Spring is in the air

[Navrik]

I caught lots of bluegill in a farm dam during my high school years. Best bait I found were real dragonflies.

Also had one day when they were hitting a small floating rapala. Was one of my best fishing days ever!

Until recent a 2.5kg bass had been my PB out of that same dam on a real dragonfly.

[Riprap]

Yesterday, besides cold water and blue bird conditions the fat little piggies in training were hammering a splitshot watermelon dead ringer as though it was the last meal on earth. The fish are definately fattening up for winter so I'm in two minds as to cull ( relocate) the smaller fish or leave them overwinter.....any suggestions?

[Riprap]

We had our first frost for the year this week and albeit it’s warmed up a bit again the last few days, I guess “Spring is in the air” has now become Winter is knocking which means you know what for us fisherman! Herewith a picture story (pics compliments of my wife, who is camera shy….) of a trip to the pond today:

So, onto the bakkie go fishing tackle, three kids, our dogs, my in-laws dogs (who are being babysitted whilst they are away), willow cuttings, vlei kurper and a couple of kilos of sea fish guts, gills, disused chokka for the crabs to have a feast on.

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
The waterlillies I planted have now also become quite photogenic, besides holding bass.

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
These vlei kurper have been reared in tanks (in my bar!) and the time has come for them to explore some greater surrounds so they have been kicked out of the nest!

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Erin, my daughter, was first into fish as she wandered away from the group. Note the “pink” gumboots!

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
This is the size of the Spring fingerlings which are Florida X’s.

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
……and this is the size of a Largemouth Black Bass’ mouth!!!!

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Nathan, my youngest, is never to be outdone and found quality fish on his CBC rigged dead ringer.

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
……and eventually of course, “dad, I’m telling you, the dog ran into my line which caused this balls-up right down to the backing…..”!!

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Mommy’s dog, besides jumping out the bakkie window on the gravel @ 50kph and taking one hell of a tumble (EINA), decided that concussion leads to mid water swims and had to be rescued.

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Yep, I’m in trouble over this……

The boys got into some action on the far side,

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
And nearly lipped a jack russel & bass at the same time,

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Got him….

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Whilst Nathan is taking water out his shoes, Mat poses long distance with a mooi one!

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
All in all, I would say that the work invested in the pond has yielded dividends and I’m sad that winter is going to hide a lot of this away. Nonetheless, it’s put a SPRING in my step.

[Foxstrike]

wow you are very lucky to have a private dam like that. you must have put in alot of work to get it to where it is. one happy bassing family

[Navrik]

Awesome post Riprap. Thanks for sharing

[Ernst]

I think you are really going to see your hard work pay off in the next summer, that "pond" will be immaculate i'm sure

[Jeremy]

Great pics riprap. They tell a story of a happy bassing family.

[Debbie]

Oh I so need a dam like that ......... perhaps Rikkie will let me convert the pool ???? what do you think.

Thanks for sharing and great pics too ...... love the Jackie. Mine do the same while hunting, they dont believe in riding in the back of the bakkie so we drop hunters off ....... oh no they know exactly where we should be going and want to show the way on foot.

[Riprap]

The boys have been bugging me to catch more small bluegill for fodder for the pond seeing as the bass are still quite active, as we found out on Saturday.
So, after work this evening we set sail for the bluegill dam but with sunset so early nowadays, it was going to have to be a quick trip.

Conditions seemed ideal although the barometer is falling.

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Well, the heat source starting disappearing and we caught no fish, not even bass but we did capture this:

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Now who says that fishing is not the best outdoor sport one can have…….?

[baardbek]

At my age a report and photos like this awkens some of the most beautifull memories of my father who taught me the pleasure of fishing. I remember the fist carp i caught at he age of +/- 6 on my own.
My father and i were visiting the two Prinsloo spinsters who adopted him in the Senekal district on the farm. I woke up in the dark and all you could hear was the mantelclock ticking above the fireplace chimiing every quarter hour and striking the hours , reverbarating and echoing through the big old farmhouse. I dressed quietly, soundlessly opened the front door,picked up Pa's rod and the crusted cakeflour and custard pap on the stoep and in the smi dark made my way to the dam 200 or so yards from the house.
The last 50 yards was I went slowly and quietly, looking not to step on sticks or dislodge rocks "" die visse hoor jou en skrik as jy raas "", he taught the day before.
At the dam I took some of the soft inside dough, imitating the teardrop shape on the hook. The line was carefully pulled of the buckklelite reel and softly set down on the clearing .My first cast was a bokkerop.and landed about 5 yards in, not near the wilger trees standing in the water were PA always put it.To make things worse there was a MOERSE KRAAINES in Pa,s new nylon line. I knew now my "GAT GAAN BRAND "
To Continue

[baardbek]

I was still struggling with the bokkerop when the line started moving. I grabbed the rod and started running backward pulling the fish on to the side.
With trembling fingers the hook was disloged and I stood with biggest achievement of my 6 living years in my hands.
Never before and never again in my life did I run so fast and with so much exhillaration towards a definite "PAK SLAE" .50 yards fromthe house I frantickly started shouting repeatedly..EK HET HOM< EK HET HOM ,EK HET HOM.
By the time I reached the stoep everybody was there.!!!!!!!!!!
It was a SUNDAY. You DONT fish on SUNDAY not in 1956.
What a PAK SLAE !!!!!!
What a Sunday !!!
What a fish !!!!!!!!!!!!!
RIPRAP May GOD bless you and your kids that they may be as thankfull as me, to my father, for teaching them to fish and for the hidings you gave them

[Riprap]

Baardbek, what a lovely story, I've read it a few times to digest the honesty and sincerity with which you tell it.
Thank you for the story and the kind words - I am blessed to have the opportunity to share this with my kids. :blue-smile:

[Riprap]

Those on this site who are fortunate enough to breed need to read Baardbek's story - it's quite inspiring, all credit to him!

On another note, who has succesfully mixed blue (Mozambique) kurper with Vlei (banded) kurper as a fodder fish in more temperate climates for the sole purpose of feeding bass??

[Riprap]

Well, it's been exactly 1 year since I started this thread. I don't have pics unfortunately but the conditions are totally different to last year this time.
The only thing with life in the pond is the Papyrus I planted which seem to brave the frost best. We've had some of our heaviest frosts recently.
Interesting is the two types of waterlillies - one sinks to the bottom forming a mass of bass holding vines whilst the other loses some leaves but just seems to go into hibernation. Didn't see a fish but didn't expect to!

Whereas last year this time, Spring was in the air, now it's Winter is in full swing! Can't wait for life to awaken as there are big plans for experimentation coming....

[Riprap]

<img src="http://cdn.content.sweetim.com/sim/cpie/emoticons/00020459.gif" border="0" title="Click to get more." >

GEEZ, I'm booking into rehab, I'm a whole month short....wahahahaha!