I was afraid the pond would be muddy after last week's monsoon, but I found Lake Surprise with normal clarity, and the in-growth of aquatic vegetation was just right--some pads breaking the surface and a little algae underneath, nothing thick like during last May's earlier heat trend. I began casting a Mepp's willow leaf spinner, about an eighth ounce, and it took awhile before I had a pickerel on, losing it, and experienced a terrific strike on the next cast, missing that. And then, on the next cast, I got hung up in a tree and snapped my only spinner off, besides an eighth-ounce spinnerbait, which seemed to ride too slowly through the water.
I fished it persistently, moving down the pond a couple of hundred yards, but nothing happened. I switched to a #7 Rapala floater and soon had a bass of about a pound on, losing it. I missed another hit on the surface (another bass), and yet another, and then caught the pickerel. I had time for only a stint this afternoon, less than an hour, but in this short time clued myself into something that might have really worked if I had a couple of more hours to just patiently twitch the plug here and there on the surface. Lake Surprise is very shallow and I might have found bass in a number of places near emerging pads.
I enjoy hearing the stories of fisherman who try their luck in Lake Surprise. It brings back so many memories of my family going there almost every week. Mom would pack a lunch and dad and my brother would get all their fishing gear together and we would jump in our car and head up to the lake. In those days back in the 50's you can rent a rowboat for 35 cents an hour, although dad preferred to fish off shore. We mainly rented the boat to go joy riding around the lake. There also was a nice little snack bar located a short distance from the end of the lake, at the west end. There were also some nice catfish in the lake which was so delicious. We would go to the top of the lake and sometimes grill a nice lunch, then go to the little zoo to see the few animals they had there. What wonderful memories of those times! I am now 80 years old and wish I could go back and relive those "Good Ole Days". They were the best!
ReplyDeleteIt's a wonderful comment you've made, and just hours ago, a friend and I were talking about fishing Surprise Lake at the supermarket. I drove thinking about the last I was there in 2014. But you're memories are about a different lake. This little lake in Union County, NJ, has none of the size you evoke. Thanks for writing, though.
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