This past winter has been detrimental to my desire to fish. I’ve had other thing on my mind and other hobbies taking up my time. I guess seeing everything underneath several inches of ice for 3 or 4 months had a little something to do with it too.
Yesterday, however, marked the first day I’ve held a rod since October of last year. 5 months is a long time to be away and I am happy to report that I don’t feel like my casting missed a beat!
I traveled to my favorite lunch time spot, which is a park that sits next to the Big Walnut River and has a nice sized pond as well. Our high temp yesterday hit 79 degrees (a record!) and I couldn’t just sit in my truck and read by the pond. Lucky for me I had my 7wt with a big olive bugger attached from last year.
It was nice to feel the rythm of the rod again and watch as the loaded graphite shot my line out over the calm water. I think I had one bump, but no fish brought to hand. But, what would a TR be from me if it didn’t have pics?!?
Here are a few I’ve taken at the pond with my new 80-200mm lens.
and a little woodpecker to help show off the beautiful clear skies we had
…We got a beautiful spring day here in So. Ore… Though a little chilly at about 29 deg. Wild One’s photos are much like one of my spots nearby where I go to let it all run off… Ducks, Geese, and a nice little bass pond. It’s often the best of the best…ModocDan
Oh man, I’d love to get that Sigma 70-300mm. I’ve looked at it off and on for a while. I’d also love to replace my kit lens with the Tamron 18-270mm (not a typo, 18-270!!).
The lens I just got is the Canon 80-200mm E.F.4.5-5.6. It’s an older model that I got from my Dad (didn’t use any more) for free! The Autofocus motor in it is broken so shooting with it is really helping me learn how to manually focus quickly and efficiently. It’s making me plan my shots out in advance, which is definitely good. All the above shots were shot with something similar to this EXIF info:
Make: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
F stop: F/8.0
Exposure: 1/1250 sec.
Focal length: 200.0 mm (I think that equates to 320mm on 35mm)
Metering mode: pattern (5)
White Balance: Daylight
Also, these were all shot in RAW format and converted to JPEG via Photoshop CS4 (just got it and it is AWESOME!!).
Here are a few more because I like to show off (at least I’m honest, eh?).
John, I totally agree! Awesome fish pics. Crystal clear!
do you have a polarizing filter? If not, it would interesting to see the difference one would make on pics like that. It would probably be the differece of using polarizing glasses versus the naked eye.
Excellent camera and lens. Even with the broken auto focus drive your lens is probably superior to the Sigma. Also the Tamron is a very good choice.
You have a great equipment base and your skills are undeniably some of the best. If you don’t have a circular polarize filter. I suggest picking one up on ebay. Get a good one like a Hoya, Tiffin or Sunpack. They will cut down a lot of glare, especially in those shots with water in them. A circular one allows you to select the level of polarization you wish to have by simply rotating the filter in it’s housing. That will let you get shots like these too:
That last shot breaks all of the rules of phtography regarding the lighting of the subject and position of the sun relative to the subject and camera. The polarizer makes that shot possible and with minimum PP.
By the way glad to see you are shooting in RAW. Definately better than JPEG just might require a bigger and a spare memeory card.
When it gets warmer, after the spring spawn, try to get a shot of the HUGE Gar that start surfacing in that pond.
I mostly see them near that downed tree that is on the bank closest the creek…it juts out into the water and is generally decorated with different types of Bass lures.
On a clear, hot day those Gar rise up and bust the minnows on the surface.
Glad to see you posting again, was starting to wonder.
Also, if you saw my report on Crappie, you know where that pond is as well…the Crappie are in the Beaver hut under the water…float a small bugger through the cover.
I’ve only seen the gar in there once, but I see them in the Big 'Nut all the time. hhmmm, I may have to stop in to the other pond for some crappie. Let me know if you want to get together to fish it sometime.
Been down to the Sci yet? I haven’t kept an eye on the water levels, but just looked at the WaterWatch. It is sitting pretty right now at 4.38. That sounds about perfect, doesn’t it?
Nah, haven’t hit the Sci yet…warm water temps bring the Smalls…at least how I like to get them…on the topwater.
The park pond your on will fish incredibly in the early spring…go whenever you can…in the afternoon, that creekside bank will hold some big Largemouth…I have caught a few 2-3 pounders and I have seen some bigger yet.
Also, look for the shellcrackers/redears…they’ll fight like mad, again, only in th eearly spring.
I start at the “north” pond and grab a Crappie or so and then wading Hoover for more Crappie then, hitting your park pond for a couple/few Largemouths when the water starts to heat up then, the 'tangy, then the Sci.
Still have your number, unless it’s changed and will hollar if a trip is possible.