Delaware Pond

[J. Rentch]

My buddy-Mark Bange and I visited a Delaware pond(lake) this afternoon. Had to find areas to shelter from the NW winds. We started fishing one end where the evidence of decaying Lily Pads could be seen. I was throwing a yellow Bendback- size 4. After a half dozen casts I felt a slight tug on the line. Using Joe Bruce’s “2 second” rule, I what felt like a large Pickerel. This time, there was no jumping out of the water, it just took off. The pull was so hard, I just let it go back and forth in front of the kayak. I slowly started pulling it in, then picked up my net as it went by on the left side. As I lower the net into the water, the Pickerel surfaced. That was the largest Pickerel head I have ever seen. It had to be 25” or more. Sadly, it threw the hook before I could net it. I had to just set for a minute or two and curse myself-silently.

I spent the rest of the day in and around decaying Lily Pads- ended up with 5 Pickerel- the largest was over 21”, another was 20.

I have been having a problem with my pictures-take a look at then and you notice how washed out the image is. Very hard to read the numbers on the Hog Trough. Was thinking that maybe a white one would work better than the yellow.-what do you think?
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My partner did better than me- he said he landed 8. Was a good day, Definitely coming back here. Going to get that “big one” next time.

[Mark]

It was an enjoyable outing with a less than favorable wind to contend with. But I found enough leeside protection and ran my flies a little deeper with intermediate line due to the surface chop to entice a few picks -- eight in the boat and few long distance releases.

They were mostly holding in the remnants of lily pads. The stems of the pads were still present underwater but the surface cover of the vegetation had largely decayed.

John's fly of chioce, a Bendback Minnow, was a good one in such cover. It runs with the hookpoint up which makes it almost weedless. I caught most of my fish on a size 2/0 Bendback. I threaded it easily through they dying pad fields.

Most of my catches were between 17 and 18 inches like this one:

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Respectable, but they don't present the fight of the 20 inchers.

This was my largest at slightly over 22 inches:

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Notice that the top portion if its tail fin was missing. I have to wonder if one its pickerel brethren took a nip at its tail. I cannot imagine what else in the pond would do that damage.

My other 20 incher also was injured:

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See the diagonal scar on the back of the fish. The other side of the fish had a gaping flesh wound matching the same location and angle of the scar you see above. My guess is that the above pickerel swam too close to a waiting blue heron and briefly was in the bird's beak. Despite its wound, the fish was still feisty enough to chase my fly.

One other note about the trip that I think is worthy of mention. I find that a landing net is helpful for controlling chain picks boatside. Often they get a last minute burst of energy when I get them near my gunnel. A net allows me to subdue them faster and get them back into the water with less stress on them and me. My net has rubber mesh which does not remove the protective slime on the fish. Also, the rubber mesh resists hooks which tend to get snared in cotten mesh nets. But my net's most important feature is that it floats. That proved very useful to me on this outing.

At some point, my net went overboard. I realized it only when I went to dip another catch from the water and discovered that I had no net! I landed that fish manually with the help of my fish grips. Then I paddled downwind to see where my net might be. I found it a good 100 yards beyond the area where I had last fished being pushed along in the breeze. It was a happy reunion for me. I was alread planning another Amazon order to replace it.

As to John's questions about Hawg Trough photos...I try when possible to get out of bright sunlight when I snap a picture. But that is not always the case. I won't paddle around just to do that while a fish lies gasping on my Hawg Trough. Sometimes, I can lean forward in my seat to shade the fish. The other thing I can do is to increase the contrast of the photo with my picture software on my laptop. But I suspect there are smart camera bugs on this forum who know how to adjust the aperture settings on their cameras or phones for better shots in bright light. I'm not smart enough about photography to do that.

The final thing I do is to periodically touch the numerals and markings on my Hawg Trough with a black Sharpie. That makes them easier to be seen by my eye and my camera's.

In conclusion, 'tis the Holiday Season and also pickerel season. They are my one of my favorite Holday gifts. They allow me to continue kayak fishing all winter. Plus, I really enjoy catching them on the fly.

[Mark]

Another day (yesterday).

Another Delaware pond.

And more pickerel action from the smallest:

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To the largest:

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And this nice surprise:

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Our Eastern Shore ponds are gems for cold water kayak fishing.

I enjoy them immensely.