Ice Fishing A Wisconsin Farm Pond

By bret_clark 0

After being invited to fish a farm pond a couple weeks ago, it seemed liked forever and a day before it was time to make the trip. Another bonus was my best friend (we do believe we were brothers separated at birth) Mike C was invited too.
After arriving and introductions we left the house and parked the trucks along side of the pond. This made for a long haul through the snow out onto the ice of about 15 yards After cooling down from the walk the StrikeMaster’s were lit up and enough holes were punched for 6 of us to hole hop. Seeing Bob’s (the names have been changed to protect there privacy) older StrikeMaster run without missing a beat is proof of a great product that will last, I’m sure mine will be singing for years to come also. Trudged out on the ice, holes punched and still not a sweat

The average depth of the pond was 5 feet with there being almost 7 feet at the outlet. As soon as the juice was turned on, the MarCum LX-5 tattled on fish 2-3 feet below the ice and these fish were hungry. As for baits, Custom Jigs and Spins Gill Pill’s, Ratfinkee’s and Ratso’s all produced bites. Clown Gill Pill, Orange Ratso and from the PRECIUOUS METAL SERIES the Gold/Black Ratfinkee were my favorite on this day. These jigs were also liked by the stocked Perch, Hybrid Gills and Walleyes.
To keep his pond in balance, Bob has stocked Walleyes to be his predator fish instead of the often seen Bass and Northern. It made a first for Mike C and myself. Catching great looking Walleyes out of a farm pond, that’s better than Bass or Slimmers in my book any day

The quality of the fish on this pond is testimony that Bob knows exactly what it takes to make an outstanding personal fishery. The colors in these fish and the fat bellies revealed an awesome stocking program. At least 3 different year classes of perch were caught, a couple different year classes of eyes and some 8.5-9.5 inch hybrids which will soon be as big as dinner plates are all thriving in this little area of refuge.
Another thing learned about pond fishing…..the bite can turn on or off just as fast as any lake or river system. After playing catch and release for a few hours, just as the temp started to drop and a little snow moved in the fish started hugging bottom and the bigger ones became tight lipped. This is when I started to take in the surroundings, beautiful wood filled hill sides and farm scenery were painted in every direction a person looked. It was fun just to slow down stop, and as the say….smell the roses.

The best way to explain Sunday evening……I died and went to ice fisherman’s heaven for a few hours with a doubled over St Croix rod caused by a tug of war contender on the other end
I can’t thank Bob and hummm…Helen enough for letting us in on there piece of the pie. Good laughs were shared by Bob, Helen and there two friends along with Mike C and I………or were they just laughing at us Mike
Either way, I sure hope we are penciled in for a trip next year

I know this wasn’t are usual river report but, just thought it was to good not too share. Always liked the report of the Iowa crews fishing the ponds, sure glad we had the opportunity also

Good luck fishing people

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bret_clark

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  3. Great report buddy er I mean Brother Bret, and I have to agree that was just about as good as a day on ice gets and about the most relaxed day of fishing we have ever experienced.

    After watching a recent IDO fishing video on Fox Sports (a couple of times) with James and Luke ice fishing an Iowa pond with big gills all I kept thinking about was how awesome that would be. When Bret and I were given the opportunity to fish this little gem of fishing Nirvana I knew we were getting our chance as well. There should have been a sign just up the road that read “You Are Entering Heaven”.

    I learned real quick that some of my smaller jigs, although working well, were not up to the task of those “eyes” and bigger perch – the hooks kept straightening out. Luckily I have just a few jigs in my arsenal that are sized for that kind of battle. And how often does it happen that you double up at the same time like Bret and I did with those healthy looking walleyes?

    Thanks “Bob” and “Helen” for sharing your piece of fishing Heaven with us for an afternoon – we really had a blast and appreciate the opportunity and the good company.

    Oh, and yes, I think they might have been laughing at us just a little

  5. I had no idea the pumpkin seed in that last picture could/will get that big. All I get in that species is 3-4 inchers.

  7. Thanks for sharing this with us… My brother is starting his “Farm Pond” and is making sure he goes thru all the correct channels to do it right….I hope to be able to do that exact same thing with him some day !!

    Thanks buddy !!

  8. Hauling fish from other lakes isn’t consider right?? Only knew a few farmers/ranchers who did that back home. Amazing what some of the littlest ponds can kick out for fish though!!

  9. Wowzers
    Those fish are some crazy kind of pretty
    Thanks for the cool report Bret and for making about a thousand guys extremely jealous
    Now get back to the river where you belong

  11. Are those “pumpkinseeds” called warmouths? A hybred with fast growth, we see those around here quite frequently. Those gills/perch look great, and I didn’t notice any white worms in the fins or tail. They look great!


  12. Quote:

    Are those “pumpkinseeds” called warmouths?

    No they are not. They are a hybrid gill, it is a cross between the bluegill and a green sunfish. These beauty’s like I said will soon be the size of a dinner plate. If you find pumpkin seeds of that size, let me know. You will be in the record book

  15. WOW, not much more to say. Nice job guys and as Jeff stated, get back to river fishing.

    Oh and don’t forget to call me.

    JP Mason

  18. Excellent

    My son and I do most of our ice fishing on 2 or 3 local farm ponds here in NW Iowa. Slab bluegills (abundant), crappies, perch and the occasional largemouth are all part of the mix. Tons of fun…thanks for the report.

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