Local Ponds DuPage

[AtitAgain07]

Here are some local pond fish from members Paul Rock_Strongo and myself...I don't give precise locations...but will use as a "trading chip".... 1st pic is of me...I never weighed it but estmate it at at least 4#...off weedbed w/ jig/pig....hit almost as soon as it hit weedbed...I caught 4 fish off that sweet spot in Naperville...The 2nd pic is member Paul...prespawn bass about 2.5#...

[AtitAgain07]

Here is some nice fish from Rock_Strongo..1st is fish we both worked on..(me being the eyes..fish off bed...but took 30 mins to catch...) the other 2 were from a honeyhole Rock showed me...2nd fish is 3# and 3rd fish is solid 4#......freakin huge fish live there....the 4th pic is from a naperville pond..easy 3# fish..Rock's other honeyhole...during spawn but this fish was caught not on bed...Nice Fish Mike!

[AtitAgain07]

here are some of Paul's catches.....this was one of those "Last Cast" deals....pre-spawn in Lisle....the 2nd pic is a post-spawn bass right were they should be...solid 2.5# buzz bait fish in Lisle...3rd is a solid 3.75 fish out of naperville...tube....Paul has close to 60# this year....Good Job learning fundamentals Bro!

[AtitAgain07]

Here are some of me decent fishes.........1st one is 4.5# that must have been spawned out..I caught her in postspawn location...and never saw a bed that she was on...jig/pig...out of Rock's honeyhole..this 2nd pic is same pond and another 4.5# fish off jig/craw....3rd pic is my biggest bass that I landed this year...5.5...take a guess what I caught it off of(lure).......that's right jig/craw....again Rock's honeyhole......

[Rock_Strongo]

The picture of that 5.5# doesn't do it any justice. That fish was BIG. I'm a terrible photographer.

[Rock_Strongo]

Those are my fish, I've caught one 4# B4, but it hasn't been till now that I'll leave a spot thinkin' " Man, Only one two pounder, man that sux." These local ponds are not to be F***'d with. The largest fish I have ever caught had to be 4-41/2# out of a local pond. The one 4# you see pictured here was taken off a bed, but we were super gentle with her, and I'm sure she'll be there to spawn again. Steve pulled a 5.5# out the same pond. Don't know if she was bedding, but I know she was frickin' HUGE. (also treated with the utmost of care.) Anyway, it makes me wonder how many other local ponds in the Du-Page area are brimming with super deso fish.:eek:

[mad craw 77]

The picture of that 5.5# doesn't do it any justice. That fish was BIG. I'm a terrible photographer.
it looks fine to me nice fish guys!

[AtitAgain07]

Here ya go Mike! Congrats!!!!

[mad craw 77]

thats it, im free this weekend guys where you takin me?:D

[AtitAgain07]

Here is another nice fish Mike caught....3.75 lbs.

[Denea]

All are great looking fish, and some nice holes you have there.

[AtitAgain07]

Thanks D! The one thats the smallest has really produced some heavy fish and average 2# is common...and its a public pond! I gotta send a belated shout out to rock_strongo......we went out on his b-day and he whooped my butt. 6-0 was the score....he is king of this small pond and I had pics and 1 video...but I didnt have my memory card in and lost all those pics to the accident in Eagle River....Sorry Mike!!!! but here is another 3.5lb bass caught by mike. i'll let him fill in the details.

[Rock_Strongo]

Hell yeah that is my 3.5lber. Again it hit like a damn bluegill. I Barely even felt it. The only way I really knew it was a bass was that my line went slack really fast. set it, and when it jumped I was sure it was a 4lber. Had a little bit of a landing hassle, but I managed. I brought by Atitagain and he coulda sworn it was a 4lb too. Didn't weigh that way, but still definitely a decent fish. Caught it on a red and black senko in the back cove of the pond in about a foot of water.:cool:

[thereal006]

Here is another nice fish Mike caught....3.75 lbs.


Haha, I think my friend caught the exact same fish out of there. Same spot and time of day (so it seems). I fished that place for 2 hours with nothing...

[AtitAgain07]

Hear ya 006...Mike has the touch there...Many times he ends up whoopin me. Here are a couple more from that pond....mine was a 3# bass and Mike's is a 3.5# bass.

[AtitAgain07]

Well Max and I hooked up for a LONG day of fishin....sun up to sundown and it started a lil shaky.....first the huge storm hit so we went and grabbed breakfast. Our first spot we got a couple decent fish...then we went to Naperville. Max caught 3 fish in matter of 15 mins. We were fishing holes in slop. then for the most part the action died....right about when a second front blew through we started to nail them again...we caught 30-40 apiece all around 14"-17" long. Here are a couple samples of what we caught...(max's being the biggest 2 around 3 lbs)...sorry max I looked up that photohosting site and couldn't get on....so they are just attachments for now...Good Fishing today Max!!!! Can't wait to get the whole crew out there!!!!!!!!!! The first pic is a solid 2.5 lb bass...second is a 3 lb fish and the last is a beautiful 3.25 lb bass. All three were caught on 3 different ponds. I will let Max tell his own "fish" stories!!!!

[maxfish86]

lets just say all 3 ponds we fished were exceptional.. Those 2 ponds in naperville were awesome we slaughtered them there. I won't go into too many details for mike's and steve's sake but i guess we'll find out on sunday eh?

[winnebasschamp]

Nice fish guys!

[thereal006]

Today is probably one of the happiest days of... this summer at least :D

First off, props too Rock_Strongo for discovering this honey hole and sharing it. Also big thanks to AtItAgain for bringing me to this place, showing me what to look for, and really giving me a ton of great tips, and showing me how to work these weedy waters. And finally thanks to maxfish86, because I caught this baby a day after, and in basically the exact same spot as Max :D.

For those of you who don't want to hear my life story, go to the last paragraph with all the stats and pics

This 'Monster' 4 lb. 19 inch bass is so far the biggest bass I've ever caught. And its almost twice the weight of my previous record. We started the evening off in a different pond, at 6 PM. We caught some small bass, (one on the fly rod) and a slew of crappie and small to big bluegill, and some great looking warmouth. I was having a very hard time with plastics, and spinners weren't catching anything over 1 lb (A normal sized bluegill bit and hooked itself in the top lip of a normal sized spinnerbait.... seriously. But the fly rod was attracting the gills and crappie very easily, and when I caught a bass on it, I decided I wanted to go to something closer to the top, not the bottom. I wasn't feeling the buzz bait, and there were some shadows far out by an island, so I needed something big. I switched to a lure that Ive never caught a fish on, and I only bought it off of a recommendation from a guy at my work. I always thought it was 'too big' for smaller bass, and too rowdy for small ponds. I put my Zara Spook on, and threw that heavy sucker as far as I could, along the island, at least 45 feet away, I started walking the dog and within a few seconds, the surface went into uproar as a very nice healthy 2 pound bass devoured the log with hooks. We got it up on shore, took some pics, and put it back into the water. At this point, I had already caught my big fish for the day. On my third cast, BAM! Huge explosion and a little 1lb 4ozer on the line.
At this point, my friend began to get curious. After a few more caught another one (he was bleeding horribly from the gill, and he only fought for the first couple of feet. We took the hooks out, and my buddy assured me he would be fine, he revived him for a few seconds, and I was amazed how fast the blood clodded on this healthy guy, then he swam off just fine) We moved to the other pond, I got all set up to work an area that I saw maxfish86 catch his monster out of the day before. I threw the first cast, and halfway back to shore, and about 15 feet from the weeds, BAM, SPLASH, even a klupunk. The kind of stuff I see on Fishing with Roland Martin. Immediately my drag went wild (and it had not gone out with any of the other fish, at all) Pat said that thing looks big, and I said 'Your telling me" as I started to reel it in and it began to fight, I called Pat (a.k.a. Grizzly Adams, he'll pull a 4 foot muskie out of the water with his bear hands) over for help, he replied 'Dont worry, Grizzly's comin!". I dragged this beast through the weeds, slowly because I didn't want to loose it, but quickly because i didn't want to choke it. Grilly lifted the 20 pound prize (and 16 pounds of weeds) and right away his eyes lite up and he raced it to higher ground. I saw the fish and went crazy. Ive had a horrible year of fishing, and last year I didn't get anything amazing, so I had been waiting for this moment for a LONG time. This catch meant a lot to me, more then I can explain without sounding like a creep :D .

ANYWAY, she was a hair under 4 pounds, but I know my scale is off about 4 - 8 ounces at any given time, QUIK TIP: Rapala Digital Scale = Junk. It was measured very quickly at 19 inchs, because I wanted to revive it very soon. Caught on my first cast in a second pond at 7PM, on a Zara Spook chrome, thrown all the way out, and walked the dog pretty fast over what I believed to be a weed bed.

For some reason the pictures seem way off, Im sure everyone has experienced this, and knows how it feels to catch a big ass fish and have it show up smaller on the camera, so im not worried about it..

This is my biggest bass ever, and I really was waiting for this one. Sorry if Im a little too excited, lol.

[mad craw 77]

nice job max. I love that dawg bait! even though I have only caught 2 fish on it all year i just cant stop using it!

[thereal006]

Thanks, that bait is pretty rowdy, and it really causes some crazy strikes!

Cant get over how bad that picture turned out... I was in a rush to get it back in the water, so we didnt line it up right... Oh well, at least I know how it looked :)

[Rock_Strongo]

Great job Max! And to think, just the day before, you were tellin' me how you hadn't caught any big fish before. That Nape pond is no joke right? Defifnitely a good place to practice with different lures and get the feel for 'em. (Mainly because there's so many friggin' fish in there) And like I said, once you got that confidence you're made in the shade brotha'! Congrats!

[AtitAgain07]

Nice F-ing Bass Max!!!!! Mike and I appreciate the props...but only you caught the fish!!!! That is why I love this site...We can all come together and teach each others something and you better believe I am pulling out my zaras next time I am there....Good Job and I am making ya an Honorary Mass Basster..d..... today!!!!!!!!!

[thereal006]

Thanks Steve, but I already hold the title of Master Baiter. Yeah man, I definently showed up there with more confidence, and the spook was a lure I wouldnt use unless Iw as feelin something, so I'm glad I went on a limb and threw the log out there. Thanks again for the tips and the spot guys, it was a blast and hopefully I'll be posting some more up soon (after Steve teaches me how to take good pictures!)

[maxfish86]

well steve i didn't see you put that pic up or al was the one that took it so i found the pic here it is the 4lb 19 in bass i caught that day

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t19/alguapo/july%2013th/2008-07-1312-30-46_0003.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t19/alguapo/july%2013th/2008-07-1312-30-26_0002.jpg

[thereal006]

#1 Lemont Road and 101st street. Hit this SMALL 'pond' if your ever down there. BIG warmouth, these very healthy bluegill, and the occasional crappie will destroy rooster tails and fly baits all day long.

#2 'The Spot' in Naperville. Started the day with a 3.5 lb 17 incher. He was a fat guy, gulped down a Zara spook, shad flake. Caught this on the lures second voyage onto the water.

#3 First channel cat I've caught, and it was on a plastic gulp worm texas rig. I thought it was a bass until I pulled it up and it started croakin. What a fight!

#4The Cat

#5 Same place as the cat, on the plastic worm.

#6 My buddies first good bass, almost 3 lb. Zara Puppy (small version of the spook) Firetiger. He was catching ones close to this big all morning, I convinced him to try a spook, and he loves um now.

#7 First bass on a Lizard.

#8 First bass on a Buzzbait. Boohyah Pond buzz.

#9 International Parkway and Lemont road. This one would be good for the fish tank. Last year this place had amazing crappie that would hammer rooster tails, this year so far just small bluegill and these baby bass.

[AtitAgain07]

I see you have been catching some!!! Nice one!...(I got a big laugh at the last pic!!!!)

[AtitAgain07]

Max and I went out for a "quick fish" session in Lisle. These are public ponds. We ended up hitting 5 ponds and caught fish in all of them.( 1-2lbs) Here is the finisher...Both fish were a solid 3# or slightly better. Here is Max's in 3' of water. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0426.jpg Then right as we were leaving I decide to fish this culvert that was pushing its normal water. A classic bass spot. It had a rare moss covering so I threw a frog right on the edges...This fish popped through 3 times before it finally swallowed my frog. Again another 3# fish. Good fishing w/ ya Max! http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0428.jpg

[maxfish86]

wow i look stoned in that picture or something well i was tired but yea that was an interesting day we'll have to take al and tracy over there sometime they'll have a blast

[mad craw 77]

wow you guys both look stoned!:D sorry i haven't been available but I threw out my back this past weekend fishing deep lake. I was working the push pole when it happened:mad: i went out with tommy, his son, and tracey last night I didn't spend a lot of time casting since my back was all out of wack! hopefully it will get better in time for the weekend:cool:

[maxfish86]

steve and i have been talking about going there what's you're opinion alex? anyways i can go early we can go park by taco bell and walk across that way we dont' have to walk so damn far and umm i have to work at 3 so i'll have to stop fishing around 1 ish. the earlier the better for me. I'm sure steve doesn't mind about waking up early either. give me a call alex

[AtitAgain07]

I caught all these fish on a Jig'N'Craw. 3/8-1/2oz. Most hit on the fall while I was working weed edges in 2'-8' of water. This fish was right at 3.5# out of a small public pond. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0431.jpg Here is another one that hit my jig right after I pulled across some wood! http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0432.jpg Same pond produced this fish to my suprise. Hit Like a Mack truck! http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0438.jpg Here is a H. Lake bass right at 3# Came off deep water cover and hit on fall! I ended up catching 4 decent fish off same cover then another 6 fishing slop/wood that day. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0435.jpg It has been a lil slow at most waters. I have had to slow presentations down almost to a crawl.

[junior13]

Thanks for the invite guys, glad to be a member, see ya at the spot.

[AtitAgain07]

We went out to Lisle Ponds...(max alex mike and I,)and here is a nice 2.5# fish Mike caught.... http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0454.jpg I had caught one 3# and couple smaller fish...Max caught couple along w/ Alex w/ a nice 3# that I don't have a pic of...it was a slower then normal day...but we all scratched out a couple decent bass.

[AtitAgain07]

Mike Junior13 and I were fishing out in one of our close to home ponds and I pitched pigncraw into a mess of wood/reeds.....(2" off shoreline) when I saw the line slowly move sideways....I set the hook on this 4# bass. I caught couple others one around 1.5# and another 2.5# but it was still a slow day for Mike and I. Junior13 caught a beauty...5# fish which I will let him post up...Nice one JR! http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0458.jpg

[AtitAgain07]

Finally some excellent fishing! (Excluding the fish tank in Naper). It has been a rough week, catching only couple fish here and there and not really being able to put them on a solid pattern. Today was different. I started out at dawn in Lisle and right off the bat started cathing 14" bass. They were basically hitting anything in the general area. here is a decent 3# bass that hit my jig on the fall.It was hanging out close to some willow branches that were in about 3' of water. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0461.jpg I caught 6 fish that were 2-2.5#. The rest I sorta lost count at a dozen. I ended up taking a tour of all my old ponds and caught 4 more 2-3# fish. I did lose one that never came up to surface and I had her about 10' from my grasp when she came unbuttoned. I guesstimate her at 4+#. Today's pattern was simple....HIT ALL SHADED AREAS CONTAINING WOOD! Here is another decent 3# fish that came from under a tree. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0462.jpg I fished till around noon and plan on hitting my bigfish ponds in Lisle this evening.

[AtitAgain07]

Ok here is the evening report....Mike and I went out to Drained Lake. We were fishing the ledges looking for some suspending bass....first ledge is in about 3' of water and drop down to around 7'. Then second ledge goes from around 7' to 20'. I was casting out onto the second ledge and had fish hit bait on fall. I usually do a countdown so I could figure out the strike zone. I missed first bite and then four casts later caught this nice 3.5# fish. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0466.jpg Then Mike (working same area) had this fish hit around the first ledge. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0468.jpg It was just under 3#. We didn't catch near as many as I thought we would have...considering earlier in the day it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Mike got another 3# but I was already half way around the lake so we couldn't take a pick. I had something hit it that I never saw...I sorta presume it was a huge catfish judging by the fight. Then I finished the evening off w/ another 3#. Caught off first ledge just as dusk gave way to night.

[AtitAgain07]

Seeing how the water temps are dropping some, I was eager to get out to Boulder Lake. I was fishing a jigncraw when I saw this bass blow up on edge of some slop....I gently pitched my bait and INSTANTLY saw my line jump! It was a solid 3# fish. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0469.jpg After a bit I picked up my topwater bait...chrome chug-bug....and started fishing the 3'-6' areas along shore when this fish killed my bait! It came completely out of water as soon as I paused it and landed right on the chug-bug. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0470.jpg Then I started fishing this flat in 3' of water working my favorite bait. Jig'n'craw. I was working a piece off wood when I felt this one swallow the bait. I had to cut my hook in order to preserve the fish. I decided that losing $4 was better then killing this 4# beauty! http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0473.jpg I am not sure what the water temp is at...but my guess is around 70-75 degrees. Maybe some of you boaters could tell me what you have been getting for water temp.

[maxfish86]

its nice to see i'm not the only one catching fish today. we'll definitely have to meet up in the next couple days and get back into fishn again. Give me a call and let me know whats going on. and why haven't you shown me these lakes yet whats going on.. you holding out on me ?

[AtitAgain07]

My brother and I went out to our huge fish tank and did a little better today. The fish have acclimated(or so it seems) to the dropping water temps/major cold front. They were found near what little was left of the summer weedbeds, next to drop offs. Most fish were caught on rattlin' rap and wanted a SLOW STEADY retrieve. I mean as slow as you could go without it falling into the muck and no movement in rod. Boring retrieve is what I call it but it was only one that seemed to get them to bite. Our picture fish are barely pushing 3 lbs. We caught a dozen others in 10"-15" range.
http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0573.jpghttp://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0574.jpg

[AtitAgain07]

All year the F.T.N. crew has been trying to catch a 5lb+ bass out of our little honey hole.....I finally accomplished it today! I was fishing a shallow cove, 1-3' of water, and had a moderate wind blowing in to this cove. Again I was fishing SLOW w/ a rattlin' rap and landed this beauty...just a 1/4lb off my biggest for the year. This hog weighed in at 5.25lbs! The pic doesn't do justice but I was stretching my arm as for as humanly possible.
http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0575.jpg
The fishing definitely has picked up in last couple days..Getting better each day. I caught 20 or so fish but have 2 more picture worthy. They are solid 3lbers and were caught off old weedbeds...(whats left that is).
http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0578.jpg
http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0576.jpg
Let's see if I can pull it off tomorrow because they were very picky on the retrieval and it took two different specific retrieves in order to get them to bite.

[AtitAgain07]

I was out for a couple hours today...My goal was to get a decent bass so I could show off F.T.N. shirt! I will get a better pic by this weekend. This bass was 3lbs and caught the same way that I have been getting them. SLOW rolling rattle trap.
http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0581.jpg

[jaypee the hhf]

NICE fish!

[rootpro6]

dude thats a beastttttttt!!!!!!

[AtitAgain07]

Thanks guys....It was caught at the F.T.N. Pond.....Tons in there..but ya gotta know secret handshake...:)

[maxfish86]

steve.... that's awesome you finally got the 5lber... that we've been looking for. nice job dude!!

[thereal006]

Nice fish Steve! Are you gonna be atitagain this weekend?

Either way I'll be callin ya.

[AtitAgain07]

I went out to a pond I haven't been to since summer. In spring we caught a lot of 2-4 lb bass w/ 4 over 5lbs. It was 32' air temp and pretty
sure the surface temp is around 36-40 degrees. With guides icing up, even with reel magic sprayed on them, snow flurries, and frozing
finger tips...I managed to catch couple bass and couple northern pike. I lost my fav yozuri rattlin vibe and picked up a strike king redeye
rattlin something or other. I love these baits! The feel is far superior to rattlin' raps and allows me to tell exactly what is going on with
the bait underwater. The first couple bass were only 12-14" but landed one that was 2.5 lbs.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0579-1-1.jpg


Then I moved out to a deeper, gradual slope, about 7' deep. I was working the bait slow- med. retrieve when I got whacked! The pole
almost slid out of my gloved left hand and into the water! My heart rate immediately picked up and the fight was on! I pretty much
ruled out a big catfish by the way it was shaking its head and figured it was a monster bass. It finally came to surface and almost looked
like a huge 7 lb walleye. (Rumor has it that walleyes are there too). Once I got it in a bit I could finally see what I hooked into...a nice Northern
Pike. It took a bit to grab it since the bank was couple feet above the water but I luckily got a hold of it with out going in. I measured it against
my pole and later found out it was a 34" pike. Here is two pics of same fish.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0580-2-2.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0581-1-2.jpg

The pics sorta stink but I was in a hurry to get this beauty back in the water. I am glad to see good size pike in this little 1/2 acre pond and
it probably explains why the pond is such a nice and well balanced fishery. I will be going out today to see if we can't hook into couple more
nice bass/pike before the ponds start freezing over!

[fishkid]

thats a HUGE head on that pike. for sure it musta been atlaest 34inches! nice fish STEVE!!

[AtitAgain07]

Thanks Creighton..Not sure what it weighed but my guesstimate would be around 8-9lbs.

[AtitAgain07]

My brother and I went out to a couple different local ponds. We fished for couple hours and only landed 2 bass. Again using rattlin' type bait and
working it on a drop off that went from about 3' of water to 9' or so. It was a solid 3lbs and engulfed the lure.


http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0583-1.jpg

There were a couple other hooked fish but even though we gingerly were bringing them in...they managed to get the best of us today.
The ponds have started to form ice in shallow coves where the sun does not get to them.

[paul]

Got this 3lb bass with a one ounce rattletrap. Fishing for pike but I'll take it!


http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/100_0582-1.jpg

[bucketmouth4]

Great job guys. That pike is a pig!!!!!!

[AtitAgain07]

Thanks bucketmouth....we have been out past couple days with no pike results but have still been getting some bass here and there.

[AtitAgain07]

Well with all the ice my brother and I went out and hit some ponds that had little pockets of open water. We only could get out for a little bit but we managed to get our "fix" at least for another 24 hours. :) We caught some smaller crappies(7-9") and couple bass. Here is a couple late fall bass.

This was only 14" but a fun fight on ultra light rods with 6# test.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/Fish%20pics/100_0685.jpg

My bass came off slip bobber and minnow. It weighed just under 3lbs.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k465/fishthenation/Fish%20pics/100_0686.jpg


I can't wait to get out ice fishing soon.