Lake George at Schooley's Mountain Largemouth Bass

Today I awoke to rain, surprised. We had planned to fish the Paulinskill for smallmouths. I remembered an outing on Lake Musconetcong, June 2006, in light rain like today's that turned out great and decided I might go around 4:30. I called the boat rental and got the answering machine.

Rather than just fish my neighborhood pond, I decided to come here, an eight-acre pond I've had in mind to try for a first time. You never know about new spots unless you've been informed and nothing on the web suggested Lake George.

I didn't feel very impressed, but obviously some fair-size bass inhabit the pond. It's got depth. 15 feet at least near the dam. The water stained by rain, I used the spinnerbait shallow. But with a swimming beach, the water must usually be clear and of very good quality. An evening with topwater plugs might result in a few in the back of the pond. You could probe those depths with a plastic worm during the day, but in my experience, this sort of activity usually doesn't bring much result. More often than not, fishing the shallows where bass leap for dragonflies in the sun is better.

This bass I caught had a lip scar from a hook, so at least some fishing pressure occurs. Good that the bass was released, and most everyone who fishes ponds like this puts the fish back.

It's pretty nice up on Schooley's Mountain. I walked all the way around the pond and while access to casting positions is fairly limited, there's enough for an hour or so of relaxation.