I just got back from one of my favorite fishin’ holes: a 1 acre farm pond a few miles down the road from my place. It’s a great place to fish because not many people know of it and there is almost no fishing pressure. There is nothing I like better than to sneak away and enjoy the silence of pursuing largemouth bass on a Sunday evening.
This body of water isn’t what it used to be though… At one time there were lots of bluegills to keep the bass population in balance. These fish are no longer present and the bass population has exploded. Weather has also been a factor: we have had a couple of hot and dry summers followed by one of the longest and coldest winters I can remember. All of these factors have been detrimental to the health of the fish.
In its heyday it was common to catch several keeper-size fish in an afternoon, some of which were very respectable. The lack of proper management has made these fish a thing of the past. Lately I have caught mostly fish of mediocre size which often appear stressed. There simply isn’t enough room in this pond for the bass to grow the way they should.
If you took a fish from my favorite pond and put it into a 43,000 acre lake it could very well grow to be the fish that is talked about for generations. Take Table Rock Lake for example… This lake is legendary for fish that are worthy of residing in Texas. Large fisheries like these are monitored by biologists and maintained by fishermen to keep fish populations in check.
It is amazing how much we can learn about our own lives by looking to nature… This same phenomenon happens with people. When constricted we are not able to reach our full potential, but when given room to grow and proper guidance it is amazing what can be achieved. So get out there and use what you learned in the farm pond to get you out in the big water!
