When I'm not in the office selling Real Estate at American Heritage Realty in SaddleBrook, NJ, I like to fish up north from where I live because even as a kid when I've gone fishing, it's been up north. And, as a kid I dreamed about catching my biggest bass.
I've fished lakes, streams, ponds and even puddles! But, there is this private pond that only kids 12yrs. old and under are allowed to fish. This pond is near my brother's house and I spend time by him because he also has a pond in his backyard. One day, I noticed that older kids were fishing there also. So, from time to time, I would sneek in and fish amongst the tall weeds and cat tails. I'm 5'3", so I easily disappeared. (Sometimes being short is a good thing!)
Eventually, I became familiar with the fishing hole and the bass that were there and their habits. I caught a few of them and stocked my brother's pond. The fish I caught were 18" or larger since the pond wasn't fished much the fish had a chance to grow larger and larger.
I have had heart-stopping hits, especially top water, with rubber frogs and other weed walking lures. These fish just blew up from underneath the grass so fast it almost gave you a heart attack. Such an adrenaline rush! If you have never had this experience, you don't know what you're missing.
At this pond, I mostly use V-shaped spinners with a plastic critter attached. Sometimes I use double blade but mostly a single Colorado blade because it has more vibration.
One day, I took my brother's son down there to do some fishing and we both got skunked out, (we didn't catch anything). He was just sitting there putting his gear in the car when I said, 'let me just cast out on this side of the pond for a minute' and wouldn't you know it as the lure got closer to shore I saw something dart in from the grass.
It smacked my lure and my pole bent as if it would snap in half. He took my line out and I was fighting him for a good 5 minutes. As I reeled him in I bent down and lipped him. The size of his mouth was 6-7" in diameter. I didn't measure his length but when I held it with my arms extended his tail was dragging the ground. My guess was approximately 27-28" and the weight was about 14-15lbs.
I had a cooler in my car so I put it in there and put water in it. That fish was in a U shape and couldn't move around. I rushed it up the street to my brother's pond and as I pulled up with my car he was coming towards me saying, "did you catch anything?". I pulled out the fish and walked toward him. He jumped back yelling 'WOW! WOW!'. That was enough to know this fish was BIG.
Well, as far as I know he's still in the pond.
From time to time I see him swimming with the other bass.
I've only caught him one other time while visiting my brother. He is a smart one to live this long and only get caught once in ten years. You know I could have used a lure that I made but this fish was hungry and he came at the lure like he was on steroids. It's a day I will not forget!
Frank Padalino is the Broker of Record at American Heritage Realty In Saddle Brook NJ www.24seven-realtors.com | | Author Info: Frank Padalino |
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