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6 lb 12 1/4 oz Hawg!

57K views 267 replies 19 participants last post by  truthdweller 
#1 · (Edited)
Absecon, NJ
March 19, 2017
Time: 18:15
Outside Temp: 50F
Water Depth: ~24" - 36"
8lb Fluorocarbon
68" Fiberglass spinning rod/reel




 
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#32 · (Edited)
On vacation in Romeoville, Illinois...

Backyard of Uncles house, who has lived here twelve years, and didn't know these populated the pond:




One of two caught in the rain at Renwick Nature Reserve:



 
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#38 · (Edited)
She's still out there, probably FAT with eggs now too so, get out there and catch her. She has to be over seven pounds now!
 
#40 · (Edited)
More BASS





 
#41 · (Edited)
I believe I caught six BASS today on senkos , and one catfish on my new Bomber Model 4A Crankbait:

 
#43 · (Edited)
Yep...

End of the day at sundown, getting dark, and still hadn't caught any BASS on the lure. So, I tried again at a spot I was successful at earlier in the day, but open water, figuring BASS would be off bed feeding when, BAM! "Finally!" I thought. By the way it was fighting, I could swear it was a BASS, albeit a smaller one but, to my surprise, a catfish with part of a plastic bag attached. I had a heck of a time removing the treble too, and made him bleed pretty good.

BTW, what's up with plastic bags and catfish? I've caught a catfish on a Rapala Crankbait with a plastic bag attached before as well...:confused:
 
#44 · (Edited)
FYI: As shallow as Heritage Pond is (average), I don't pass ANY potential BASS beds up anymore. It doesn't matter how shallow it is, even 6", I cast into any spot that I think a BASS would choose to hang out. Until recent, I've always walked past the "too shallow" spots. But now, the more time I spend there and stand in the shallow waters, the more the potential spots are opening up, and the more BASS I'm catching! I've had BASS splash my feet then swim away in <6" of water after seeing me approach along the shore.
 
#45 · (Edited)
Question:

I bit on the fluorocarbon sales pitch back in 2015 and haven't used anything else since. I've been winding my own spinning reels but always seem to have an initial problem with backlash for the first three or four casts, until the line conforms to the shape of the reels spool. I'm filling the spool to about to the 3/4 mark, applying gentle pressure by pinching the line between my thumb and forefinger. The last few days have been a DISASTER for me, not to mention getting hung up on EVERYTHING! I use mostly 8lb Vanish but recently recently using red label Seagar. Is there something Im doing wrong or anything suggestions out there?
 
#47 ·
Help!

Im in a slump right now. It's almost as if I don't know how to fish anymore. My casting is off, I'm getting hung up on everything, I can't keep the line untangled on my reel, and the fish are not there anymore. This sucks! I need to get things done around the house anyways... smh... :(
 
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#48 · (Edited)
In the dog house on your anniversary does it every time...back out on the water seeking "tight lines."

I arrive on the north side of the pond and immediately hear my name, "GARY!" from across the opposite side. When I look up, I see a guy holding up a fish as high as he can, but I can't tell who it is. When I focus a bit harder I can see that its a good sized HAWG.

"You have a scale?" I yell back.
"No," he responds.
"I'll be right there," as I begin to run.

About half way through the good 600 yds, my legs just stop working, and I'm just flat out winded! I push as hard as I can, knowing he has a fish out of water, literally! I finally turn the corner and there stands Rob, a guy I met at Birch Grove in Northfield about a month ago. Once I told him about the near seven pounder at Heritage, he's been hooked.

So, I drop my poles and break out the scale. Rob mounts the fish and I see "4._" on the screen as it spins out of view and errors. After zeroing the scale and rehanging the fish, "3 lbs. 15 3/8 oz. beeps on the screen. Rob'll settle for a four pounder!

 
#49 · (Edited)
Rob ended up with six BASS and a catfish... I caught two small Bass:



 
#50 · (Edited)
Bass aren't the only thing multiplying out at Heritage Pond:

 
#51 · (Edited)
Heritage Pond, Absecon, NJ. 2016

 
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#52 · (Edited)
Pig!

 
#53 · (Edited)
 
#54 · (Edited)
A poor position for the camera but it captures my first catch on a drop-shot:

 
#58 · (Edited)
Do you ever catch any of the stocked Trout?


I
tell people who ask the same at Heritage, "I don't even know how to catch a trout," lol! I've never caught anything other than LMB and catfish. A local took me out to Lily once so I know where it is. What store is yours? I'll have to stop in and say hello. Btw, what is HOF?
 
#59 ·


I
tell people who ask the same at Heritage, "I don't even know how to catch a trout," lol! I've never caught anything other than LMB and catfish. A local took me out to Lily once so I know where it is. What store is yours? I'll have to stop in and say hello. Btw, what is HOF?
Right on the corner of Rt. 9 and Lily Lake rd..Seafarer Shop LTD , If you see a Silverado pickup in the lot I will be there,,,stop anytime always avail to talk fishing...lol

HOF.. hooked on fishing not drugs held every May at Patriot Lake

Joe R.
21 SeaCraft
Susie 2
 
#62 · (Edited)
Lol, we must have been posting around the same time! HOF seems to be the source of the Perch. Per the PW employee I mentioned, the Grass Carp were originally put there to eat the grass that was over populating the pond in the past, and causing a foul odor when it would decay on the banks. Unfortunately, the Carp ate nearly all the grass causing the lack of oxygenation that the pond has been, and continues to experience problems with to this day. The fish were electroshocked on a few occasions to rid the pond of the Carp, but a few still remain. I was actually geared up with corn today to try and catch one, lol, but to no avail. I produced two catfish instead, and five BASS!
 
#63 · (Edited)
#65 · (Edited)
Something else to add today...

At the end of the afternoon, about 1730, I was surprised to catch an adolescent bass on a 6" watermelon worm. He was about 6" in length so I decided to keep him hooked (upper palate, coming out near the eye) and use him to bait the HAWG, wherever she was hiding!

I didn't have anything to keep it alive in so, I kept him hooked in the water and walked around the pond, like a dog on a leash, lol! When I came to cover to navigate around, I took it out of the water and put him back in once I cleared the obstacle.

We'll, I came to, what I figured, was the first deeper spot a HAWG would be hiding, released the bail, took the bass in the other hand, and chucked him out. I reeled in slack, felt the faint action of the fish but, he dove for the nearest cover (a known rats nest of debris and fishing line) and got hung up..."darn it Jim!" Needless to say, that was the end of my session, smh.
 
#68 · (Edited)
I can tell you that, at the end of this winter, before I caught the near seven pound BASS, I found a dead Carp at the island end of the pond that was near 24". I posted about it in the http://www.thebassbarn.com/forum/10-freshwater-forum/853026-carp.html thread. I'm still trying to experience my first Carp rodeo. I've seen them pretty much everywhere around the pond at one time or another.
 
#70 ·
 
#72 · (Edited)
#73 · (Edited)
I just posted this on the http://www.thebassbarn.com/forum/10-freshwater-forum/864210-clean-up.html thread but figured I'd post it here too to reach a bigger crowd:

"Not bragging, but as an outsider (west coast) and brand new to BASS fishing (2015) with WAY too much time on my hands, without exaggerating I've hauled out over 100 lbs of trash, on shore & in the water, from Heritage Pond in Absecon, NJ. It would be, and sometimes still is, easy to become jaded at the pigs that caused this. But now, that attitude has decreased (note I didn't say eliminated) considerably, and it is now a habit to bring a plastic shopping bag as part of my gear. To this day I can still find trash to pick up, albeit small pieces now, but if you walk the shoreline and pay close attention to detail, the pond is pristine, in and out of the water. Again, I'm not bragging, but I spend SO much time out there that I want to keep it that way for ME to fish.

Last year, soon after trout stocking, the "bucket brigade" showed up by the flag pole and started their annual harvest. I came walking by, behind them, and noted sandwich baggies and hotdog wrappers floating on the shoreline right in front of their poles as they soaked. I put my pride in my pocket and asked, "Excuse me, may I?" One guy responded, "Sure," as I reached down to put their plastic in my bag. As I walked on my way I overheard someone say, "Who was that guy?" As far as I'm concerned, it's MY pond and I want to keep it clean. Sorry, but that's just me.

Like I said, I cop an attitude still, but realizing humans aren't going to change, I accept it, and pick up after them... INCLUDING bags of dog crap that the owners are at least responsible enough to scoop up and bag after their canines, then throw over the wood railing and THWAP, land near next to me as I'm threading a hook down below. Condoms, tampons, shoes, shirts, panties, and plenty of free gear have made the list. Again, next time you're out there, check the place out."
 
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