh, and those two front ponds are a lot of fun to fish. They're so shallow, that you can watch the fish break off and bee line straight at your hook. So many of them whiffed my lure. Or bumped it and go back for it. Is there anyway to avoid that and encourage a hookset? If I saw them bee lining I'd slow my retrieve, but maybe they're smart enough to realize that the lure wasn't a real baitfish. 

[Mr. Ranger]

On 10/24/2016 at 7:33 PM, WDE said:

Oh, and those two front ponds are a lot of fun to fish. They're so shallow, that you can watch the fish break off and bee line straight at your hook. So many of them whiffed my lure. Or bumped it and go back for it. Is there anyway to avoid that and encourage a hookset? If I saw them bee lining I'd slow my retrieve, but maybe they're smart enough to realize that the lure wasn't a real baitfish. 

What line are you using?  How deep are you running that rattletrap?  Baitcaster or spinning reel? 

[WDE]

2 hours ago, Mr. Ranger said:

What line are you using?  How deep are you running that rattletrap?  Baitcaster or spinning reel? 

14lb mono on a baitcaster. Medium/quick retrieval alternating, tip up. The pond is so shallow that even with the tip up I'm still skimming the bottom about 3-5 feet out. Got two more last night. Plus two palm sized bream that actually hit it, and 3 fist sized freshwater clams. I'm guessing the bass were in the 2-2.5lb range, both bigger than the ones I caught the night before.

[Vicdougle]

Stopped by daycare yesterday and caught a 2lber.  Drop shot with a black plasmatail worm.  There was another guy fishing there when I showed up but I didn't see him catch anything.  Meh.  I did, however stop by another spot today and caught three on topwater including 3 lber.  Seriously some of the most aggressive topwater bites Ive ever seen.  I'm going to see if I can get my boat into this place somehow as it was extremely promising.  Will post more details after another trip or two. 

[WDE]

Went back to Johnson--wasn't planning on going anywhere today--but I got bored after work and wanted a quick fix.

Fish were noticeably less active than my previous two times. Pulled one in after about 15 minutes, half a pound, on the same rig I've been using this week. Fished another uneventful 15 or 20 minutes and headed home. 

[BrushHog1906]

Finally just back on the water for about a month and a half drought. Caught a 2 lber on topwater Monday and two smaller ones on Tuesday. Simple pops medium and fast retrieve. Monday, about 30 minutes after catching my 2 lber, missed my biggest bass ever! She jumped about 3 times, belly wouldn't even come out of the water. Got her to the bank and she spit my lure right at feet and swam off. I will be throwing topwater all I can these next two weeks because Daylight Savings is coming!

My tactics as of now will be topwater (popper/torpedo style lure) and maybe a shallow crank soon.

Planning to hit the water tonight and tomorrow!

 

@WDE Is Johnson you mention, Johnson Park in Collierville? I haven't been there in a while.

 

[WDE]

1 hour ago, BrushHog1906 said:

 

@WDE Is Johnson you mention, Johnson Park in Collierville? I haven't been there in a while.

 

It is. 

[Mr. Ranger]

Just got back from a trip up to the Ozark lakes.  Man those guys don't know how good theyve got it with all those clearwater rock lakes.  Table Rock, Pomme de Terre, Stockton... caught some big pigs and handful of keepers. 

 

Oh well, back to the pond hopping in Memphis.  If y'all ever get a chance to travel up there to fish, DO IT.

[WDE]

Wanted to go to a new pond today, but I've been having such good luck on such an easy setup so I went back to Johnson. Caught 4 bass, including another PB(bottom two pics). Two biggest I pulled out:

 

Went to set the hook on the smallest one(couldn't have been more than a quarter pound), and I flipped him out of the pond and he came off the lure, 5 feet over my head and he landed on the grass 10 feet behind me. 

[Vicdougle]

Top water is on firrrre.  8 more in a hour this morning.  Caught this one at an undisclosed location ??? Wednesday.  Looked like someone threw an M80 at my frog!

[WDE]

Went Johnson for a couple hours today. Got a couple dinks. Bite has cooled quite a bit on the crankbait. Tossed a spinnerbait around for a while and they weren't interested. 

I suppose the time change and the dip in temperature has them transitioning? I guess it's time to try out the jerkbait and/or topwater. Two lures I've never had success with.

 

[JakebeCastin]

I've been around bassresource multiple times and thought, why not join. Hey everyone my name is Jake and I usually pond hop and fish around multiple areas in Memphis, with me being a college student, I have little time in my hands to get out there and get some casting in.

 

I went to Collierville city hall couple days ago, didn't do so well I went around 8-9 a.m and usually fish the far side facing the city hall. I've caught 2 on a berkley jerk bait. Water was low as well there. 

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

[volchuck]

Im usually fishing Grove or greenline ponds off the wolf with some pretty decent success, has anyone ever fished any of the main river on the wolf or on up the Ghost with any luck??

 

 

[UFpwrLifter]

New to boating. Now that Glenn springs and herb parsons stores are closed, how do you buy permits to fish the lake legally? When I was a bank fisherman, I would buy from the ladies in the store and go on about my business. 

[Mr. Ranger]

18 hours ago, UFpwrLifter said:

New to boating. Now that Glenn springs and herb parsons stores are closed, how do you buy permits to fish the lake legally? When I was a bank fisherman, I would buy from the ladies in the store and go on about my business. 

You write your name on a slip of paper and deposit it and $5 into a box.  Boat rentals are closed, I think.  It's all honor system!

[UFpwrLifter]

1 hour ago, Mr. Ranger said:

You write your name on a slip of paper and deposit it and $5 into a box.  Boat rentals are closed, I think.  It's all honor system!

Thanks Mr. Ranger!

[WDE]

Pulled in another PB. It's nice to start out so low . 

Passerby snapped the pic, high school kid. "I didn't know there was bass in here!". He assumed 3lbs+, I'll agree with him. I really need to get scales.

Ghost shad crankbait still. I'm very lucky I was able to land him. He hit the back treble that so happened to be missing a barb. Didn't even feel like a fish, I thought I was reeling in another freshwater clam(I'm really beginning to hate those damned things). Hopped down into the mud and yanked him out.

[WDE]

3 today. 1 decent. Going to be interesting next week when the temps drop into the 50s. 

[Mr. Ranger]

20 hours ago, WDE said:

3 today. 1 decent. Going to be interesting next week when the temps drop into the 50s. 

Nice fish.  Is that in Collierville at Halle?

 

[WDE]

1 hour ago, Mr. Ranger said:

Nice fish.  Is that in Collierville at Halle?

 

Johnson. Been meaning to check out Halle, is it public?

[roadwarrior]

Yes, Halle is a city park.  There are some monsters in this lake, but it is VERY hard to fish.

 

[WDE]

1 hour ago, roadwarrior said:

Yes, Halle is a city park.  There are some monsters in this lake, but it is VERY hard to fish.

 

Would you mind elaborating on what makes it so difficult? Finnicky fish, poor bank angles, etc?