Hit the pond at work again (pic heavy)

I got out of work a little early today, so I hit up the pond there at work. CalOkie had given me a couple bead-head nymph flies, so I decided to do a ?Pop-and-Drop? presentation, with a popper on the tippet, and a dropper tied to the hook of the popper, and a bead-head nymph on the dropper.

Once I got set up, I started false-casting to get some line out, then dropped the line to the water to present the flies. I got an almost immediate strike from this:

[IMG]http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/3...bluegill01.jpg[/IMG]

Followed by this chunky Hybrid Sunnie:

[IMG]http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/4...idsunfish1.jpg[/IMG]

I then proceeded to put on a clinic about catching fish. To bad I was the only one watching:

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9...bluegill02.jpg

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/454...bluegill03.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/693...bluegill04.jpg

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/3...bluegill05.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3...bluegill06.jpg

[IMG]http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/4...bluegill07.jpg[/IMG]

I decided to move to the north about 10 feet, as I had seen some surface hits, and wanted to make contact with those fish to establish their identity. My first cast got a huge strike and immediately hookup. I realized this was a much bigger fish than the Hybrid Sunnie, so using my fingers as a drag, I let the fish take the loose line out until I had the fish on the reel. Then, it decided to run for a bit. I was able to start gaining line, when the fish jumped. I realized I had a NICE Bass on. It came to the bank within seconds. I guess the long rod tired it out quickly. It flopped once before posing for a picture, and a gentle release:

[IMG]http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/192/20120613lmb.jpg[/IMG]

I went back to catching Bluegill, with one more Hybrid Sunnie thrown in for the mix:

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/1...bluegill08.jpg

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/828...bluegill09.jpg

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/644...idsunfish2.jpg

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/4...bluegill10.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/7...bluegill11.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4...bluegill12.jpg

After catching the last fish, I realized I had managed to loose the nymph on the dropper. I could easily have tied the second nymph on, but, decided it was time to head home and get stuff for dinner.

My casting is starting to really get better. I was getting some good distance, probably 30’ at least, and I was casting into a headwind.

Hopefully, this weekend I'll get a fly-rod holder for my kayak. Then, it's on! I've got a couple lakes to hammer.

Nice work! Those bluegills really have serious "shoulders"!

Beautiful gills you got there.

GT171, I've been meaning to ask you. Are you from the Clinton Twp that's in the Brooklyn Hills area? If so, years ago, I used to live in Jackson. My other half is from there.

Nice catches!