If Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 lakes, then Maine is the Land of 10,000 ponds, for they don't call their lake lakes. They call them ponds and they abound.

I fished one this afternoon, from 4:30 to 6:45. Why did I leave right before the great evening bite? Well, I forgot my tackle box, so I only had the two lures on my rods, one a #3 Mepps with a brass blade and the other one of Mike's Z-Man's. I caught a mix of 24 smallmouth and largemouth and they liked both lures. I found it comparable to fishing a Crown Land lake in Ontario, as two of the bass were 19" and I lost others that big or bigger. I had a hard time setting the hook because I was using stretchy 6 lb. mono and a couple rods without backbone and my right wrist was a little strained before I began, so my weak hook sets hurt..

Still, I have big time bass thumb and it sure was fun. There were loons and Canada geese and piney shorelines. I think a chain pickerel cut my line on the first lost lure and the second simply snapped on a hook set.

No pics, but I'll get some next time!

Sounds like you had fun. I love Maine; and bass thumb.

PeaceFrog: "Sounds like you had fun. I love Maine; and bass thumb."

It made me a little sad because when I was a kid, my brothers and I would strap our fiberglass poles to our bikes and fish farm ponds. I used a Zebco 606 with 14-pound line, but that reel's drag was so crappy that I lost nearly big bass I ever hooked. At the time, I considered a 17-inch fish to be big. Today, the cut-off is 19 inches, a number that was beyond my ken when I was wee.

I wish I could toss my fishing gear and those two 19-inch bass, as well as yesterday's 17 and 18-inchers, back in time. My fishing outfits would land on the bank of a farm pond and those bass would land neatly in the water. Oh, my 14-year old self would be so happy.

missmolly: "

PeaceFrog: "Sounds like you had fun. I love Maine; and bass thumb."

It made me a little sad because when I was a kid, my brothers and I would strap our fiberglass poles to our bikes and fish farm ponds. I used a Zebco 606 with 14-pound line, but that reel's drag was so crappy that I lost nearly big bass I ever hooked. At the time, I considered a 17-inch fish to be big. Today, the cut-off is 19 inches, a number that was beyond my ken when I was wee.


I wish I could toss my fishing gear and those two 19-inch bass, as well as yesterday's 17 and 18-inchers, back in time. My fishing outfits would land on the bank of a farm pond and those bass would land neatly in the water. Oh, my 14-year old self would be so happy."

No doubt miss only. Grew up fishing farm ponds with my dads old Zebco getting bass thumb. I wish I knew how to fish back then like I do now. We used to throw everything at them; just being kids I guess. I would also catch bull frogs in the summer. Pinch off the barb on an old bettle spin and dance it around in the air in front of them and they slam it. too much fun!

Wow that's a lotta bass. Maine sounds like a really cool place to be.

scat: "Wow that's a lotta bass. Maine sounds like a really cool place to be."

It's a lot like Wisconsin and Minnesota. More trees. Far fewer farms. Same latitude. Lots of white pines and loons, just like MN and WI. An ocean instead of Great Lakes.

I'm going to fish a couple other area ponds in the next week or two. I'll let you know how that goes.

Ya - stop being a crown land snob and stay local! Just kidding. I live in Lake Villa, Il, a far north ‘suburb’ of Chicago, and we are blessed with many ponds around here to catch bass and panfish mostly. My lake right down the street, Cedar Lake, is a jewel. It’s spring fed, the highest lake in the system and the county, so super clean and clear with a beautiful beach. I have figured out it’s easier to portage there than load the boat on my truck, tie it down, drive there, park the truck, untie it, unload it, park the the truck blah blah. If I put the boat on my shoulders with a pack I walk up to the lake plop it in the water and go. Cars are overrated. Motors are overrated, manpower will never let you down. (woman power if applicable haha). Let’s have a great summer!

As always, Cheers, scat

That Cedar Lake sounds great, Scat. What do you catch there?

I'm going fishing again this Friday afternoon and evening. I won't forget my tackle box this time, so I'll be able to fish into the golden hour. I'm trying a new pond and this is also quite close to my house. I'll let you know how it goes. I charged my camera, so I'll get pics this time and I'm hoping for more 19-inchers!

Mostly guys like this. There has to be big bass in Cedar Lake but I haven’t figured out yet where they lurk. It is a very clear lake, a puzzle worth pursuing. One of these days!

missmolly: "

PeaceFrog: "Sounds like you had fun. I love Maine; and bass thumb."

It made me a little sad because when I was a kid, my brothers and I would strap our fiberglass poles to our bikes and fish farm ponds. I used a Zebco 606 with 14-pound line, but that reel's drag was so crappy that I lost nearly big bass I ever hooked. At the time, I considered a 17-inch fish to be big. Today, the cut-off is 19 inches, a number that was beyond my ken when I was wee.


I wish I could toss my fishing gear and those two 19-inch bass, as well as yesterday's 17 and 18-inchers, back in time. My fishing outfits would land on the bank of a farm pond and those bass would land neatly in the water. Oh, my 14-year old self would be so happy."

"Beyond my ken when I was wee", Ere you Scottish or maybe a wee bit Irrrish? Or maybe you have been watching Outlander.

PeaceFrog: "

missmolly: "

PeaceFrog: "Sounds like you had fun. I love Maine; and bass thumb."

It made me a little sad because when I was a kid, my brothers and I would strap our fiberglass poles to our bikes and fish farm ponds. I used a Zebco 606 with 14-pound line, but that reel's drag was so crappy that I lost nearly big bass I ever hooked. At the time, I considered a 17-inch fish to be big. Today, the cut-off is 19 inches, a number that was beyond my ken when I was wee.



I wish I could toss my fishing gear and those two 19-inch bass, as well as yesterday's 17 and 18-inchers, back in time. My fishing outfits would land on the bank of a farm pond and those bass would land neatly in the water. Oh, my 14-year old self would be so happy."

No doubt miss only. Grew up fishing farm ponds with my dads old Zebco getting bass thumb. I wish I knew how to fish back then like I do now. We used to throw everything at them; just being kids I guess. I would also catch bull frogs in the summer. Pinch off the barb on an old bettle spin and dance it around in the air in front of them and they slam it. too much fun!"

missmolly: "If Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 lakes, then Maine is the Land of 10,000 ponds, for they don't call their lake lakes. They call them ponds and they abound.

I fished one this afternoon, from 4:30 to 6:45. Why did I leave right before the great evening bite? Well, I forgot my tackle box, so I only had the two lures on my rods, one a #3 Mepps with a brass blade and the other one of Mike's Z-Man's. I caught a mix of 24 smallmouth and largemouth and they liked both lures. I found it comparable to fishing a Crown Land lake in Ontario, as two of the bass were 19" and I lost others that big or bigger. I had a hard time setting the hook because I was using stretchy 6 lb. mono and a couple rods without backbone and my right wrist was a little strained before I began, so my weak hook sets hurt..

Still, I have big time bass thumb and it sure was fun. There were loons and Canada geese and piney shorelines. I think a chain pickerel cut my line on the first lost lure and the second simply snapped on a hook set.

No pics, but I'll get some next time!"

Funny you should mention bass thumb. At the end of a trip Lyonty & I check out our thumbs to see how good the bass fishing was.

I read an article once that stated more fish and more trophy fish are caught on a Zebco 202 then any other reel.

Captn Tony: "

PeaceFrog: "

missmolly: "

PeaceFrog: "Sounds like you had fun. I love Maine; and bass thumb."

It made me a little sad because when I was a kid, my brothers and I would strap our fiberglass poles to our bikes and fish farm ponds. I used a Zebco 606 with 14-pound line, but that reel's drag was so crappy that I lost nearly big bass I ever hooked. At the time, I considered a 17-inch fish to be big. Today, the cut-off is 19 inches, a number that was beyond my ken when I was wee.



I wish I could toss my fishing gear and those two 19-inch bass, as well as yesterday's 17 and 18-inchers, back in time. My fishing outfits would land on the bank of a farm pond and those bass would land neatly in the water. Oh, my 14-year old self would be so happy."

No doubt miss only. Grew up fishing farm ponds with my dads old Zebco getting bass thumb. I wish I knew how to fish back then like I do now. We used to throw everything at them; just being kids I guess. I would also catch bull frogs in the summer. Pinch off the barb on an old bettle spin and dance it around in the air in front of them and they slam it. too much fun!" "

Sorry double post

Captn Tony: "

missmolly: "

PeaceFrog: "Sounds like you had fun. I love Maine; and bass thumb."

It made me a little sad because when I was a kid, my brothers and I would strap our fiberglass poles to our bikes and fish farm ponds. I used a Zebco 606 with 14-pound line, but that reel's drag was so crappy that I lost nearly big bass I ever hooked. At the time, I considered a 17-inch fish to be big. Today, the cut-off is 19 inches, a number that was beyond my ken when I was wee.



I wish I could toss my fishing gear and those two 19-inch bass, as well as yesterday's 17 and 18-inchers, back in time. My fishing outfits would land on the bank of a farm pond and those bass would land neatly in the water. Oh, my 14-year old self would be so happy."

"Beyond my ken when I was wee", Ere you Scottish or maybe a wee bit Irrrish? Or maybe you have been watching Outlander."

D. All of the above. I am Scottish. I am Irish. I have been watching "Outlander."

Captn Tony: "I read an article once that stated more fish and more trophy fish are caught on a Zebco 202 then any other reel."

That's probably true, even though their drag feels like a Great White chewing gravel.

I went fishing again last night to a different lake.

The good: Owls. Loons. No houses on the pond. Ducklings. Frogs.

The bad: Shallow pond. Only three fish! Lost the only big one I hooked.