Fishing in high water

This past week I tried something that I hadn't done in awhile and I don't know why. With all the high water in the big impoundments, I dug out my fly rod and hit several area ponds and had a ball catching big bluegill and bass.

Usually, around the Memorial Day Weekend, the insects are falling into the water creating a feeding frenzy among the panfish and bass. That's when I bring out the underused fly rod and head out to a pond for lots of action.

After finding my 40 year-old flyrod, I headed for a pond close to home. As I neared the pond I noticed several bugs hitting the water only to be gobbled up by a bass or bluegill. There was a low hanging willow tree that was swarming with bugs and the crazed fish were hitting them as soon as they hit the calm water.

On my first cast with a small popper, a big bass attacked my lure and headed for the weeds and in my haste to land it, I broke the tip of the rod. However, I was able to land the four pound bass, but my fishing pattern changed. Going back to fishing with an ultra-light rig, I threw jigs, spinners and plastic worms, but nothing would hit so I picked up the broken rod and gave it my best shot.

As soon as I could get a bug on the water, I hooked a fish. After about an hour of makeshift fishing, I had all the bass and big bluegills I wanted to clean, but the action was still going strong. I plan on returning as soon as I get another flyrod.

That trip reminded me of earlier fishing days in June when the big grasshoppers were active and the bass, bluegill and catfish were feeding on them. One of my better days catching fish and having plenty of action without using a boat, happened from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. around a big farm pond. The yellow grasshoppers were active and as I watched, several landed in the pond only to be sucked up by a big fish. Catching a bunch of the yellow critters, I put them in a jar, rigged up an ultra-light outfit and baited it with a grasshopper. On the first cast, I hooked a three pound channel cat and the action never stopped until I had a mixed string of bass, catfish and big bluegills. You don't soon forget those kind of days.

There are several things to remember before you head out to a farm pond this summer, mainly chiggers, ticks and poison ivy. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones because those things don't bother me, well, maybe ticks a little. However that isn't the case with everyone. Brent Frazee, outdoor editor for the Kansas City Star, and I fished a pond near Warrensburg and had great success with the bass, but the next day Brent couldn't walk, he was loaded with chiggers bites. It took a few days before he could fish again.

While wading a small stream and using a flyrod over the weekend, Gene Allen, Warsaw, had a ball catching big perch and smallmouth bass until he started breaking out with big welts from unknown sources. To this day, Allen won't go fishing unless its in a boat.

Bob Hastings, Blue Springs, has been pulling out some big bass from the Lake of the Ozarks using topwater lures while casting near boat docks where the fish are hiding in the shade waiting for some bait to come by. The topwater angler has had success for years using this pattern on the lake.

Hastings said, "From now until October is good for topwater fishing in ponds as well as lakes. I don't think anything beats catching bass on topwater lures. When nothing else seems to work, try a topwater lure, especially at this time of the year." Meanwhile, Les Jarman, Stockton lake fishing guide, has been having success trolling a crank bait across secondary points on the lake. "I have been catching bass, walleye, crappie and white bass trolling. Its not my favorite way to fish, but you can't argue with success and as long as this pattern works, that's the way I'll be fishing," he said.