What does your pond look like ... Today?

[Smaug]

 

[morewater]

No ice. Downright balmy here north of Toronto with the balminess continuing all through next week.

No early ice fishing this year, so the boat is going back to the Bay of Quinte next weekend for walleye.

 

[Mike in Vermont]

I took 2 kids ice fishing last year. It was -55 F with the wind chill. I rented a heated shanty. They had a ball. The youngest caught a good size Northern. We got a bunch of perch as well. When we got home, I showed them how to dress them. (hands on) They were delicious.

 

[morewater]

Perch are great for the kids. Once the bite is on........
We run portable huts with buddy heaters and get out there on quads.

We ice-fish Lake Simcoe up here in Ontario. 300 perch in a day is not uncommon, with some reaching upwards of a pound. Quinte walleye through the ice are a blast, particularly with a 14" rod and 6lb test when you get a 10+lb walleye.

My largest perch to date is near 2 pounds. Damned thing looked like a bass.

My pond is too small for ice-fishing and Koi don't fight worth a damn. It's also too small to launch a 20 footer and you can get across it on the quad in no time.

 

[Mike in Vermont]

Taken at 7:45 this morning.
Peaceful and beautiful.
Very thankful that we live in one of the most fortunate countries in the world.
The pond is at the bottom of the picture, can't see it yet.

I am interested to see what everyone else's pond looks like at 7:45 am your local time.

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View attachment 88025

7:45 AM
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[MitchM]

What a difference, Mike. I didn't think we were all that different latitude-wise.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

My pond is too small for ice-fishing and Koi don't fight worth a damn. It's also too small to launch a 20 footer and you can get across it on the quad in no time.

Maybe not, but they taste great !

 

[Mike in Vermont]

I have been known to eat my fish.

 

[Troutredds]

A blue heron nabbed four comets yesterday when our motion detector sprinklers were off. That makes seven fish total, all shallow swimming juveniles, that have become heron prey since 2013. All were taken in November or December, in three separate instances. In each case, the three sprinklers were off for whatever reason.

On many occasions, from inside our home, I've seen the sprinklers scare off landing herons, so I know the sprinklers work here. These birds are very cautious by nature, so the commotion of sprinklers sputtering to life as they land scares the poop out of them (true story, I've actually seen the poop left behind by a startled great blue heron).

The point I'm trying to make is that the damn things are smart! They always strike successfully during time of the year when my defenses are down and they always single out young naive fish at the same spot, on the same shelf - three years in a row! I've added Frosty, the four foot tall plastic snowman to the pond area now to act as a scarecrow. I did it last year, moving him around from spot to spot. It may not be helping but it looks festive, especially lit up at night.

Thanks for letting me vent, anyhow. Merry Christmas to all you great ponders everywhere!

 

[addy1]

One reason I leave my net up year round, I saw the heron, fishing in the winter in our pond, Jan, snow on the ground.

 

[Troutredds]

One reason I leave my net up year round, I saw the heron, fishing in the winter in our pond, Jan, snow on the ground.

Their determination and patience are amazing, admirable even. It has to be, I suppose, since it's a life or death pursuit for them.

 

[cas]

the four foot tall plastic snowman to the pond area now to act as a scarecrow.

Now that is a unique idea!

(let me know if it works)

 

[addy1]

No ice, lilies still growing

 

[Mike in Vermont]

Seems winter isn't coming anytime soon, I fed my fish last night. I was surprised how many of them showed up to eat.

 

[Troutredds]

Seems winter isn't coming anytime soon, I fed my fish last night. I was surprised how many of them showed up to eat.

Quite a change from the frigid temps of last year for you guys back east. Maybe you'll have a green Christmas, like we almost always do in Seattle.